Michael Shepherd - 0016 Amphibrach

A tinker, a tailor, a soldier, a sailor...
‘A one and a two and a three and a four, guys…’

The amphibrach sings one of poetry’s basics;
a metrical foot – though a difficult one; it
is named from the Greek, meaning short at
both ends – that is, short, long, short, short, long short;
a poet can use it like this for a few lines, or longer;
however, it always seems trying to be something
else – like, some poor donkey who’s lame in one hind-leg;
it’s happier changing to dactyl or ana-
pest – see what I mean, now?

Michael Shepherd

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/0016-amphibrach/