View source for Wiki143:WikiProject Poetry

{{Short description|Wikipedia subject-area collaboration}}
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Welcome to the '''Poetry [[WikiPedia:WikiProject|WikiProject]]'''! To start exploring poetry on Wikipedia, visit the main [[poetry]] page. For information on creating poetry-related articles, please read on.

For poetry-related deletion discussions, see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Deletion sorting/Poetry]].
__FORCETOC__

==About the project==
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===Scope and objectives===
{{See also|Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels|Wikipedia:WikiProject Songs}}
The primary objective of '''WikiProject Poetry''' is to provide comprehensive, accurate, reliable information, and other resources on poetry, poets, and various subjects related to poetry. These topics include biographies of individual poets, works of poetry, national poetries, poetry movements and groups, poetic genres, forms, styles, and techniques. We accomplish this objective through the creation and improvement of articles, lists, and other resources that aim to provide Wikipedia's reader with well-written, adequately sourced historical information, analysis, and interpretation of topics relevant to poetry and the appreciation of poetry.

Articles on these subjects should be categorized in the [[:Category:Poetry]] or one of its subcategories, and the WikiProject banner placed on the article's talk page.

===Tasks===
*'''Poetry assessment drive:''' Please visit [[:Category:Unknown-importance Poetry articles]] and assess as either High, Mid, or Low importance.
*'''Ongoing activity:''' Add the WP:Poetry template to the talk pages of articles related to poets, poems, and poetry collections to affiliate them with this project.
* Continue to improve [[Outline of poetry]], which provides a coverage of the entire subject. It in turn is part of [[Portal:Contents/Outlines|Wikipedia's outline system]] which is one of [[Portal:Contents|Wikipedia's main contents systems]]. Please look it over and fill-in missing topics. If Wikipedia has an article or article section about those topics, please add links to them.It was built as a "[http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/689/1/ reverse outline]", a [[tree structure|structural model]] of an existing work, which in addition to being a summary of the work, can reveal the gaps and other weaknesses for revision purposes.
** While analyzing the outline, please ask yourself (and fix the outline as needed) if (1) the outline has anything missing; (2) whether the structure of the outline (sections and indents) is representative of the subject; and (3) whether the outline helps a reader understand the relationships between the topics presented in the best way possible.
*Work on the [[WP:Poetry/Blake|Blake task force articles]] or [[Wikipedia:WikiProject_Poetry/The_Canterbury_Tales_task_force|Canterbury Tales task force]]
Please nominate current activities on the [[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Poetry|talk page]].
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{{Wikipedia:Version 1.0 Editorial Team/Poetry articles by quality statistics}}
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==Article alerts==
{{Article alerts columns}} 

== Recognized content ==
{{Portal:Poetry/Recognized content}}

==Developing articles: Suggestions, policies, guidelines==
{{shortcut|WP:POETRYSTANDARDS}}
===Notability===
* All articles on poets, poetry and topics related to poetry must meet the [[WP:GNG|general notability guidelines]].
* The merits for inclusion of '''biographical articles on poets''' ought to be considered against the minimum criteria for biographies [[WP:ANYBIO]] and the [[WP:AUTHOR|notability guidelines for creative professionals]] (known as [[WP:AUTHOR]] or [[WP:CREATIVE]]); or if the poet is an academic, the [[Wikipedia:Notability (academics)|notability guideline for academics measured by their academic achievements]] (known as [[WP:ACADEMIC]]). Articles on people who do not meet these criteria can be proposed for deletion. Articles on poets and other persons who are still living '''''must''''' comply with the [[Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons|policies regarding biographies of living persons]] ([[WP:BLP]]).
* '''Articles on poetic movements or groups''' must be the subject of multiple, non-trivial published works appearing in sources that are independent of the book itself, in considering the criteria of WP:AUTHOR and the very similar application toward bands and musicians, [[WP:BAND]] or [[WP:MUSBIO]].
* '''Articles on books'''—be it [[List of poetry collections|poetry collections]], [[poetry anthology|anthologies]], [[chapbooks]], [[pamphlets]], or works of literary scholarship or criticism need to be eligible for inclusion under [[WP:NBOOK|Wikipedia:Notability (books)]], with special attention to the criteria listed at [[WP:BKCRIT]].
* '''Articles on individual poems''' should be considered as we consider articles on individual songs or albums, per [[WP:NSONGS]], in that they must be the subject of multiple, non-trivial published works appearing in sources that are independent of the book itself.
* If an '''individual poem''' does not meet similar notability standards, it is generally advisable to discuss any material on that individual poem in an article on the collection it was from, or at the biography article for the poet. Per the notability guideline for derivative articles, [[WP:BKD]], "it is a general consensus on Wikipedia that articles on books should not be split and split again into ever more minutiae of detail treatment, with each split normally lowering the level of notability." This would be applicable to articles on less-than-notable individual poems—despite however beautiful or meaningful the poem may be.
* Many '''poetry prizes, poetry journals, literary magazines''' are often not notable. If a prize, journal, or magazine is to be considered notable, like other topics, must be the subject of multiple, non-trivial published works appearing in sources that are independent of the prize, journal, or magazine.

===Article naming and title formatting===
Unfortunately, Wikipedia's Manual of Style and its Naming Conventions are often in conflict or inconsistent when it comes to the naming of articles on creative works.  For more information about titling articles, see: [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Article titles]], [[Wikipedia:Article titles]], [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style#Titles of works]], [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Composition titles]].
* Generally, article titles are based on what the subject is called in [[WP:RS|reliable sources]]. When this offers multiple possibilities, editors choose among them by considering several principles: the ideal article title resembles titles for similar articles, precisely identifies the subject, and is short, natural, and recognizable.
* In foreign names, the choice between anglicized and local spellings should follow English-language usage—settling on the usage that predominates in English language reliable sources (per [[WP:UE]]).
* If a poem, lyric or composition has a title, it is usually formatted in [[title case]]. If it is an untitled work and that poem, lyric, or composition uses the first line of text as its title, the title should be formatted in [[sentence case]].
* If an article title is the name of a book or long poem, the title should be presented in italic text. In order to italicize the name of an article, add <nowiki>{{Italic title}}</nowiki> at the top of the article. Mentions of the poem title throughout the article should be italicized. See [[WP:ITALICTITLE]], [[MOS:ITALIC]].
* If an article is about a short poem or lyric, italicization is not necessary, and the title of the poem should be placed in quotation marks. Do not add quotation marks in the name of the article.
* The distinction between a short poem and a long poem is never well-defined and an editor is advised to exercise judgment. The ''Chicago Manual of Style'' (8.179) advises to place poem titles in quotation marks except for "very long poems" that could be book length which should be italicized. A good suggestion is that a poem of 80 lines or less can be considered a short poem; and poems greater than 80 to 100 lines, a long poem. 
:* '''Example (short poems):''' Robert Frost's {{xt|"After Apple Picking"}} (42 lines)
:* '''Example (long poems):''' Walt Whitman's ''{{xt|When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd}}'' (206 lines)

===Use of infoboxes===
{{See also|Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Infoboxes}}
* WikiProject Poetry does not require or prohibit the use of infoboxes. Per [[WP:INFOBOXUSE]]: ''The use of infoboxes is neither required nor prohibited for any article. Whether to include an infobox, which infobox to include, and which parts of the infobox to use, is determined through discussion and consensus among the editors at each individual article.'' 
* Articles with an existing infobox that was put in by consensus, or by the article's major contributors, or (on articles that don't get much editing attention) has been in place for a while, usually ought to stay in place. 
* We discourage bickering on questions of whether to use infoboxes since it leads to unnecessary edit wars and bitterness. When discussing the issue to reach a consensus, focus on the article's content improvement needs—and what best conveys that content.  Neither a position of "I don't like infoboxes, period", nor one of "every article needs an infobox" is a valid rationale.  The needs of properly conveying content in the article are what matter.
* Useful infoboxes for our project's articles: [[Template:Infobox writer]], [[Template:Infobox poem]], [[Template:Infobox book]], [[Template:Infobox hymnal]], [[Template:Infobox publisher]], [[Template:Infobox journal]], [[Template:Infobox award]],

===Citing and sourcing information===
{{See also|Help:Footnotes}}
* All articles must comply with the expectations of Wikipedia's policies and guidelines on [[WP:CITE|citing sources]], [[WP:RS|reliable sources]], and [[WP:V|verifiability]].
* While Wikipedia does not favour any particular citation style over another, scholarly writings on topics relating to literature and the humanities typically employ the MLA or Chicago citation styles, as exemplified in the ''[[MLA Style Manual|MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing ]]'' and the ''[[MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers]]'', both official publications of the [[Modern Language Association]] (MLA); or the ''[[Chicago Manual of Style]]'' as published by the [[University of Chicago Press]].
* The use of [[WP:PAREN|"Harvard Style" parenthetical citations]] within the article text is strongly discouraged as it reduces the readability of an article and compromises the flow of the prose.
* It is not appropriate to provide analysis or interpretation of a poem that is not supported by [[WP:RS|reliable sources]]. Any analysis and interpretation ought to be supported by appropriate citations to relevant books, journal articles and other scholarship from established literary scholars, critics, and historians. Anything that is not appropriately sourced may be construed as [[WP:OR|original research]] and removed.
* Per [[WP:CITEVAR]], "Editors should not attempt to change an article's established citation style merely on the grounds of personal preference, to make it match other articles, or without first seeking consensus for the change." We usually defer to an article's first major contributor regarding the choice of citation style, or to the format already in use at an article. This means that an article using <nowiki><ref> tags</nowiki> or [[Wikipedia:Citation templates|citation templates]] continues to use that style, unless a consensus is established to change it. If an article's citation format is inappropriate for the article, incomplete, or inconsistently used, raise the question of converting the citation style on the article's talk page and wait at least one week to allow other contributors to comment on the proposal. It is an expected courtesy to contact any major contributors to an article for their comments on the matter.

===Quoting from poems and copyright issues===
* Do not quote poems at length or in their entirety if the poem is still under the protection of copyright. The only exception to this is the brief quotation (only a few lines) of a copyrighted text, under [[fair use]] doctrine, if it is analyzed or used to illustrate a point, establish context, or attribute a point of view or idea.  Any quotation of copyrighted text must be attributed through an appropriate citation. Any text that is copyrighted and inappropriately used may be removed immediately.
* Quoting a poem at length or in its entirety is only permissible if and only if (a) if the material is in the public domain or copyright has otherwise expired; or (b) permission has been given by the copyright owner.
* For more information, see Wikipedia's [[WP:NFC|policy on non-free content]] and the guideline for [[Wikipedia:Lyrics and poetry|quoting song lyrics and poetry]].  If you have any questions, ask. If you are in doubt as to the copyright status of a work, ask.

===Style for quoting from poems===
* Do not italicize quoted text.
* All quotations should be cited, either with an appropriate reference tab or citation template, or with a simple parenthetical, like "(lines 31–35)" at the end of the quoted text.
* For discussion of how to format or present scansion, the rhythmic and metrical analysis of verse, see the [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Poetry#Scansion|section on Scansion below]].
* If you are quoting only one line of poetry, treat it like any other short quotation.
* If you choose to quote two or three lines of poetry, most style guides advise to quote them within the structure of a sentence by separating the lines by the insertion of a forward slash. While some writers prefer to set off two-line quotations as a block quotation for emphasis, it is not advisable for Wikipedia.
*: Example: {{xt|"Eliot began his poem ''The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'' with an unexpected simile: "Let us go then, you and I / When the evening is spread out against the sky / Like a patient etherized upon a table".}}
* If you are quoting four or more lines of poetry, most style guides advise to indent the poem as one would a block quotation. Wikipedia has several formatting methods for block quotations (see [[Wikipedia:Quotations]]), including the {{tlx|Quote}} and {{tlx|Quotation}} templates, or the HTML element for blockquotes, which ought to be used with the element for poems within the blockquoted passage. See also the template {{tlx|Poem}}.
*: Example of the blockquote HTML elements use, quoting [[T.&nbsp;S. Eliot]] "[[A Song for Simeon]]" (1928), lines 25–30:
<syntaxhighlight lang="html">
<blockquote><poem>
According to thy word.
They shall praise Thee and suffer in every generation
With glory and derision,
Light upon light, mounting the saints' stair.
Not for me the martyrdom, the ecstasy of thought and prayer,
Not for me the ultimate vision.</poem></blockquote>
</syntaxhighlight>

===Style for rhyme schemes===

* Articles that explain the rhyme scheme used by a type of poem or a specific poem or author, should link to the article [[rhyme scheme]], so readers who don't know what that is can find out.
* Articles that use notation to specify a rhyme scheme (e.g. ABAB) should use the same notation as {{section link|Rhyme scheme|Notation and examples}} so readers who have questions about the notation can learn the details.
** If the rhyme scheme being discussed in the article cannot be handled by any of the notations listed, add a new notation in a similar style to {{section link|Rhyme scheme|Notation and examples}}, with a link back to the main article for the phenomenon (as is done for [[internal rhyme]]).
* When using mixed uppercase and lowercase, specify in the article whether capital letters represent lines repeated verbatim or if they represent masculine rhymes.  (The same notation is used for two different meanings.)
* When quoting from a poem and indicating the rhyme scheme line by line, use a table to line up the letters and prevent them from wrapping in a narrow browser window.  (See example at the top of [[rhyme scheme]].)

===Translations into English of non-English works===
* If you are providing a translation of a poem or text, it is advisable to present the comparison between source text and translated text in two columns—the left-hand column being the source text in its original language, the right-hand column being the translation into English. A good example of its use in an article can be found in the article on Gustav Mahler's [[Das Lied von der Erde]]. Alternatively, {{tl|Verse translation}} can be used to aid formatting. If the source text is in a language whose [[alphabetic writing system]] does not use [[Latin script]]s (i.e. Arabic, Sanskrit, Greek, Chinese, etc.), use three columns if possible: The left=hand column displaying the source text in its original, non-Latin characters; the center column offering the source text in an established system of [[transliteration]] or [[Conversion of scripts|script conversion]] into Latin letters, and the right-hand column offering a translation in English. If you do not know how to use columns, ask another Wikipedian for help on this WikiProject's talk page.
* It is preferred that if a translation is necessary in an article on a poem or lyrical text that an editor use a verbatim or literal translation of the source text. Many translations, especially those created before the twentieth century, are not accurate because the focus of many translations is constrained by rhyme and meter or artistic license is taken by the "translator". Earlier translators either did not give priority to accurately translating the text, or their work does not accurately represent the source text.
* We can use a translation of a poem only if the translation is (a) in the public domain, (b) its copyright has expired, or (c) permission is granted to use said translation by the copyright owner. Do not use a translation of a poem that is currently under copyright. Any texts, including translations, that are under copyright must be removed per [[Wikipedia:Non-free content]] and [[Wikipedia:Lyrics and poetry#License considerations]]
* If you are analyzing a brief excerpt or section of a poem, you may use a brief excerpt of a translation currently under copyright under a [[WP:FAIRUSE|fair use rationale]] provided that (1) the quoted is brief (i.e., no more than a few lines) and (2) full credit to the translator is given through compliance with policies on [[WP:CITE|citing sources]]. Lengthy excerpts do not qualify for fair use.
* If there are no free alternatives available, a user who is knowledgeable about the foreign language of the poem and confident in translating the text is encouraged to provide their own literal translation or a close-to-literal poetic translation. A basic verbatim translation does not violate the policies on original research ([[WP:OR]]) or synthesis ([[WP:SYNTH]]), and Wikipedia's policies and guidelines encourage users to provide accurate translations, see: [[WP:SYNNOT]] and [[WP:NOTOR#Translation and contextualizing]].
* If you do choose to provide a translation of a poem for an article, please consider asking another user to check your work. Either ask another Wikipedian directly or place a message on this WikiProject's talk page. 
* If you are not proficient in a foreign language, do not translate the poem. Do not use a translation from Google, Babelfish, or any other online translation service.  Please contact another Wikipedian who advertises their ability in the relevant language and ask if they could provide a translation, or request a translation on this WikiProject's talk page.

===External links to material under copyright===
* If you find the text of a poem or a translation of a poem elsewhere on the internet it can be used in an article or provided as an external link if and only if (a) if the material is in the public domain or copyright has otherwise expired; or (b) permission has been given by the copyright owner. Do not add an [[WP:EL|external link]] to any online source or website whose content violates the intellectual property rights of artists, poets, publishers, or other creative interests (per [[WP:ELNEVER]])
* If a poem is currently in the public domain or copyright has otherwise expired, it should be added to Wikisource.

===Other considerations===
* The use of [[WP:LQ|logical quotations]] is encouraged, irrespective of any rules associated with the variety of English in use. Therefore, "place all punctuation marks inside the quotation marks if they are part of the quoted material and outside if they are not".

==Templates==

{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:teal;color:white" | What to type:
! style="background:teal;color:white" | What it makes:
! style="background:teal;color:white" | What it's for
|-
| {{tl|WPPoetry}}
| {{WikiProject Poetry|category=no}}
| The notice or template to indicate an article is part of the project. Place on talk pages.
|-
| {{tlx|Portal|Poetry}}
| {{Portal|Poetry}}
| Provides a link to the Poetry portal for easy subject navigation.  To be placed at the top of "see also"/"related topics" sections only.
|-
| {{tl|User WPPoetryMember}}
| {{User WPPoetryMember}}
| Userbox for members of the project, for display on user pages.
|-
| {{tlu|User:Scepia/poetry}}
| {{User:Scepia/poetry}}
| Userbox for readers of poetry, not necessarily members of the project.
|-
| {{tl|poetry-stub}}
| 
| The stub template for general poetry articles.
|-
| {{tl|poem-stub}}
| 
| The stub template for articles on individual poems.
|-
| {{tl|poet-stub}}
| 
| The stub template for articles on individual poets.
|}

==Content expectations and article structure==

===National poetries===

Articles devoted to '''national poetries''' should be chronological in structure, beginning with the earliest known poetry from that country in question. The article should cover the principal periods and give brief information on the main poets, groups and movements in each period. Some attempt should be made to indicate factors that link and/or differentiate each period. Any important influences from other poetries should also be mentioned. Where possible, external links to online primary texts and/or critical or historical discussions should be appended at the end of the article. References and pictures are required to bring the article to [[WP:FA|featured]] status.

Some assistance may be available through [[WP:HISTINFO|WikiProject Historical Information]].

;Examples

Well-developed articles:
*[[Irish poetry]]
*[[Poetry of the United States]]

Other priorities:
*[[Indian poetry]]

===Poetry groups or movements===

Articles covering '''poetry groups or movements''' should cover the main members of the group, the stated aims or poetic and any important dates or key publications in the group's history. Other poets or groups/movements that the group being discussed were influenced by or reacting against should also be mentioned, as should the general cultural context. Where possible, external links to online primary texts and/or critical or historical discussions should be appended at the end of the article. References and pictures are required to bring the article to [[WP:FA|featured]] status.

;Example

*[[Imagism]]

===Individual poets===

Articles discussing individual poets should adhere to normal Wikipedia biography conventions. The poet's early influences, associations with any groups or movements, and main publications should be mentioned, along with any later poets, groups or movements they may have strongly influenced. Where possible, external links to online primary texts and/or critical or historical discussions should be appended at the end of the article. References and pictures are advised where the intention is to push the article to [[WP:FA|featured]] status.

;Examples

*[[William Shakespeare]]
*[[W. B. Yeats]]
*[[Emily Dickinson]]

===Individual poems===
If the poem in question is quite short, it should be added to the article, per [[WP:L&P]]. If it is a long poem, it should be linked, either from WikiSource, or from another website. The text of poems which are not copyrighted should in general be placed in WikiSource.  

An article on an individual poem, besides the poem itself, should describe the publication history of the poem, and the critical response to the poem.  Other matters that could be covered include: the circumstances in which the poem was written, the structure and style of the poem, and references made in the poem.

;Examples
* [[The Waste Land]]
* [[Mr Bleaney]]
* [[In Memoriam A.H.H.]]
* [[The Cantos]] (and [[List of cultural references in The Cantos]])

===Styles, forms, techniques, lists, general topics===

Include definitions, history including dates, notable poets associated and examples where appropriate. Lists should be annotated and illustrated where appropriate. Where there are red links on a list, please consider writing stubs or longer entries. References and pictures are required to bring the article to [[WP:FA|featured]] status.

;Examples

*[[Poetry]]
*[[Alliterative verse]]
*[[List of poets]]
*[[List of cultural references in The Cantos]]

===Poetry prizes===
* [[Forward Poetry Prize]]
* [[Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Prize]]

==Scansion==

[[Scansion]] is the act of analyzing and (usually) graphically representing the metrical character of a line of verse. ''Ideally'' Wikipedia will scan consistently across articles. Metrical verse is extremely diverse, especially across languages and over time, so universal consistency of scansion may not be possible or even desirable, but this advice will serve most English verse well, and may be useful for verse in other languages, too.

===Binary marks===

In a line of verse each syllable should be marked: ''ictic'' syllables with a slash "/", and ''nonictic'' syllables with an "x" — or preferably a multiplication sign "×".  It is vital to distinguish between a ''metrical'' scansion (as is recommended here) and a ''rhythmic'' scansion (which, alone, leads to perdition). For notes on how to incorporate ''rhythmic'' notation into a valid ''metrical'' scansion, see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Poetry#Optional 2-line scansion|Optional 2-line scansion]] below. The line of text is displayed, with a second line of scansion marks above it. Symbols are placed above the first vowel in each syllable.  Both lines should begin with a space, so as to display them as {{mono|monospaced characters}}; this allows easy [[WYSIWYG]] editing and keeps the verse text intact. The verse reference is placed on the same line as the text.

  ×   /     ×  /     ×     /     ×  / ×    /
 To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells <ref>Keats: ''To Autumn'' 7</ref>

This method of display is used in the article [[Scansion]]. For an alternate display method, see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Poetry#Alternate markup|Alternate markup]] below.

===Pipes===

The existence, function, and explanatory usefulness of [[Foot (prosody)|feet]] in English verse is disputed. Also, while syntactic pauses frequently occur within a line, English verse seldom includes a metrically structural [[caesura]]. Therefore it is recommended that both these features remain unmarked unless the specific line requires them.  Either can be marked within the text by a pipe "|" or, if they are both marked simultaneously, by a single pipe "|" for feet and two pipes "||" for caesura. Words should not be hyphenated when they are broken up by foot markers.

   ×   /    ×  / ×   /    ×  /      ×    /  ×     /  × /
 The princely palace of the sun | stood gorgeous to behold
 ×    /      ×  /     ×    /      ×   /      ×   /     ×   /     ×      /
 On state | ly pill | ars build | ed high || of yell | ow burn | ished gold <ref>Golding: ''Ovid's Metamorphoses'' II, 1-2</ref>

As can be seen, a cost of including foot or caesura notation is the fragmentation of the verse text.

===Extrametrical syllables===

Both positionally extrametrical syllables and [[Elision|elided]] syllables can be indicated with parentheses.

  ×  /     ×(×)  / ×  /(×)    ×   /      × / (×)
 His acts being seven ages. | At first the infant <ref>Shakespeare: ''As You Like It'' II.vii, 143</ref>

The line above contains all 3 types of extrametrical syllables commonly found in iambic pentameter: the first (×) is elided, the second (×) is allowed by a so-called "epic caesura" — a special case in which marking a caesura in iambic pentameter can be useful — and the third (×) is a feminine ending. These distinctions are not made explicit by the scansion, so in cases like this clarification may be required in the article text.

===Virtual beats===

It is often (not always) conceded that certain meters (specifically the wide family of 4-ictic [[Ballad meter]]s, including [[Fourteeners]], [[Poulter's measure]], and [[Limericks]], among others) allow some line-final ictic positions to be experienced silently. Depending on the context, it may not be important to scan these, in which case one merely scans the syllables present in the text. But if these "virtual beats" require notation, they can be marked with "[/]" thus:

 ×  /    ×  / ×    / ×    /
 I taste a liquor never brewed,
   ×   /  ×      /     ×   /     [/]
 From tankards scooped in pearl;
  ×  /     ×  /   × /    ×   /
 Not all the vats upon the Rhine
  ×     /   ×  /  × /    [/]
 Yield such an alcohol! <ref>Dickinson: ''I taste a liquor never brewed'' 1-4</ref>

Note the distinction between brackets here and parentheses above. This helps to emphasize how different the virtual beat is from the extrametrical syllable — the opposite, in fact. Extrametrical syllables are positions that exist in the text, but do not count in the meter; virtual beats are positions that exist in the meter, but not in the text.

([[Derek Attridge]] (who coined the term "virtual beat") would also scan the lines above with "virtual offbeats" (e.g. "[× /]" at the end of lines 2 and 4). This is significant for his system, but is considered counterproductive for Wikipedia; especially since virtual beats frequently pop up in contexts in which one could imagine arguments over whether one was failing to hear 0, 1 or 2 virtual offbeats!)

===Alternate markup===

If ''no'' verse text reference, or any other markup, is required on the same lines as the scansion and text, the scansion can be better integrated within the article text by using this markup:
:<code><nowiki><pre style="border:none;background-color:transparent;margin-left:1em"></nowiki></code>
:{{mono|scansion}}
:{{mono|verse text}}
:<code><nowiki></pre></nowiki></code>
This method, too, allows WYSIWYG editing of the displayed lines. It is exemplified below, and is used in the article [[Iambic Pentameter]]. Unfortunately, no method allowing ''both'' this appearance ''and'' markup (like {{tag|ref|o}}) is currently available.

===Optional 2-line scansion===

Isn't one line enough? For metrical purposes, yes. But consider these lines:

:When Ajax strives, some rock's vast weight to throw,
:The line too labours, and the words move slow; <ref>Pope: ''An Essay on Criticism'', 370-71</ref>

Many people will find it hard to stomach that not only are these lines metrically ''identical'', but that they are also ''completely regular'':

<pre style="border:none;background-color:transparent;margin-left:1em">
  ×  / ×     /      ×    /      ×    /      ×    /
When Ajax strives, some rock's vast weight to throw,
  ×  /    ×   / ×     /     ×  /     ×     /
The line too labours, and the words move slow;
</pre>

What of Pope's alleged sonic reproduction — through over-weighting the line with heavy syllables — of strain and toil? What of the reader's or listener's real experience of that strain? What is scansion good for, if it doesn't show this? Well, metrical scansion is ''not'' good for that. Its purpose is to analyze the meter of the line, and this is a binary proposition: all the syllables either function as a beat (ictus) or not (nonictus), and in verse like this (as indeed in most verse) the number of ictuses per line remains stable throughout the poem. There is no way ''metrically'' to notate the "extra stresses" that the reader legitimately experiences. These are an issue of verse rhythm. And while scanning ''only'' a verse's rhythm leads almost inevitably to a metrical boondoggle, scanning a verse's meter ''and'' rhythm can be very enlightening.

<pre style="border:none;background-color:transparent;margin-left:1em">
  2  4 1     4      3    4      3    4      1    4
  ×  / ×     /      ×    /      ×    /      ×    /
When Ajax strives, some rock's vast weight to throw,
 
  1  4    3   4 1     2     1  4     3     4
  ×  /    ×   / ×     /     ×  /     ×     /
The line too labours, and the words move slow;
</pre>

Here, we've added a rhythmic scansion (1 = lightest stress and 4 = heaviest stress). This closely mirrors the methods used by [[Otto Jespersen]], [[James McAuley]], and [[Timothy Steele]]; and serves as a useful informal approximation of the more linguistically technical scansions of [[Marina Tarlinskaja]], [[Derek Attridge]], and Peter L. Groves. Now we can see 1) the variety of stress interrelationships that create the distinctive stress profile of the lines, 2) how these variously stressed syllables realize ictic and nonictic positions within the iambic pentameter, and 3) how, despite the preponderance of heavy stresses, these lines relate structurally to Pope's other heroic lines.

Though relatively objective means can be used to determine fine-grained stress levels like these, they tend to be quite technical. For Wikipedia, these rhythmic scansions may best be left to the scanner's ear.

=== Text sources ===
<references/>

== Participants ==
===Active members===
To join the WikiProject Poetry, edit this section and add <b>{{mono| {{nobreak|<nowiki>#~~~~</nowiki>}} }}</b> and any comments to the end of the following list of members.<br/>
#[[User:Sad Lil Artsy Guy|Sad Lil Artsy Guy]]
#[[User:Smmmaniruzzaman|Smmmaniruzzaman]]
#[[User:Daniel C. Boyer|Daniel C. Boyer]]
#[[User:Ihcoyc|Smerdis of Tlön]]
#[[User:Kdammers|Kdammers]]
#[[User:Stumps|Stumps]]
#[[User:hmwith|hmwith]]
#[[User:John Carter]]
#[[User:Wrad|Wrad]]
#[[User:ImperviusXR|ImperviusXR]]
#[[User:Albeiror24|Albeiror24-Neopanida]]: Spanish literature and poetry.
#[[User:Ericdn|Ericdn]]
#[[User:Easchiff|Easchiff]] - various contemporary poets (Kay Ryan, Timothy Murphy, Carl Dennis), some awards articles.
#[[User:Junius49|Junius49]]
#[[User:Spanglej|Spanglej]] Mostly US and UK poets 
#[[User:Sir Richardson|Sir Richardson]]
#[[User:Szfski|Szfski]] - Classical Arabic and Russian poetry.
#[[User:Dcattell|Dcattell]] Poetry that's lovely, good, and beautiful (and that I can understand).
#[[User:Clevelander96|Clevelander96]] Middle English Poetry, Irish poets in English, Poetics
#[[User:Londonjackbooks|Londonjackbooks]] Works by and about Philadelphia poet [[wikisource:Author:Florence Earle Coates|Florence Earle Coates]].
#[[User:Mikhailov Kusserow|Mikhailov Kusserow]]
#[[User:Bertaut|Bertaut]]
#[[User:Christian Roess|Christian Roess]]
#[[User:hazelnutmeg|hazelnutmeg]] -- mostly Latin and Ancient Greek poetry, occasionally editing biographical entries on German, US, or UK poets.
#[[User:JoannaSerah|JoannaSerah]] ([[User talk:JoannaSerah|talk]]) 05:01, 19 September 2011 (UTC)
#[[User:BanWisco|BanWisco]]
#[[User:Damoon4all|Damoon4all]]
#[[User:Khani100|Khani100]]--Pakistani and South Asian poetry in English,Urdu and Punjabi
#[[User:nmcrae1|nmcrae1]] -- Contemporary American poets, poetry, and writing culture
#[[User:SenchaDragon|SenchaDragon]] -- Craft of poetry, new and emerging writers, translation
#[[User:Cfsibley|Cfsibley]] --Contemporary poets, EM and Renaissance poetry, woman poets
#{{User|MasterOfHisOwnDomain}}
#{{User|MiltonRoad}} Contemporary female poets, English-language and Spanish-language poets, contemporary poetry/movements
#[[User:Village Explainer|Village Explainer]] ([[User talk:Village Explainer|talk]]) 18:54, 9 February 2013 (UTC) Poet, critic, scholar of prosody
#[[User:Hillbillyholiday81|Hillbillyholiday]] adds poetry to random articles. Also, recently compiled and organized 60k rhyming words in an intuitive multi-colour format with notes. Email me for a free copy as a word.doc. or if you can help wikify it!
#[[User:Drmies|Drmies]]
#[[User:Thebaitgoat|Thebaitgoat]] ([[User talk:Thebaitgoat|talk]]) 03:02, 28 October 2013 (UTC) -- contemporary American poetry, especially Kay Ryan
#[[User:Rosario Berganza|Rosario Berganza]] English Romantic poetry
#[[User:Voltaire&Leibniz|Voltaire&Leibniz]] Voltaire, satire and English romantic poetry.
#[[User:ColonelHenry|ColonelHenry]] - 2 FA and 8 GA poetry articles. Writes on many poetic traditions, will translate passages for articles, specializes in Eliot, Bunting, Whitman, Rilke, Metaphysical poetry. Planning to write more on Persian poets
#[[User:Gairmscoile|Gairmscoile]] ([[User talk:Gairmscoile|talk]]) 20:26, 25 January 2014 (UTC) - [[Scottish Literature]] (specifically [[Hugh MacDiarmid]]), [[Postcolonial Theory]] and [[Literary Modernism]]
#[[User:RodneyJ|RodneyJ]] English Romantic Poetry
#[[User:Kelseyplum10|Kelseyplum10]]
#[[User:Georgiasouthernlynn|Lynn Hamilton]]
#[[User:Mercurywoodrose|Mercurywoodrose]] improving the poetry portal
#[[User:Perry Middlemiss|Perry Middlemiss]] ([[User talk:Perry Middlemiss|talk]]) 23:40, 10 January 2015 (UTC) Australian poetry
#[[User:RatRat|RatRat]] ([[User talk:RatRat|talk]])
#[[User:Fatcat2|Fatcat2]] ([[User talk:Fatcat2|talk]]) 22:28, 22 August 2015 (UTC) Classical poetry in general, especially Greek tragedy, Latin and Greek epic
#[[User:Josh a brewer|Josh a brewer]] ([[User talk:Josh a brewer|talk]]) 02:09, 24 August 2015 (UTC) Caribbean, Romantic, Modernist, Postmodern, prosody
#{{User|Daphne Lantier}} English Romantic and Victorian poetry.
#[[User:It&#39;s Harrison!|It&#39;s Harrison!]] ([[User talk:It&#39;s Harrison!|talk]]) 22:47, 20 April 2016 (UTC)
#[[User:NotAJF|NotAJF]] Classical poetry, especially Sappho and Catullus
#[[User:CWH|ch]] ([[User talk:CWH|talk]]) 19:07, 20 May 2016 (UTC) Chinese classical poetry and 19th century American.
#[[User:Cogswell Crowell|Cogswell Crowell]]
#[[User:Strawberryfields77|Strawberryfields77]] ([[User talk:Strawberryfields77|talk]]) 04:19, 18 January 2017 (UTC)
#[[User:PFolsaph|Peter Folsaph]] ([[User talk:PFolsaph|talk]]) 19:42, 3 February 2017 (UTC)
#[[User:Ekartha|Ekartha]] ([[User talk:Ekartha|talk]]) 17:46, 3 July 2017 (UTC)
#[[User:ÆnēāsQuébécois|Ænēās Québécois]]
#[[User:On Tangled Paths|On Tangled Paths]] 23:42, 9 February 2018 (UTC)
#[[User:Kwsherwood|Kwsherwood]] ([[User talk:Kwsherwood|talk]]) 19:03, 1 March 2018 (UTC) Modern, Postmodern, Ethn0poetics American and Experimental
#[[User:DENAMAX|Maxim Stoyalov]]
#[[User:JoeZelazny|JoeZelazny]] ([[User talk:JoeZelazny|talk]]) 13:16, 28 September 2018 (UTC)
#[[User:Timothy.robbins|Timothy.robbins]]
#[[User:Anthologetes|Anthologetes]]
#[[User:Ozywomandias|Ozywomandias]] ([[User talk:Ozywomandias|talk]]) 05:27, 6 May 2019 (UTC) Indigenous and feminist poetry
#[[User:GeneralPoxter|GeneralPoxter]] ([[User talk:GeneralPoxter|talk]]) 15:22, 25 September 2019 (UTC)
#[[User:Jake78541|Jake78541]] Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Whitman baby
#[[User:Yitzilitt|Yitz]] ([[User talk:Yitzilitt|talk]]) 05:38, 25 September 2020 (UTC) working on improving pages related to Robert Browning
#[[User:Wah lao eh...|Wah lao eh...]] ([[User talk:Wah lao eh...|talk]]) 18:48, 15 November 2020 (UTC)
#[[User:Amir Ghandi|Amir Ghandi]] ([[User talk:Amir Ghandi|talk]]) 23:37, 11 January 2021 (UTC)
# [[User:Eddie891|Eddie891]] <small>''<sup> [[User talk:Eddie891|Talk]]</sup> <sub>[[Special:Contributions/Eddie891|Work]]</sub>'' </small> 15:03, 12 February 2021 (UTC)
#[[User:Defwe12|Defwe12]]  Interested in Gujirati poetry and Beat Poetry, Favorite poets are Tagore, Wilde, Ginsberg, and (Dylan) Thomas
#[[User:Otherart|Otherart]] ([[User talk:Otherart|talk]]) 11:59, 5 April 2021 (UTC)
#[[User:Paracelsus888|Paracelsus888]] ([[User talk:Paracelsus888|talk]]) 09:59, 20 May 2021 (UTC)
#[[User:Musophilus|Musophilus]] ([[User talk:Musophilus|talk]]) 13:28, 29 May 2021 (UTC) Early modern English poetry. Working on increasing recognition of [[Samuel Daniel]]
#[[User:SmallJarsWithGreenLabels|small jars]] <small><code>[[User talk:SmallJarsWithGreenLabels|<b style="color:#270">t</b>]][[special:contributions/SmallJarsWithGreenLabels|<b style="color:#270">c</b>]]</code></small> 09:52, 17 August 2021 (UTC) Working on a template for scansion, interested in Imagism and eastern poetry as a reader
#[[User:Heilprin|Heilprin]] ([[User talk:Heilprin|talk]]) 22:34, 5 September 2021 (UTC)
#[[User:CivilianArthur|CivilianArthur]] ([[User talk:CivilianArthur|talk]]) 19:06, 3 November 2021 (UTC)
#[[User:A0630!|A0630!]] ([[User talk:A0630!|talk]]) 23:16, 18 March 2022 (EDT)
#[[User:Geoffroi|Geoffroi]] American and English poetry.
#[[User:Gabriel سلیمی|Gabriel سلیمی]]
#[[User:Squidditas|Squidditas]]
#[[User:Goldenrod42|Goldenrod42]] ([[User talk:Goldenrod42|talk]]) 23:45, 8 September 2023 (UTC)
#[[User:Novo Tape|Novo Tape]]<sup>[[User talk:Novo Tape|My Talk Page]]</sup>  22:37, 16 January 2024 (UTC) Hope to start working on expanding English modernists (in particular Crane, Moore, Eliot)
#[[User:ContemplativeBanana|ContemplativeBanana]] ([[User talk:ContemplativeBanana|talk]]) 16:11, 27 May 2024 (UTC) Modern and Contemporary American poetry, mostly.

===Inactive members===
#[[User:Tegalad|Tegalad]]
#[[User:Anshul|Anshul]]
#[[user:sjc|sjc]]
#[[User:Wikipedius|Wikipedius]]
#[[User:WayneRay|WayneRay]]
#[[User:A Musing|Sam]]
#[[User:Moonbug|Moonbug]]
#[[User:Rianon Burnet|*Rianon Burnet]]
#[[User:William P. Coleman|William P. Coleman]] ([[User talk:William P. Coleman|talk]]) Modernism, Classical Chinese Poetry, Classical Greek Poetry
#[[User:Thehumuslayer|Thehumuslayer]]
#[[User:Survivalism|Survivalism]] ([[User talk:Survivalism|talk]]) 16:04, 21 February 2008 (UTC)
#[[User:Kalindoscopy|Kalindoscopy]]
#[[User:Zorba_the_Geek|Zorba the Geek]] ([[User talk:Zorba_the_Geek|talk]]) especially Russian poetry 
#[[User:Vergency|Vergency]]
#[[User:Erik the Red 2|Erik the <span style="color:red">Red</span> 2]] <small>([[User Talk:Erik the Red 2|<span style="color:maroon">AVE</span>]]·[[Special:Contributions/Erik the Red 2|<span style="color:orange">CAESAR</span>]])</small> 17:05, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
#[[User:Evb-wiki|Evb-wiki]] ([[User talk:Evb-wiki|talk]]) 13:57, 25 August 2008 (UTC)
#[[User:Smileypirate|Smileypirate]] ([[User talk:Smileypirate|talk]]) 15:06, 29 September 2008 (UTC)
#[[user:mrathel|mrathel]] ([[User talk:mrathel|talk]])
#[[User:Ottava Rima|Ottava Rima]] - English Civil War to Victorians.
#[[User:TheGeniusPrince|TheGeniusPrince]]
#[[User:Ida-Marie's Father|Ida-Marie's Father]] - German and German-writing Poets
#[[User:Lordknave|Lordknave]]
#[[User:Aclayartist|Aclayartist]]
#[[User:BarbaraSta|BarbaraSta]]
#[[User:Jonesdaniel4291|-- Daniel Jones]] ([[User talk:Jonesdaniel4291|talk]]) 11:26, 13 July 2009 (UTC)
#[[User:MaximilianT|MaximilianT]]
#[[User:Ink Falls|Ink Falls]] -What Dcattell said ^_^
#[[User:BlackMarlin|BlackMarlin]] 20th Century Poetry, mainly British or from the North of Ireland. Currently writing a PhD thesis on Paul Muldoon.
#[[User:Josette|Josette]]
#[[User:Amartya_ray2001|Amartya Ray]]
#[[User:Brucewhealton|Brucewhealton]] ([[User talk:Brucewhealton|talk]]) 12:35, 10 July 2010 (UTC)Brucewhealton Interested in poetry online, poets, and poetry communities
#[[User:Sigauri|Sigauri]]
#[[User:Weatherby551|Weatherby551]]
#[[User:Mschwer2|Mschwer2]] 

===Member userboxes===
You may place '''{{nobreak|{{tltt|User WP Poetry}}}}''' or '''{{nobreak|{{tltt|User WPPoetryMember}}}}''' on your user&nbsp;page to display one of the following userboxes:
{{User WP/subex|User WP Poetry|list}}
Either of these templates will add your user&nbsp;page to:
*[[:Category:WikiProject Poetry participants]]
*[[:Category:Wikipedians interested in poetry]]
For other poetry user templates, please see:
*[[:Category:Poetry user templates]]

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