Anapesten Access

The classic example in English is the word "understand" (un-der-STAND). Another is "interrupt" (in-ter-RUPT). But the most famous example in literature comes from Lord Byron’s The Destruction of Sennacherib : The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold; Scan that first line: The As--ian came down like the wolf on the fold .

So the next time you feel your heart racing, the next time you laugh so hard the words spill out in a rush, or the next time you read "The Night Before Christmas" to a wide-eyed child—listen closely. You will hear the soft patter of two little feet, followed by the heavy landing of the third. anapesten

An anapest is a metrical foot consisting of : two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable. da-da-DUM Think of the sound of a ticking clock that suddenly slams a door. Think of a rubber band stretching for two beats and snapping on the third. The classic example in English is the word