Brother Death

[John Holland]

This may shock some, but I never consciously count syllables or stresses. I don't mind that a poem "jars" in places. It helps to wake the critics up.

Brother Death is a departure from my usual style. I usually write free poetry that may or may not contain some internal rhyme, alliteration or other devises.

Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I haven't yet had time to consider everyone's suggestion and revise.

John

Hi John,
   Time is sometimes hard to come by so it's taken me a while to get around to posting, but I have read this one a few times already and I like it. I'll be honest, the rhythm that's happening feels interrupted to me at time. I count four stresses per line, but the syllables between seem erratic. The first couplet, to me is in perfect rythym, but some of the shorter lines felt awkward to my newbie toungue.

 of women wooed and battles fought.
(of WOMen WOOED and BATtles FOUGHT.)?

   I am reading this as iambic tetrameter . . . It makes me think that I am missing something here. Are you counting stresses only and varying the unstressed counts?