Meter & Rhythm
Iamb
From Greek iambos: possibly from iaptein (to throw). Said by Aristotle to be the most natural rhythm of speech; the foot of Greek comedy and lyric.
Definition
A metrical foot of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (u —) — the basic unit of English poetry.
Example
'shall I com-PARE thee TO a SUM-mer's DAY' — five iambs making a line of iambic pentameter.