Post by MikePost by Lee FlynnACIM Workbook Lesson 240 ~ August 28
....
Hey, Lee, how are you?
Hi there Mike. I've been very well, how about yourself?
Post by MikeQuestion: Where is the first occasion of
iambic pentameter found in ACIM? You have posted it before, but I
forget. :)
Something like 15 years ago, Michael (Steve) Russell wrote a study of
the iambic pentameter in the Course, entitled "The Rhythm and Reason
of Reality". This is from his introduction to that book. I think it will
answer most of your questions about where the iambic pentameter
makes its appearance across the Text and Workbook. ~ Lee
_________
"This course has come from him because his words
have reached you in a language you can love
and understand." (Manual For Teachers)
Introduction
You may remember reading, amongst the literature concerning the scribing
of A Course In Miracles, references to the use of the poetic form called
iambic pentameter. Most of you won't know exactly what this means, and
of those who do, most will not be able to easily discern the poetic form
within the prosaic layout of the Course.
The purpose of this volume is to present the poetry of the Course in a
totally accessible manner. You need know nothing about poetic forms and
meters to begin enjoying it immediately. You may, however, wish to read
this introduction, since the search to ascertain the extent of the poetic
form within the Course has revealed another astounding dimension in its
structural integrity.
Definitions: Iambic pentameter is usually described as "lines consisting
of five iambs", which in turn are described as "metric feet of two
syllables each, the second syllable being the stronger". Such a
description is useful to few. Put simply, a line of iambic pentameter
feels like this:
Da-dum da-dum da-dum da-dum da-dum.
(This form is also called "blank verse", a more general term denoting
even rhythm without rhyming.)
Because the Course is published entirely as prose, the extent to which
iambic pentameter is used is a surprising and exciting discovery. It
divides the Text of A Course In Miracles into three distinct parts, two
of twelve chapters each, and the last of seven chapters. Within this
structure, a gradual transition is made from prose to iambic pentameter.
Normal spoken English and prose is arhythmic, having sometimes one,
sometimes two syllables between accents, with no discernable pattern.
The first twelve chapters of the Course are written in such prose, and
the portrait of the human condition given is prosaic indeed. The very
last sentence of the section is the first instance (that this reader
found) of the poetic form: "Your Father could not cease to love His Son."
The second part, Chapters 13 to 24, is mostly iambic but not
pentametric - there is one syllable between accents, but the pairs of
unaccented and accented syllables are not arranged in groups of five.
This iambic characteristic is phased in over the first six sections of
Chapter 13. In section seven, "The Attainment of the Real World," each
paragraph contains on average only three or four irregularities. However
the second part of the Course is not without any instance of iambic
pentameter. Frequently, paragraphs begin with emphatic statements given
in iambic pentameter. "There is a light that this world cannot give;" is
the first such occurrence. "You do not really want the world you see;"
"We cannot sing redemption's hymn alone;" "Your faith in nothing is
deceiving you." These powerful statements are each elucidated
conceptually in the paragraphs that follow from them, however the
receptive mind may find further reading unnecessary or even quite
impossible for some time. A collection of these opening sentences is
given at the end of this introduction, containing every instance that
this reader could identify.
Deeper into the second part, increasingly strong "insertions" of iambic
pentameter occur - longer passages that persist further into the
paragraphs. For instance, in Chapter 21:
Thus they define their life and where they live,
adjusting to it as they think they must,
afraid to lose the little that they have.
And so it is with all who see the body
as all they have and all their brothers have.
They try to reach each other, and they fail,
and fail again.
Coincident with the approach of total iambic pentameter, Jesus makes this
statement (in Chapter 22): "This is a crucial period in this course, for
here the separation of you and the ego must be made complete." And this:
This course will be believed entirely
or not at all.
For it is wholly true or wholly false,
and cannot be but partially believed.
Chapter 25 is the beginning of the final part. In Chapters 25 and 26 the
final transition is made into seamless iambic pentameter, making feasible
its presentation as poetry in the same manner as the works of Shakespeare
are presented, with two columns of the short blank verse lines to a page.
It is at this last part that this volume takes up the Text.
Some parts of these two chapters are still not regular enough to allow
breakdown into lines, and so are presented as prose. Also, the regular
iambic pentameter in these two chapters, and early in Chapter 27, often
contains lines that have one extra syllable, or short lines of only four
or six syllables. I make no claim to correct division of lines in these
circumstances, although in most instances the short line quite obviously
emphasizes a point.
In the remaining chapters of the Text, the iambic pentameter is perfect.
Jesus never abbreviates words to achieve this, but does make use of words
with an adaptable syllable count: Heaven as one or two syllables, idea as
two or three. Occasional occurrences of one extra syllable at the end of
a line fall within the accepted parameters of the form. Maintenance of
the meter accounts for what frequently seemed to be unusual syntax when
read as prose - but which now makes perfect sense as poetry.
A transition from prose to poetry also occurs in the Workbook, but it is
much simpler, and quicker. The first ninety lessons are plain prose,
with the exception of Lesson 78, which is totally poetic. The transition
occurs entirely within seven lessons. Lesson 91 is prose. The following
lessons have increasing percentages of verse, but the distinction is kept
very clear. Each paragraph is either entirely prose, or entirely poetry,
and within the poetry there are very few uneven or short lines. Lesson
98 is pure poetry, and it is astonishing to discover that everything in
the Workbook from Lesson 98 on is in iambic pentameter ~ the
introductions to Reviews and the Reviews themselves, the "instructions on
themes of special relevance," (such as What is Forgiveness?) the prayers
and the Epilogue.
The Manual for Teachers and Clarification of Terms often refer to Jesus
in the third person, possibly indicating different or collaborative
authorship. They contain very few but very beautiful poetic passages,
and these are also included here, as is a collection of iambic pentameter
"zingers" from within the second section of the text.
Attempts to read the poetic form directly from the original prose layout
often result in diminished comprehension - one is so busy holding on to
the form that the meaning is lost. Conversely, the presentation as
blank verse guarantees placing correct emphasis for understanding (though
not understanding itself,) and the elegance and eloquence of Jesus'
poetry, and the regular rhythmic lope, offer an expanded experience of
the Course to the musical mind.
The magnitude and beauty of the Course, simply as a work of literature
and without regard to its miraculous content, adequately belie any notion
of its human authorship. To those who wonder why Jesus chose to use this
form, I can only say that it is clear from the content of A Course In
Miracles that healing is its only purpose, and so this poetry must also
serve that purpose.
~ Steve Russell