--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To break the pentameter, that was the…" description: "\"To break the pentameter, that was the first heave\" — Ezra Pound" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c78/ezra-pound-1208_break_to-break-the-pentameter-that-was-the-fir_795300.png" --- # To break the pentameter, that was the first heave ![“To break the pentameter, that was the first heave” quote by Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c78/ezra-pound-1208_break_to-break-the-pentameter-that-was-the-fir_795300.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c78/ezra-pound-1208_break_to-break-the-pentameter-that-was-the-fir_795300.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c78/ezra-pound-1208_break_to-break-the-pentameter-that-was-the-fir_795300.png) > “To break the pentameter, that was the first heave” [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Breaking strict meter frees poetic expression, allowing innovation and emotional honesty. **In simple terms:** Freeing rhythm sparks creativity. Key Takeaway Experiment with form. Themes poetry creativity innovation Mood experimental provocative Type literary artistic When to use this quote - writing workshops - song composition - spoken word Key Concepts form expression tradition Questions to Reflect On - When have you broken a rule for art? - What does structure limit? A Different Perspective Risk of losing musicality or audience clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [All of Victorian verse is pentameter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-walcott/all-of-victorian-verse-is-pentameter/) [Derek Walcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-walcott/) > [The first thing we have to do is get rid of the pentameter. To ditch the pentameter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-walcott/the-first-thing-we-have-to-do-is-get-rid-of-the-pentameter-to-ditch/) [Derek Walcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-walcott/) > [“And then, inside me, the axis of time gave one great heave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/and-then-inside-me-the-axis-of-time-gave-one-great-heave/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“CAN OFFER YOU A TOW OR WOULD YOU PREFER US TO HEAVE TO AND WIND UP YOUR ELASTIC BANDS AGAIN SIGNED CLINT CHIEF OFFICER…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-callison/can-offer-you-a-tow-or-would-you-prefer-us-to-heave-to-and-wind-up/) Brian Callison > [“we might as well be afloat as earthbound, the heave and fall beneath me the rise of planking, and the sound of the pines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/we-might-as-well-be-afloat-as-earthbound-the-heave-and-fall-beneath/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [It's amazing what storms your face can hide, what terrible wrecks can writhe and heave beneath, without one ripple on the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/it-s-amazing-what-storms-your-face-can-hide-what-terrible-wrecks-can/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [When we get the inspiration from Heave to do something. We do it now. We don't procrastinate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-r-walker/when-we-get-the-inspiration-from-heave-to-do-something-we-do-it-now/) William R. Walker > [Poets who are not interested in music are, or become, bad poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/poets-who-are-not-interested-in-music-are-or-become-bad-poets/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [“I once saw a small child go to an electric light switch as say, "Mamma, can I open the light?" She was using the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/i-once-saw-a-small-child-go-to-an-electric-light-switch-as-say-mamma/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. 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I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) ## More by Ezra Pound > [“I once saw a small child go to an electric light switch as say, "Mamma, can I open the light?" She was using the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/i-once-saw-a-small-child-go-to-an-electric-light-switch-as-say-mamma/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [“Till now they send him dreams and no more deed; So doth he flame again with might for action, Forgetful of the council of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/till-now-they-send-him-dreams-and-no-more-deed-so-doth-he-flame-again/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [A great age of literature is perhaps always a great age of translations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/a-great-age-of-literature-is-perhaps-always-a-great-age-of/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [It would be about as easy for an American to become a Chinaman or a Hindoo as for him to acquire an Englishness or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/it-would-be-about-as-easy-for-an-american-to-become-a-chinaman-or-a/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [Poets who are not interested in music are, or become, bad poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/poets-who-are-not-interested-in-music-are-or-become-bad-poets/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [Anyone who is too lazy to master the comparatively small glossary necessary to understand Chaucer deserves to be shut out from the reading of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/anyone-who-is-too-lazy-to-master-the-comparatively-small-glossary/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [Mass ought to be in Latin, unless you could do it in Greek or Chinese. 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He was a martyr.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/adolf-hitler-was-a-jeanne-d-arc-a-saint-he-was-a-martyr/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [I could I trust starve like a gentleman. It's listed as part of the poetic training, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/i-could-i-trust-starve-like-a-gentleman-it-s-listed-as-part-of-the/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) [Explore all 273 Ezra Pound quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) ## More Break quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. 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No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) Peter Dunne > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. 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