Five Types of Rhythm

• Iamb
• A foot of two syllables, a short followed by a long in quantitative meter, or an unstressed followed by a stressed in accentual meter 
• Two households, both alike in dignity,
  In fair Verona, where we lay our scene 
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare 

• Trochee  
• A foot of two syllables, a long followed by a short in quantitative meter, or a stressed followed by an unstressed in accentual meter
• Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;                                                   And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
• The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe

• Anapest
• A foot of three syllables, two short followed by one long in quantitative meter, and two unstressed followed by one stressed in accentual meter, as in for the nonce 
• Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
• A Visit From St. Nicholas by Anonymous

• Dactyl
• A foot of three syllables, one long followed by two short in quantitative meter, or one stressed followed by two unstressed in accentual meter, as in gently and humanly
• Just for a handful of silver he left us                                                                                    Just for a rib and to stick in his coat
• The Lost Leader by Robert Browning
  

• Spondee
• A foot of two syllables, both of which are long in quantitative meter or stressed in accentual meter
• White founts falling in the courts of the sun                                                                   And the Soldan of Byzantium is smiling as they run
• Laponto by G. K. Chesterton