Quotation by

Nicholson Baker

From my music training, I knew that, some Spanish rhythms apart, 5/4 is a time signature used only in the modern era. Holst's Mars from the Planets is 5/4. But if you speak lines of poetry in that pattern you just end up hitting the off-beats. It's only w

Nicholson Baker

Poetry

Understanding this quote AI Analysis

The author is saying that the 5/4 rhythm is mostly found in modern music, like Holst's "Mars," and is uncommon outside of that context except for some Spanish rhythms. When trying to apply this rhythm to poetry, it feels awkward because the natural emphasis in speech doesn't match the off-beats of the 5/4 pattern.

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