<Table> Syllabic structure of a verse <Tr> <Th> Stress </Th> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Syllable </Th> <Td> Once </Td> <Td> up - </Td> <Td> on </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> mid - </Td> <Td> night </Td> <Td> drear - </Td> <Td> y, </Td> <Td> while </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> pon - </Td> <Td> dered </Td> <Td> weak </Td> <Td> and </Td> <Td> wear - </Td> <Td> y </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Stress </Th> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> <Td> / </Td> <Td> x </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Syllable </Th> <Td> Once </Td> <Td> up - </Td> <Td> on </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> mid - </Td> <Td> night </Td> <Td> drear - </Td> <Td> y, </Td> <Td> while </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> pon - </Td> <Td> dered </Td> <Td> weak </Td> <Td> and </Td> <Td> wear - </Td> <Td> y </Td> </Tr> <P> Poe, however, claimed the poem was a combination of octameter acatalectic, heptameter catalectic, and tetrameter catalectic . The rhyme scheme is ABCBBB, or AA, B, CC, CB, B, B when accounting for internal rhyme . In every stanza, the "B" lines rhyme with the word "nevermore" and are catalectic, placing extra emphasis on the final syllable . The poem also makes heavy use of alliteration ("Doubting, dreaming dreams ..."). 20th - century American poet Daniel Hoffman suggested that the poem's structure and meter is so formulaic that it is artificial, though its mesmeric quality overrides that . </P>

Lyrics to the raven by edgar allan poe