Tony,
Some substitutions from the opening of PL:
Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Reversed 2nd foot
Sing, Heavenly Muse, that, on the secret top
Spondee in 1st foot
In the beginning how the heavens and earth
Pyrrhic 1st foot
Rose out of Chaos: or, if Sion hill
Reversed 1st foot
That with no middle flight intends to soar
Spondee in 2nd foot
Instruct me, for Thou know’st; Thou from the first
Reversed 4th foot (base hit!)
Dove-like sat’st brooding on the vast Abyss,
Reversed 1st foot, spondee or near spondee in 2nd foot, pyrrhic or near-pyrrhic 3rd
Illumine, what is low raise and support;
Reversed 4th foot (on base again!)
That, to the highth of this great argument,
Reversed or pyrrhic 1st foot
Nor the deep tract of Hell—say first what cause
Pyrrhic 1st, spondee 2nd—your double iamb
Moved our grand Parents, in that happy state,
Reversed 1st, spondee (?) in 2nd
Favoured of Heaven so highly, to fall off
Reversed 1st, pyrrhic 4th, spondee 5th
For one restraint, lords of the World besides.
Reversed 3rd
With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power
Reversed 3rd
Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky,
Spondee in 1st and 2nd
Nine times the space that measures day and night
Spondee in 1st
To mortal men, he, with his horrid crew,
Reversed 3rd
Both of lost happiness and lasting pain
Reversed 1st
Mixed with obdurate pride and steadfast hate.
Reversed 1st
Good stuff. As Tim Murphy said, "the ultimate clinic for anyone who wants to master pentameter."
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