[A. E. Stallings]

It's true that in trying classical hendecasyllables, we often convert long syllables to accents--DUM (as Frost does); but Tennyson is concerned with syllable length (so "quantity" implies) rather than strictly with accent--he's trying for the full classical effect, at last I think so. A curiosity. Don't know that it works, however. He seems to be saying as much, that it is a mere exercise--look at me! I'm doing syllabics. Frost's "For Once, Then Something" works much better as a poem, though not concerned (I don't believe) with quantity per se.

I do not think Justice's syllabics are an affectation at all--I am not even sure what that would mean. They are not merely decorative, certainly. In fact, most people do not realize they are syllabics, and take this as a minimalist free verse poem. But they (syllabics) do have to be taken on their own terms. There is a tension to me in enjambing on the "to". And of course the thing with "I" asleep and horizon--well, I hate to spell it out--one should picture it. But it goes far beyond the gimmicky, I think, in its repercussions.