Question

What do they mean by a poems meter?

Answer 1

Meter is usually the rhythmic structure of a poem. Meter is classified by two things: syllables and stresses. This is easiest to see in classic works like Shakespeare:

One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun
Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun."
- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1.2
Each line has ten syllables and every second syllable is stressed. Each set of two syllables one stresses and one unstressed is called an iamb. Each line is made up of ten syllables or 5 iambs. Thus it is known as iambic pentameter.
That's basically what meter is, only structured poems have it, but a lot of free verse has no specific syllable count.

Answer 2

@Karrie96 is correct. Meter describes the relationship of stressed and unstressed syllables within a poem. There are many different types of meters; however, iambic pentameter is the most common in classical poetry.

Meters are made up of "feet". Each "foot" can be trochaic, imabic, etc etc.

Answer 3

okay thanks alot:-)