Sometimes, the rhythm of a line works against its content. In the line I just rejected (“That silently swallow the steep”), the words suggest a slow and quiet phenomenon but the natural cadence and pace of the phrase (da DA-da da DA-da da DUM) are too animated to convey that meaning.

When one composes a traditional poem, one must consider the shape of a stanza, taking note of the length of its lines. There is a certain reassurance in a verse of uniform shape with lines of similar length, but in a poem describing the moods of the mist, a certain undulation is desirable.