The term POETRY FOOT is composed of two words, IAMB and FOOT. IAMB is a poetic meter consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. It is one of the most common meters used in English poetry and is often used to create a lyrical or sing-song effect. The FOOT in this term refers to a unit of measurement in poetry, which is composed of two syllables. A line of poetry can be divided into feet, and the number of feet in a line determines its meter.