If you walk, you have probably experienced it.

The same goes for talking.

And if you play a musical instrument, then you have experienced it.

It helps propel music.

It helps propel words, phrases and sentences.

It’s a part of our lives and most don’t realize that it is happening.

Syncopation that is.

According to the online version of the Miriam-Webster Dictionary, merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syncopation, syncopation is a temporary displacement of the regular metrical accent in music caused typically by stressing the weak beat.

So now we now the definition, but what does the definition mean?

Do we embrace syncopation?

Do we use it in our lives, every day?

Sure we do.

Some do it for a living, and they are masters of their crafts.

Some do not do it for a living, but syncopation may guide them without them knowing it.

Syncopation is taught in school music classes, but also can be referenced in English classes when teaching poetry.

If you like any genre of poetry, then you probably like syncopation.

We know that poetry has rhyme, has meter. We also know that poetry doesn’t have rhyme, have meter.

Either with rhyme and meter or without, poetry does have syncopation.

And that’s the beauty of syncopation.

So what is syncopation?

Count out loud at any given tempo (speed), one, two, three, four.

Now repeat the counting but accent or stress the words two and four. To demonstrate I will bold and italicize the words two and four. One, two, three, four — when you stress those words, syncopation happens.

To make that phrase even more syncopated, place the word “and” after one, two, three, four, so it looks like this: one and, two and, three and, four and. Now stress the word “and” only. Again it’s syncopation. It doesn’t matter what tempo is.

So listen to your favorite music. It’s the infectious syncopation that probably makes you need to listen to it. Whether it is the displaced rhythm of the words or music, you need to listen to that song that connects with you and resonates with you on all levels.

Syncopation makes you tap your foot and feel the beat.

You could say syncopation is the rhythm of our lives.

I could give you dozens of examples of songs and poems to hammer down my point.

You could also do the same.

And we would both be correct.

Syncopation.

It’s that easy.

It’s that hard.