Iambic pentameter

I am trying to write a sonnet... I am unclear if this line is in iambic pentameter... can someone let me know.
the line is :
Than the annals of Verona have seen;

The way I'm reading this, the emphasis goes as follows:

Than the ANnals of VeRONa have SEEN.

If you're reading it as iambic should be read, it would be:

Then THE anNALS of VEronA have SEEN.

As you can see, that sounds rather awkward. See, "Iambic" means "written using iambs," which means that the -second- of every pair of syllables is stressed, or elongated. (As in my second typing of your sentence.) Therefore, the key is in putting words together that naturally have that rhythm. Your line has the correct number of syllables, but the rhythm is off. You could perhaps try switching some words around, or adding in different ones.

"The annals of Verona have not seen," for example, would be in iambic pentameter. It reads

"The ANnals OF verRONa HAVE not SEEN," which, I hope you can see, if more comfortable to pronounce.

I hope that helps at least somewhat!

Thats perfect!
Thanks so much... I understand the idea of an iambic pentameter, however, my brain likes to force myself to read the lines I like as such, when in actuallity they are not... I'm sure there are a few lines in the rest of it that are the same way

Sonnets, tis my fav style, most poets dont follow iambic pentameter when writing a sonnet, tis a choice, i think it throws the poem off.

I don't think I would understand it if I just read a definition... but through reading a lot of it, it just sort of sunk in.

I might not be such a stickler for the iambic pentameter rule when it comes to sonnets, if in this case I weren't trying to emulate a Shakespearian sonnet. You see, for our anniversary, I am giving my girlfriend a book of original poems, We both work in a mall, I work at a kiosk on the bottom floor in centre court, and she works at a shop on the second floor, there is a balcony which separates us. So I thought that the imagery would be nicely juxtaposed on Act II scene ii of R&J. The play is referenced(though not exclusively to that scene)

I think that's an adorable idea : ). Do you regale her with Shakespearean love sonnet from your kiosk?