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How do short, long, and extended syllables shape Persian poetic metre?

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Persian literature Ceramic wine bottle, fritware, Iran, second half of the 17th century; in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

In classical Persian literature, poetic metre is strictly governed by the quantity of syllables, a system adapted from Arabic prosody. The rhythmic structure of a line is determined by the specific arrangement of three distinct syllable values:1

Short syllable: The basic unit of measurement.1
Long syllable: A unit longer than a short syllable.1
Extended syllable: This is counted as the equivalent of one long syllable plus one short syllable.1

These values are organized into approximately 30 distinct metrical patterns. While these patterns are theoretically viewed as derivations of ideal models, in practice, each variation functions as a unique metrical framework. The metre is applied to the bayt (a distich consisting of two isometric hemistichs), ensuring that both halves of the line maintain identical metrical properties. This quantitative approach allows for only minor variations, emphasizing the formal precision required in classical Persian verse.1