Final answer:
The poetic tool that uses a repeated pattern of beats and sounds is called rhythm, which forms the meter of a poem. It is a central aspect of poetry, creating effects that can be pleasing or jarring to the listener, and is characterized by patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables.
Step-by-step explanation:
The poetic tool that uses a regular, repeated pattern of beats, sounds, activity, and movements is known as rhythm. This is an intrinsic part of both language and music, providing a structure to the sounds we hear.
The rhythmical pattern of a poem is called its meter, which consists of stressed and unstressed syllables, sometimes described as the 'heartbeat' of the language.
In poetry, rhythm can create a euphonic (pleasing) or discordant (unpleasant) effect and is essential for the overall experience of the poem. Poets carefully construct rhythms by varying the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables. For example, iambic meter, used by Shakespeare, consists of a pattern where an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed one, as in 'The curfew tolls the knell of parting day'.
It's crucial to remember that while poems may start with a regular metrical pattern, poets often introduce variations to add interest and depth, and to maintain normal speech patterns. Repetition of sound patterns such as alliteration, assonance, and rhyme can also contribute to a poem's rhythm, enhancing its emotive power and memorability.