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AAB stanza

Structure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A three-line stanza with the first two lines rhyming and the third line introducing a new rhyme

Detailed Definition
An AAB stanza is a three-line poetic stanza in which the first two lines rhyme with each other (A), and the third line introduces a new rhyme (B); this structure creates a sense of rhythmic buildup followed by a shift or resolution, commonly found in folk poetry and ballads where narrative momentum is enhanced by the repeated rhyme before a contrasting line advances the story or theme.
Example
Example in poetry:
AAB stanza: "The woods are lovely, dark and deep, / But I have promises to keep, / And miles to go before I sleep." (Frost adapts AAB in modified form); "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, / How I wonder what you are! / Up above the world so high" (traditional nursery rhyme); In Emily Dickinson’s work: "I heard a Fly buzz – when I died – / The Stillness in the Room / Was like the Stillness in the Air" (approximates AAB with slant rhyme); Original example: "The moon glows soft above the hill, / The night is calm and very still, / A distant owl begins to call."; Original example: "She walked alone through autumn rain, / Her footsteps left no lasting stain, / But sorrow followed close behind."
Additional Notes
The AAB stanza is a foundational unit in many oral and musical traditions, including blues lyrics and medieval carols; its two rhyming lines establish a theme or emotion, while the third line often introduces a twist, resolution, or narrative advance—poets can exploit this asymmetry for dramatic emphasis, and it’s especially effective in storytelling verse where variation after repetition sustains listener engagement.
Also Known As
AAB tercet rhyming couplet with tail ballad triplet folk stanza AAB rhyme scheme
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