Antiphony in poetry describes a structural or performative technique where two voices, stanzas, or textual blocks alternate in call-and-response fashion, often creating dialogic tension, harmonic contrast, or thematic counterpoint; rooted in liturgical and musical traditions (such as Gregorian chant), poetic antiphony can manifest in dueling perspectives within a single speaker’s mind, between characters, or even between the poet and an implied audience, fostering dynamic interplay that mirrors debate, prayer, or communal ritual—examples include the alternating stanzas in some medieval carols or modern poems that stage internal conflict through mirrored phrasing.

Call-and-response technique in verse. One voice initiates, another responds. Common in religious, traditional, and performance poetry. Creates communal effect. Requires careful balance between initiating and responding elements.