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Calligram

Form
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 visual poem in which the typographical arrangement forms a representational image related to its subject matter.

Detailed Definition
A calligram is a poem in which the typographical layout visually represents its subject matter, merging image and text into a single aesthetic object; pioneered by Apollinaire, it transforms the page into a canvas where spatial form amplifies semantic content.
Example
Example in poetry:
Calligrams appear in Guillaume Apollinaire’s “Il Pleut,” where words fall like rain; In George Herbert’s “Easter Wings,” line length mimics avian form; e.e. cummings’ “l(a” shapes loneliness through typography: “l(a / le / af / fa / ll / s)”; Ian Hamilton Finlay’s “Wave / Stone” arranges words as ocean and rock; Contemporary poet Jen Bervin’s “Nets” overlays Shakespeare’s sonnets with visual erasure; M. NourbeSe Philip’s “Zong!” uses spatial fragmentation as calligrammatic testimony.
Additional Notes
Visual poem shaped like its subject (Apollinaire's "Il Pleut"). Related: concrete poetry, shaped verse. See also: pattern poetry. Tip: Analyze whether visual form enhances or merely illustrates meaning.
Also Known As
Shape poem concrete poetry visual verse pattern poem Concrete composition Concrete poem Calligramme
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