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Envoi variable

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 closing stanza that changes form or content from the main poem

Detailed Definition
Envoi variable refers to a closing stanza (envoi) whose form—length, rhyme, or metrical pattern—deliberately deviates from the poem’s established structure to signal summation, dedication, or tonal shift; unlike fixed envois in forms like the ballade, the variable envoi adapts organically to the poem’s evolving needs.
Example
Example in poetry:
Envoi with variable form: closing stanza shifting meter/rhyme; Villanelle envoi breaking pattern; Example: Elizabeth Bishop’s sestina envoi; Modern: open-form envois in Claudia Rankine
Additional Notes
Envoi of flexible length/structure adapted to poem's needs. Modern poets vary traditional forms. Note how freedom affects closure effect vs. fixed forms. Related: experimental verse.
Also Known As
varied envoi changing conclusion
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