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Figurative run-on

Device
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 metaphor or image stretched across line continuation in poetry

Detailed Definition
Figurative run-on is a poetic technique where enjambment carries not only syntactic continuity but also a sustained metaphor or image across line breaks, allowing the figurative language to unfold dynamically; for example, in Plath’s “Ariel,” the horse ride metaphor extends over multiple enjambed lines (“And I / Am the arrow, / The dew that flies / Suicidal”), with each break intensifying the image’s transformation, making the run-on both structural and symbolic.
Example
Example in poetry:
Metaphor spills over a line break: “Her heart was a ship— / sailing without anchor”; Figurative image continues across stanzas; Symbol carried beyond punctuation; Idea runs into next line without pause
Additional Notes
Metaphor or imagery continued over enjambed lines; maintains momentum; smooth connective device. Extends comparison across breaks. Use to sustain focus. Study Milton for long syntactic units. Enhances flow and coherence. Avoid breaking at awkward points. Effective for complex descriptions.
Also Known As
Enjambed metaphor Carried image Line-spanning figure Run-on imagery Figurative enjambment
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