Home › Glossary › Letter F

Foil poem

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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 poem intentionally composed to contrast with another specific work, highlighting differences in theme, tone, form, or perspective.

Detailed Definition
Foil poem: A poem deliberately composed to contrast with another—either by theme, tone, structure, or voice—thereby highlighting specific qualities of its counterpart; foil poems are often used in diptychs or poetic dialogues to explore duality or opposition.
Example
Example in poetry:
Foil poem: A minimalist haiku paired with a baroque sonnet to highlight stylistic contrast—e.g., Bashō’s “Old pond” vs. Donne’s “The Flea.”
Additional Notes
Poem using contrasting character/voice to highlight main subject. "Foil" from theater term. Juxtaposition creates meaning. Related: dramatic poetry, contrast technique. Study: how opposition clarifies.
Also Known As
Contrast poem Counterpoint verse Juxtaposition piece Opposing voice poem
Skip to main content