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Growing cadence

Meter
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 rhythmic progression that builds in intensity, volume, or elevation, often culminating in emotional or rhetorical climax.

Detailed Definition
Growing cadence describes a rhythmic pattern in which each successive line or phrase increases in syllabic length, metrical complexity, or emotional intensity, creating a sense of accumulation or escalation; this technique builds momentum and can mirror thematic development—such as a speaker’s rising passion or a narrative’s intensifying stakes—often culminating in a climactic line that resolves or explodes the built-up tension.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself,” growing cadence builds through cataloging: “I celebrate myself, and sing myself”; In Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl,” growing cadence accumulates “angel-headed hipsters”; In Claudia Rankine’s “Citizen,” growing cadence documents racial microaggressions; In Ocean Vuong’s “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous,” growing cadence addresses mother through letter; In Anne Carson’s “The Beauty of the Husband,” growing cadence dissects marital betrayal; In Terrance Hayes’ “American Sonnet,” growing cadence confronts political violence.
Additional Notes
Refers to a series of lines where the meter or rhythm progressively increases in intensity or speed; a technique for building tension, excitement, or emotional climax towards the end of a stanza or poem.
Also Known As
developing cadence rising rhythm expanding beat swelling tempo Ascending rhythm
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