Home › Glossary › Letter H

hollow tercet

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 three-line stanza with a deliberate internal gap or omission, often symbolizing absence or silence

Detailed Definition
A hollow tercet is a three-line stanza in which the middle line is significantly shorter or metrically lighter than the outer lines, creating a visual and rhythmic “hollow” effect; this asymmetry can emphasize contrast, introduce pause, or symbolize absence, often used in modern poetry to disrupt expectation and draw attention to the central line’s thematic or emotional weight.
Example
Example in poetry:
hollow tercet: "The chair is empty. / The cup is cold. / [blank line or omitted third line]"; Original: "Your name is spoken. / Silence answers. / "; "Footsteps echo. / No one comes. / "; "The letter waits. / The ink is dry. / "; Implied absence in third line; Structural gap symbolizing loss.
Additional Notes
A hollow tercet features a shortened or metrically light middle line, creating visual and rhythmic asymmetry; it draws attention to the central line’s thematic weight—students can use it to symbolize absence or create pause; related to ghost tercet (12084) but focuses on meter rather than omission.
Also Known As
asymmetrical tercet recessed middle line metrically hollow triplet centered-gap tercet absent-line tercet
Skip to main content