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Infinitive-based poem

Form
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 poem structured around or featuring the infinitive verb form prominently

Detailed Definition
Infinitive-based poem centers its syntax and thematic focus on infinitive verb forms (“to be,” “to see,” “to go”), evoking potentiality, aspiration, or timeless action, often creating a meditative or philosophical tone that transcends specific time or agent.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Rilke’s “Archaic Torso of Apollo,” “You must change your life” stems from infinitive contemplation; In Neruda’s “Ode to Walking,” “To walk is to advance…” builds poem on infinitive action; In Cavafy’s “Ithaka,” “Keep Ithaka always in your mind” uses infinitive as moral guide; In Mary Oliver’s “Wild Geese,” “You only have to let the soft animal…” begins with infinitive permission.
Additional Notes
Infinitive-based poem uses the base form of the verb (“to be,” “to walk”) as a structural or thematic anchor; often conveys potential, instruction, or philosophical inquiry—common in meditative or didactic verse.
Also Known As
Infinitive poem to-be lyric potentiality verse modal invocation
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