Home › Glossary › Letter I

Initial invocation

Structure
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

An opening appeal to a muse, deity, or abstract force to inspire or guide the poem

Detailed Definition
Initial invocation is a poetic opening that calls upon a muse, deity, ancestor, or abstract force for inspiration, guidance, or witness; rooted in epic tradition (e.g., Homer’s “Sing, O Muse”), it may be used sincerely, ironically, or subversively in modern poetry to frame the poem’s purpose, voice, or relationship to larger cultural or spiritual currents.
Example
Example in poetry:
“O Muse, inspire my trembling hand!”; “Spirit of the forest, hear my plea.”; “Great Ancestors, guide these words.”; “Wind, carry my voice to the stars.”
Additional Notes
Initial invocation calls upon a muse, deity, or abstract force at a poem’s start; rooted in epic tradition but used ironically or sincerely in modern work.
Also Known As
opening invocation muse call divine address inaugural plea Beginning appeal Opening prayer
Skip to main content