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Leading line

Structure
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 line that introduces or indicates the direction of a poem’s theme.

Detailed Definition
Leading line is the opening line of a stanza or poem that establishes tone, rhythm, thematic direction, or argumentative stance, guiding the reader’s expectations; a strong leading line often contains a striking image, provocative assertion, or rhythmic hook that anchors the subsequent development of the verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
The opening line of a poem or stanza that sets the tone, introduces the central theme, or establishes the main meter for the lines that follow; The first line of a sonnet, such as "When I do count the clock that tells the time," which immediately establishes the iambic pentameter
Additional Notes
Leading line: The first line of a poem, stanza, or section that establishes the metrical pattern, thematic focus, or dominant imagery for the following lines; also called the pilot line or key line.
Also Known As
opening line guiding line initiating verse Bellwether line
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