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Metrical palindrome

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 line or stanza whose metrical pattern reads the same forward and backward

Detailed Definition
Metrical palindrome is a line or stanza whose metrical pattern reads the same forwards and backwards (e.g., / u u / u / u u /), creating symmetrical rhythm; though rare, it appears in experimental or constraint-based poetry as a formal game that mirrors linguistic or thematic reversals.
Example
Example in poetry:
Metrical palindrome: Line that reads the same metrically forward and backward; example: “Stressed desserts stressed” (in amphibrachic rhythm: da-DUM-da).
Additional Notes
Line or poem reading same forward and backward metrically. Related: palindrome, symmetrical meter. Extremely rare; requires perfect metrical symmetry. Tip: Distinguished from letter palindrome by metrical foot arrangement rather than letters.
Also Known As
Reversible meter Palindromic rhythm Mirror measure Symmetrical foot-pattern
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