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mirror meter

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 metrical arrangement designed in symmetrical or mirrored balance

Detailed Definition
Mirror meter describes a metrical pattern in which the rhythmic structure of a line or stanza is mirrored in a subsequent line or stanza—such as iambic followed by trochaic feet in reverse order—creating an auditory symmetry that enhances the poem’s formal cohesion and thematic resonance.
Example
Example in poetry:
A metrical pattern that, when reversed, is still metrically valid or the same, e.g., a line of three spondees (DUM-DUM DUM-DUM DUM-DUM); A line that is trochaic for the first half and iambic for the second half, creating a reflection around the midpoint; A poem where the meter of the odd-numbered lines is the reverse of the meter of the even-numbered lines; The use of a palintrope where the metrical feet of the line are arranged in a chiastic order.
Additional Notes
mirror meter: A metrical pattern where the sequence of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line is reversed in the following line, creating a balanced or reflective rhythm.
Also Known As
Reflective meter twin flow meter mirrored beat Chiastic meter
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