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Pantoum (Malay origin)

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 form with repeating lines: 2nd and 4th lines of each stanza become 1st and 3rd of next

Detailed Definition
A pantoum is a poetic form of Malay origin adapted into French and English verse, composed of interlocking quatrains where the second and fourth lines of each stanza become the first and third of the next, creating a cyclical, echoing structure that evokes memory, obsession, or inevitability.
Example
Example in poetry:
Pantoum (Malay origin): John Ashbery’s “Pantoum” uses repeating lines to explore memory; Carolyn Kizer’s “Parent’s Pantoum” captures generational echoes; contemporary poet Anne Waldman adapts pantoum for feminist ritual in “Fast Speaking Woman”; traditional Malay pantoums celebrate love or nature with interwoven quatrains; the form’s repetition creates hypnotic, recursive effect; each line repeats in pattern ABAB → BCBC → CDCD, etc.
Additional Notes
Malay form with interlocking stanzas: line 2/4 of each quatrain become lines 1/3 of next. Creates circular, meditative effect. First/third lines of first stanza conclude poem. Master form before varying.
Also Known As
Malay pantoum recursive form
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