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Persona poem

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

Poem in which the poet writes from the perspective of a character or voice distinct from their own

Detailed Definition
A persona poem is written from the perspective of a created speaker distinct from the author—historical figure, mythic character, or invented voice—allowing exploration of alternative identities, marginalized experiences, or dramatic monologue; it leverages voice as a tool for empathy, critique, or imaginative projection.
Example
Example in poetry:
Browning’s “My Last Duchess” reveals a duke’s arrogance through dramatic monologue; Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” uses a neurotic modern persona; “I am the ghost of your Wi-Fi router / whispering passwords in the dark.”
Additional Notes
Speaker distinct from poet's biographical self; dramatic voice. Related to dramatic monologue. Allows exploration of other perspectives. Browning and Eliot masters of technique. Clearly distinguish persona from confessional self.
Also Known As
Mask poem Character voice Assumed identity verse Dramatic speaker poem Assumed voice poem Character verse Dramtic Monologue
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