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Props

Performance
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

Physical objects used during a poetry performance. Props can provide visual focus, symbolic meaning, or practical dramatic action.

Detailed Definition
Props are objects brought into a performance space to support a poem’s imagery, narrative, or ritual. A letter, suitcase, photograph, chair, or piece of clothing may become a concrete reminder of an absent person, place, or history. In poetry, a prop is most effective when it carries symbolic weight and does not merely decorate the stage. Handling an object can also create meaningful pauses, reveal a speaker’s habits, or give tactile presence to an otherwise abstract meditation.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poet holds an empty suitcase while reading a poem about leaving home, using it sparingly rather than constantly handling it; During a poem about inherited recipes, the performer places a wooden spoon on a table and touches it at the moment the grandmother is mentioned; A reader uses a folded paper boat as a prop in a poem about a flooded neighborhood, then sets it down before the final lines; In a persona poem spoken by a gardener, a pair of dirt-stained gloves can establish character and work without distracting from the language
Additional Notes
Props should have a clear practical or symbolic purpose, such as representing memory, place, or transformation. Use few props, handle them confidently, and ensure they do not distract from the poem.
Other Meanings of “Props”
Also Known As
Properties Stage Properties
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