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recurring chorus

Structure
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 repeated section of lines that appears at regular intervals throughout a poem, similar to a refrain

Detailed Definition
Recurring chorus is a repeated stanza or section that returns at intervals throughout a poem, functioning like a musical refrain; it provides structural anchor, thematic reinforcement, and communal resonance, common in ballads, odes, and protest songs where collective voice and ritualized return are central.
Example
Example in poetry:
Greek chorus refrains in Sophocles: “Cry aloud, city of Thebes!”; African-American spirituals with repeated communal lines: “Swing low, sweet chariot”; Modern protest poems with choral responses: “What do we want? Justice! / When do we want it? Now!”; Ballads with recurring sung lines: “And the green grass grows all around”
Additional Notes
Recurring chorus repeats a stanza or phrase at intervals, like in song; provides structural anchor and thematic reinforcement—common in ballads and odes.
Also Known As
repeating strophe cyclical chorus returning refrain iterative stanza ballad burden Melodious refrain song burden
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