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repeating line

Device
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 single line that recurs multiple times within a poem for emphasis or structure

Detailed Definition
A repeating line is a phrase or sentence that recurs at intervals throughout a poem, serving as a structural and thematic anchor—such as the refrains in villanelles (“Do not go gentle”) or ballads (“And miles to go before I sleep”). Its power accumulates through context: each recurrence should feel both familiar and newly inflected, creating a dynamic interplay between constancy and change.
Example
Example in poetry:
“And miles to go before I sleep” repeated four times (Frost); “Nevermore” echoing through “The Raven”; “Do not go gentle into that good night” as recurring line; “Tyger Tyger, burning bright” opening and closing stanzas; “Water, water, every where” repeated for emphasis
Additional Notes
A repeating line anchors form and theme, as in villanelles or refrains. Its power grows through context—ensure each recurrence feels necessary, not mechanical.
Also Known As
recurring phrase repeated verse
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