Home › Glossary › Letter R

rhythmic succession

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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

Successive verses arranged with repetitive, chant-like rhythm patterns

Detailed Definition
Rhythmic succession describes the ordered progression of metrical feet or stress patterns across a poetic line or stanza, creating a predictable yet dynamic temporal structure; this succession may follow strict forms (e.g., iambic pentameter) or evolve organically in free verse, shaping the poem’s pace and emotional contour.
Example
Example in poetry:
A smooth and uninterrupted flow of rhythmic patterns from one line to the next, often achieved through skillful enjambment.; The use of a consistent, gentle meter (e.g., iambic) that makes the reading of the poem feel like a continuous, cascading motion.; A series of stanzas where the rhythmic structure of the end of one stanza perfectly leads into the rhythmic structure of the start of the next.; A section of blank verse where the iambic pentameter is so regular and the syntax so smooth that the rhythm seems to roll on effortlessly.
Additional Notes
Rhythmic succession is the sequential arrangement of different metrical patterns (e.g., alternating iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter) within a stanza or poem, creating varied rhythmic interest and structure.
Also Known As
metric series flowing sequence Chant poem sequence
Skip to main content