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Shape 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

A poem whose typographical layout visually mirrors its subject—such as wings for a bird—enhancing meaning through spatial form.

Detailed Definition
A shape poem, also known as a concrete or pattern poem, is a poetic form in which the visual arrangement of words, letters, or lines on the page mirrors or enhances the poem’s subject matter or emotional tone—such as a poem about a tree shaped like a tree—blending visual art with literary expression to create a multimodal reading experience.
Example
Example in poetry:
Shape poem’s layout mirrors subject: George Herbert’s “Altar” (altar-shaped); “Easter Wings” (wing-shaped); Modern: a poem about a tree with branching lines; Concrete poetry like Apollinaire’s calligrammes.
Additional Notes
Shape poem creates visual representation of subject through typographic arrangement. Also called concrete or pattern poetry. Related to calligramme. Form equals content. Ancient tradition from Greek technopaignia to modern experiments.
Also Known As
Concrete poem Visual verse Pattern poetry Pictorial poem Calligram Concrete verse Pattern poem
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