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Skeltonics

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

Skeltonics are rapid, irregular short lines with tumbling, often rhyming couplets or triplets, named after John Skelton for their energetic, satirical tone.

Detailed Definition
Skeltonics are short, irregular lines of two to four stresses with frequent monosyllabic rhymes and rapid, tumbling rhythm, named after John Skelton; this form emphasizes comic energy, satirical bite, and colloquial vigor through its jagged, breathless cadence and relentless rhyme schemes.
Example
Example in poetry:
Skeltonics: John Skelton’s "Ware the Hauke": "Beware the hauke, beware the net, / Beware the fowler’s subtle set"; Contemporary example: "O My America!" by John Ashbery uses rapid, tumbling lines; Wendy Cope’s humorous short-lined poems echo Skelton’s rhythm; "Colin Clout" demonstrates irregular rhyme and energetic pace
Additional Notes
Skeltonics are rapid short lines with irregular rhymes creating headlong effect, after John Skelton. Also called Skeltonic verse or tumbling verse. Two-to-five stress lines. Multiple quick rhymes. Energetic and colloquial.
Also Known As
Skelton verse tumbling verse breathless meter rough meter Skeltonic verse
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