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Speaking 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 speaking poem integrates direct speech, whether internal or interpersonal, to animate character, conflict, or emotional immediacy within verse.

Detailed Definition
A speaking poem employs conversational register, natural speech rhythms, and colloquial vocabulary rather than elevated poetic diction. This approach creates intimacy and accessibility, valuing authentic voice over formal artifice and emphasizing poetry's relationship to actual speech.
Example
Example in poetry:
Speaking poem appears in dramatic monologues like Browning’s “My Last Duchess”; In Langston Hughes’ “Mother to Son,” vernacular address; In Claudia Rankine’s “Citizen,” direct address as poetic form; In Ocean Vuong’s “Dear Rose,” letter as spoken poem; In contemporary slam poetry, designed for oral delivery.
Additional Notes
Poetry emphasizing speaking voice and oral qualities, written to sound natural when read aloud or performed.
Also Known As
Colloquial verse Spoken composition Dialogue poetry Conversational piece Dialogic poem
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