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stratigraphic verse

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

Poetry layered like geological strata, conveying depth or historical progression

Detailed Definition
Stratigraphic verse is a poetic form that layers language, imagery, or narrative in distinct strata—akin to geological layers—to represent historical depth, memory, or evolving consciousness; each “stratum” may employ different diction, syntax, or temporal reference, allowing the poem to excavate meaning through cumulative juxtaposition rather than linear progression, as seen in works by poets like Susan Howe or Geoffrey Hill who embed archival fragments within lyrical structures.
Example
Example in poetry:
Stratigraphic verse layers language or meaning like geological strata: In Geoffrey Hill’s “Genesis,” archaic diction overlays modern critique; J.H. Prynne’s poems often embed scientific, historical, and poetic vocabularies in dense layers; “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot uses multilingual and intertextual strata; Some postmodern poems layer found text, personal voice, and mythic allusion to create temporal depth.
Additional Notes
Stratigraphic verse refers to a poem structured in distinct layers or levels, where each section represents a different historical, personal, or emotional stratum, with the entire piece exploring the interaction or excavation of these layers.
Also Known As
Layered verse geological verse stratified poem
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