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Unbroken three-beat lines

Meter
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

Three-beat lines (typically dactylic) delivered without internal pause or caesura, creating a swift, uninterrupted rhythmic flow.

Detailed Definition
Unbroken three-beat lines are trimeter verses without caesura, enjambment, or pause, flowing continuously to create a seamless, driving rhythm; this technique sustains momentum and is often used in incantatory or narrative poetry.
Example
Example in poetry:
Unbroken three-beat lines: Lines composed of three beats with no interrupting pause; Classic trimeter; Strict metrical regularity; Examples from structured ballads
Additional Notes
Unbroken three-beat lines: Lines of trimeter that maintain a consistent, unvarying metrical pattern (e.g., all iambic trimeter) without internal substitution, enjambment, or variation; often singsong.
Also Known As
Continuous trimeter Unbroken three-stress lines Sustained triple-beat Unpaused three-measure verse Dactylic stichic
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