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Undulating verse

Structure
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 with wave-like rhythmic patterns creating rising and falling motion

Detailed Definition
Undulating verse describes poetry with wave-like rhythm—alternating stresses, rising and falling cadences, and fluid enjambment—that mimics oceanic or breath-like motion; it avoids mechanical regularity, favoring organic ebb and flow to evoke sensuality, meditation, or natural cycles.
Example
Example in poetry:
Undulating verse appears in Whitman’s long lines, mimicking breath and sea; In Swinburne’s “The Garden of Proserpine,” wave-like rhythms; In Derek Walcott’s “Omeros,” Caribbean tides in meter; In contemporary poet Jorie Graham’s fluid lines; In A.R. Ammons’ “Tape for the Turn of the Year,” daily undulations.
Additional Notes
Undulating verse uses a recurring rise-and-fall rhythm or line movement to imitate waves, breathing, or procession. Vary line length, stress, or syntax gradually rather than randomly; compare tidal cadence with steadier regular metre.
Also Known As
Wave-like verse Rolling poetry Flowing composition Serpentine structure Curvilinear poem
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