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Visual 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 poem that uses spatial arrangement, typography, or visual elements as part of its meaning

Detailed Definition
A Visual poem prioritizes the graphic appearance of text on the page, using spatial arrangement, typography, or visual symbols to convey meaning alongside or beyond verbal content; it blurs the boundary between poetry and visual art, demanding both reading and viewing.
Example
Example in poetry:
George Herbert’s “Easter Wings” is a visual poem shaped like wings; Apollinaire’s “Il Pleut” is a visual poem of falling words; Starbuck’s “Sonnet” is a visual poem diagramming form; Gomringer’s “Silencio” is a visual poem using space.
Additional Notes
Visual poem: A poem in which visual arrangement is as meaningful as words; like concrete or shape poetry.
Also Known As
Picture poem Image verse Visual arrangement Concrete poem Pictorial poem Shaped poem visual carmen Pictorial lyric Shaped stanza
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