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Wearing rhythm

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

A poetic rhythm that gradually erodes or weakens over time by design

Detailed Definition
Wearing rhythm describes a metrical pattern that gradually slows, frays, or becomes irregular across a poem, mirroring exhaustion, aging, or psychological fatigue; this technique uses rhythmic decay as metaphor, allowing form to embody the speaker’s diminishing energy or resolve.
Example
Example in poetry:
“The slow drag of hours through weary bones” (mimicking exhaustion through languid meter); “Each step heavier than the last, the road unwinding” (rhythm mirrors burden); “Time, a threadbare coat, frays at the seams” (meter reflects decay); “Breath comes shallow, thin as winter light” (rhythm enacts fragility)
Additional Notes
Wearing rhythm: A metrical pattern, usually highly regular and often monotonous, that is used deliberately to suggest fatigue, persistence, or the slow passage of time; can create a somber or hypnotic effect on the reader.
Also Known As
Worn rhythm Faded meter Eroded beat Attritional rhythm
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