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Wide line

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

A verse line notably extended in length, often spanning the page to create visual weight, rhetorical emphasis, or breathless flow.

Detailed Definition
A wide line is a long, visually expansive poetic line—often exceeding conventional breath or metrical units—that accommodates complex thought, cataloging, or panoramic description; associated with Whitman and modernist free verse, it embodies inclusivity, democracy, or overwhelming sensation.
Example
Example in poetry:
“I contain multitudes” (Whitman)—a single expansive line holding complex ideas; “The world is too much with us; late and soon” (Wordsworth)—broad rhythmic sweep; “Let us go then, you and I, / When the evening is spread out against the sky” (Eliot)—long, flowing opening line; “O Captain! My Captain! our fearful trip is done” (Whitman)—broad, declarative line carrying national grief
Additional Notes
Wide line: A line of verse that is intentionally longer than the standard meter of the poem or genre (often achieved through an increased number of metrical feet or syllables); used to convey breadth, sprawl, or an expansive thought; famously used by Whitman.
Also Known As
Broad line Extended line Wide verse line Capacious line
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