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Witch’s Ladder

Witchcraft
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 cord or braid tied with knots and charms for magical intent. Each knot may hold a spoken wish or action.

Detailed Definition
A witch’s ladder is a cord, braid, or string marked by knots, feathers, beads, or small objects, each linked to a particular purpose. The making of it offers poets a tactile model for composition, as separate details are bound into one charged sequence. A poem may count knots as it counts griefs, promises, or names, allowing the repeated tying motion to embody memory and concentrated desire.
Example
Example in poetry:
“She knots the witch’s ladder with red thread, tying one wish into each loop” shows its traditional association with knots and intention; “The witch’s ladder hangs from the branch, feathers stirring in the rain” provides concrete visual detail; A poet can use the ladder as a metaphor for accumulated memory in “Each knot in my witch’s ladder holds a name I cannot untie”; “As she braided the witch’s ladder, the repeated motions made the poem feel like a chant” connects ritual craft with poetic form
Additional Notes
A witch’s ladder stores intention in knots; it relates to counting, binding, memory, and repeated speech.
Other Meanings of “Witch’s Ladder”
Also Known As
Witch Ladder Witches’ Ladder Knot Charm
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