Enjambment in poetry extends an idea beyond a line break, reinforcing or surprising the reader and creating a rhythm. It can drag the reader from line to line, deceive them, or establish a fast tempo.
The function of enjambment in poetry is typically to allow an idea to continue beyond the bounds of a single line, often to reinforce certain ideas within those lines. Enjambment can also be used to surprise a reader, by setting an idea on the first line and then modifying it in some way on the second line. It can also be used to maintain a stronger rhythm than the final perpetual stop. Using enjambment, a poet is able to effectively drag the reader from line to line and establish a rhythm or fast tempo for a poem.
Enjambment is the extension of an idea beyond a line break in a stanza of a poem. When every sentence or similar grammatical structure ends with every line, it is called an end of run. Enjambment is the opposite of this and allows a sentence or other structure to continue past the end of the line and continue for one or more lines.
One of the most common uses of enjambment in poetry is to drag a reader’s eye and mind from line to line. Ideas are easily expressed in a single line of a poem; even complicated ideas can be expressed across multiple lines with commas, semi-colons, and periods to end each line. When enjambment is used in poetry, it is typically done to reinforce an idea more strongly across multiple lines. Not allowing the reader to pause comfortably, the poet requires a reader to keep thinking about an idea from line to line.
Enjambment in poetry can also be used to deceive a reader, usually by setting an idea in one line and allowing the second line to go against what a reader might expect. This can be seen in a number of different poems and songs, including the popular children’s song often called “Miss Susie” or “Hello Operator”. A popular slogan for women’s rights in the United States in the 20th century read “A woman’s place is in the house” with the next line continuing “and the Senate”. This creates an expectation that the line will express a potentially sexist point of view, only to surprise the reader with the second line; when used in poetry, such surprises can be humorous or shocking.
Poets may also use enjambment in poetry to create a beat or tempo for a poem that is very different from the limit. In a poem where each line ends with punctuation ending the idea in the line, the reader often reads one line, pauses for a moment, and then continues on to the next. This creates a very set and somewhat unstable rhythm. Using enjambment, however, a poet can force the reader to move on to the next line without pausing. This can create a sense of rapidity or even a frantic pace for a poem.
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