The word “enjambment” comes from the French word enjambement, meaning “to step over,” which explains why one line continues to the next. The poet uses this continuation to create a sense of flow to guide the reader into a rhythm that pulls them through the poem. Enjambment emphasizes ...
However, in some poems it may be difficult to tell whether a line is enjambed based only on punctuation. Many poets use punctuation in idiosyncratic ways (or not at all). More important, punctuation only inconsistently indicates the end of a phrase or sentence. In the first line quoted from...
Why Enjambment Is Useful to Writers Usingenjambmentcan create an elevated experience for writers by adding subtle drama. It moves the writer to continue reading, since a line in poetry that has beenenjambedwon’t make sense until you’ve read the line(s) that succeed it. The full meaning o...