One of poetry’s quietest tools is also one of its most radical: the line break. And when used without punctuation to carry a sentence or phrase across that line, it becomes something even more powerful—enjambment.
Unlike end-stopped lines, which conclude a thought or image neatly at the line’s end, enjambment allows your poem to flow, twist, and unfold in unpredictable ways. It can build suspense, shift meaning, or inject rhythm and movement into even the stillest of moments.
What Is Enjambment, Really?
Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break without a pause. The reader’s eye moves forward without rest, propelling both the narrative and emotion of the poem.
Here’s a classic example from William Carlos Williams in “Between Walls”:
the back wings
of the hospital where
nothing
will grow lie
cinders
in which shine
the broken
pieces of a green
bottle
Notice how each line break suspends the reader, forcing us to consider what might come next, only to have our expectations bent or broken by the following line.
Why Use It?
At an intermediate or expert level, enjambment becomes less about just sounding natural and more about deliberate control over pace, ambiguity, and emphasis. Used well, it can:
- Delay meaning to create surprise or tension
- Echo natural speech patterns
- Emphasize or isolate a word for thematic weight
- Disrupt rhythm to mirror emotional states
It can also challenge your reader to be an active participant—filling in the gap between what a line ends with and where the thought picks up next.
Enjambment in Practice
Take this example by Ada Limón, from her poem “The Carrying”:
The moon is no door. It is a face in its own
right, white as a knuckle and terribly upset. It drags the sea after it like a
dark crime; it is quite
untunable. It is a cry full of color and twisting
strings.
Every break shifts emphasis and tension, sometimes gently, sometimes jarringly. She isn’t just telling us about the moon—she’s letting us feel its gravity, line by line.
How to Use Enjambment in Your Own Work
Here are a few ways to experiment:
- Write your poem first in prose. Then break it where rhythm, image, or ambiguity could gain power.
- Read aloud. Let your ear decide where the tension lands.
- Break on strong nouns or verbs to intensify meaning—or break mid-phrase to surprise.
- Try reversing enjambment. Take an enjambed poem and end-stop every line. Notice what’s lost—or gained.
Even better, use enjambment to contradict or reshape the sentence. For example:
I thought the silence
would comfort me, but instead
it sharpened
That line could continue in a dozen directions—each with its own emotional spin.
Where Craft Meets Community
The beauty of a technique like enjambment is how it brings a poem alive in real time—and there’s no better way to experience that than reading it aloud.
That’s why we’re thrilled to host our in-person Open Mic at the historic Loudoun House in Lexington tonight, April 28, from 6–9 p.m. EST. Bring a poem, bring your voice, and share your craft with fellow Kentucky poets. (Entry is free!)And don’t miss our upcoming virtual poetry reading with Julie Hensley on May 20—a wonderful chance to hear from one of Kentucky’s most resonant voices. Registration is now open.
Kentucky State Poetry Society 