I thought I loved enjambment. But I only learned as I was writing this that enjambment is ANY instance of a line break that occurs in the middle of a sentence (and with no punctuation, i.e. the line doesn’t end with a comma or semicolon or dash indicating a pause/break). How unfathomably boring! Is there a separate term for what I *thought* enjambment was–a line break or pause that creates a double meaning? i.e., one meaning is suggested by the first half of the line/sentence/lyric and then turned on its head by the completion of the thought? Like a periodic sentence, but more explicitly making a u-turn, not just saving the end of the sentence for emphasis.
The kind of thing I’m thinking of, lyric edition:
Rainer Maria (the 90s band, not the poet…IRONICALLY):
I want to go too far
away
places
(I want to go too far; I want to go too far away; I want to go to far away places)
-“Planetary”
Not tonight
Not ever again
Will I take it
Not tonight
Not ever again
For granted
(Not ever again will I take it; not ever again will I take it for granted)
-“CT Catholic”
Jonatha Brooke
I am leaving because I love you
I am leaving because I don’t
And I am hoping you will follow
And I’m praying that you won’t
Let me go
(And I’m praying that you won’t let me go; and I’m praying that you won’t (follow me). Let me go!)
-“Linger”
Or: Instagram bio I saw somewhere:
Crazy (.) cat lady.
The enjambment version of fortunately/unfortunately?
She’s so mello…dramatic.
How are you doing? Oh, I’m great…ful that at least one thing is going well.
香薰DIY
A scarf is snuggly wrapped aroung the abdomen of the postpartum mother in order to prevent excess space from being trapped within.
Claire Post author
I don’t care that it’s spam; there’s no way I couldn’t approve this comment.