Enjambment

Enjambment is the non-coincidence of syntactic and verse segmentation, when a sentence or phrase does not conclude within the line but "flows over" into the next, breaking closely linked words at the line boundary. Enjambment creates tension between the rhythmic pause at the end of the line and the incompleteness of the thought that demands continuation. This device brings verse closer to living speech intonation, destroys the monotony of end pauses and allows the logical emphasis of the carried-over word at the beginning of the new line. Deliberately applied, enjambment becomes a powerful means of expressiveness — from dramatic agitation to conversational ease — and is especially characteristic of modern and contemporary poetry with its striving for intonational freedom.