How to write an Enjambment
In order to use enjambment,
- Write a line of poetry
- Instead of ending the line with punctuation, continue mid-phrase to the next line.
Here are a few examples beginning with a line:
Line:
She walked across the bridge as the frogs were chirping and the fish lapping below on ringlets of the lake.
Lines with enjambment:
She walked across the bridge as
the frogs were chirping and the fish
lapping below on ringlets of the lake.
These lines do not end with punctuation but continue to the next, flowing in a way that reflects the calmness of the lakeside scene.
Line:
He was in such a hurry he could hardly breathe, he could hardly take a moment to think or plan what his next move could be.
Lines with enjambment:
He was in such a hurry he could hardly
breathe, he could hardly take a
moment to think or plan what his next
move could be—
These lines, on the other hand, use enjambment to reflect the urgency and anxiety of the lines’ subject.
When to Use Enjambment
Enjambment is an aspect of poetry and poetic writing such as songwriting. Enjambment is not utilized in prose, as prose is not concerned with lineation.