When a sentence or phrase runs from one line of poetry to the next without a pause at the end of the line.
Enjambment is when a sentence or phrase runs from one line of poetry to the next without a pause or punctuation at the end of the line. The word comes from the French "enjamber," meaning "to stride over."
This technique creates momentum and can surprise the reader by delaying the completion of a thought. It pulls the reader forward from one line to the next, creating urgency or breathlessness in the poem's rhythm.
Enjambment is the opposite of an end-stopped line, where a line concludes with a natural pause (usually marked by punctuation). Most poems use a mix of both techniques to control pacing and emphasis.
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