How do end-stopped lines affect a poem’s rhythm?

In poetry, an end-stopped line is characterized by a logical or rhetorical pause at the end of the line of verse. This pause typically coincides with a grammatical boundary, such as the end of a phrase or sentence.12

By creating a distinct break at the end of the line, end-stopping influences a poem’s rhythm by reinforcing the line as a discrete unit of sound and meaning. This technique provides a sense of balance and structure, often creating a measured, deliberate pace that contrasts with enjambment—the continuation of a phrase beyond the line's end without a terminal pause.23

While rhythm in poetry arises from the patterned recurrence of language features, end-stopping acts as a temporal juncture that helps organize the flow of the poem, allowing the reader to perceive the line as a rhythmic building block.4