Rhyme
Writing Rhyme: Discover the Magic of Rhyme and How to Use it Effectively in Your Poetry
Introduction
What is rhyme? A repetition of similar sounds, typically at the end of lines.
Why use rhyme? It can add rhythm, musicality, and a sense of closure to a poem.
Types of Rhyme
End Rhyme: The most common type, where the last words of lines rhyme.
Example: "The cat sat on the mat."
Internal Rhyme: Words within a line rhyme with each other.
Example: "The silky, frilly dress swirled and swayed."
Slant Rhyme (Near Rhyme): Words that sound similar but don't rhyme exactly.
Example: "The deep sleep of the deep."
Eye Rhyme: Words that look like they should rhyme but don't sound alike.
Example: "Cough" and "rough"
Meter and Rhythm
Meter: The rhythmic pattern of a poem, determined by the number and type of syllables in each line.
Rhythm: The overall flow and sound of a poem.
Finding Rhymes
Rhyming Dictionaries: Use rhyming dictionaries to find words that rhyme with your chosen word.
Thesaurus: Use a thesaurus to find synonyms that might rhyme.
Experimentation: Play with words and sounds to discover unexpected rhymes.
Different Rhyme Forms
Couplet: Two lines that rhyme.
Tercet: Three lines that rhyme.
Quatrain: Four lines that rhyme.
Sonnet: A 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme.
Free Verse: A poem that doesn't follow a specific rhyme scheme or meter.
The Pantoum
Made of quatrains aka four line stanzas, a-b-a-b rhyme structure.
Lines 2 and 4 of each quatrains become lines 1 and 3 of the next quatrain.
Final Quatrain changes this pattern and the unused lines are used in reverse.
“My Muse” by Thundercloud
My muse's smile casts a spell
Any time of the day or night
Inspiring heaven, shunning hell
Dance, free, draw, paint and write
Any time of the day or night
My muse melts me with her smile
Dance, free, draw, paint and write
And then she leaves me for a while.
My muse melts me with her smile
Making my heart ring with passion
Then she leaves me for a while
Art, I shape, mold, form, fashion
My heart rings with passion
Makes me high in the sky like I fly
Art, I shape, mold, form, fashion
My muse inspires me to try and try.
Makes me high in the sky like I fly
My muse's smile casts a spell
My muse inspires me to try and try
Inspiring heaven, shunning hell.
The Villanelle.
rules defining a villanelle.
There are nineteen lines in five stanzas of three lines and a final stanza of four lines in a Villanelle.
Line one of stanza one repeats as line three of stanza two and four.
Line three of stanza one repeats as line three of stanza three and five.
These two refrain lines become line three and four of the last four line stanza six.
Rhyme structure is a-b-a .
“Glorious Villanelle” by Thundercloud
I sat in bed to read and write
Grow the brain inside my head
The glorious day became the glorious night
Lifted me to the highest height
Now I write a Villanelle from my bed
I sat in bed to read and write
Oh how beautiful today the sunlight
Now it’s night the day is dead
The glorious day became the glorious night
The moon not up so the stars shine bright
And gratitude is what they said
I sat in bed to read and write.
As writing is my heartfelt delight
I’d write if it didn’t pay me bread
The glorious day became the glorious night
There is a faint breeze blowing slight
I have written a Villanelle instead
I sat in bed to read and write.
The glorious day became the glorious night
The best way to learn is by doing so get writing.
Peace out …..Thundercloud xx
