Opinion - Five Reasons for Rhyme

Cherry

By Ray Schaufeld

Mon, 28 Nov 2016
  • 4238 reads
12 comments
 

The feet of free verse can be flat

But rhyme can scarper like a cat.

 

Beauty, spirit, elegance,

Form mirrors feeling - come let's dance.

 

Poetry to ballad first belonged

All poems started out as song.

 

If ease of use must play a part,

It's easier to learn rhyme by heart.

 

Although some rubbish rhymes are queasy

Composing rhyme, well it feels more easy.

 

​​So get some rhyme books on your shelf,

​And if you want any more you can sing it yourself!

 

 

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Comments

Submitted by celticman on

the last line is flat, but we'll be able to live with that. Some good advice, decidely true, I can hear an echo from you. 

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Hey CM, thanks for your comment. Yeh if that last line isn't flat - well I'll eat my hat! Thanks for the cherries smiley

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

 I think of rhymes as part of what makes verse 'sing' or something like music, and, as I think your intimating, does help to clip it into  memory, not heavy and forced, but slipped in unobtrusively, to make it scarper, or dance as you say! 

Welsh poetry used to make use of lots of really complex consonant patterns (like complex alliteration interwoven) and rhymes, but sometimes it could become rather a technical challenge, like number puzzles, and instead of the form helping the content, mastering the form became more important than useful and comprehensible content I think! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Thanks for this, Rhiannon. I would like to find out more about the structures in Welsh poetry.

In addition to rhyme I like sestina and villanelle. I know what you are saying about the 'number puzzle' challenge but part of the challenge can be making the puzzle come out right' in a way that the poem fits the form and also has a natural-seeming flow. I sometimes think of a poem as a gift and its form as its box and of course the two merge.

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Sestina and villanelle sound interesting. I have done a lot of writing for different hymn meters, and sometimes a tune is in my mind before writing in that case. I quite see your point about when the 'puzzle' of the form is mastered, it becomes a useful servant to what you are saying and how you want to say it and helping it be interesting for the reader/hearer. The idea of a poem being a gift is lovely. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

As a prose writer who's scared to death of writing poetry (though I love reading it) I recently, and by accident, signed up for a poetry course.  I've really enjoyed it and they've put us through our paces, having a bash at villanelle, sestina, terza rima, sonnet and even slam.  I've discovered that I can write verse, but I can't write poetry.  I approach the form like a crossword puzzle, get very excited when it all fits, and then get well and truly put in my place when the real poets produce their stuff.  It's the difference between neatly and prettily filling in a colouring book, and painting an original picture.  So hats off to the poets, long may your alchemy continue!

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Airyfairy thanks for reading and commenting. The essential thing is enjoy yourself and keep on with it. I'm sure you will. Poetry, verse - does it always matter? Sometimes with satire or silly comedy an obvious rhyme will punch home the point better than something subtle with a more 'poetic' feel. Also a clangy rhyme can lighten a serious poem in a good way. Do what works for you and don't be afraid to break your own rules sometimes - I often do as I often write first and think aftersmiley

Submitted by Shannan on

There's such heart-joy in rhyme,

Like the lines are beating in time

With a happiness in the heart

Giving joy a jump start ;)

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Shannan, thanks for your lovely comment. Rhyme often has a life of it's ownsmiley

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Fun! Not doggerel nor is your rhyme forced in any way. To me it seems incredibly hard to write good poetry that rhymes. It looks like genius or just plain luck or then even divine inspiration. Allthough I guess like anything else worthwile it is 90% hard work and dedication.

 

Submitted by Nolan on

& Thomas Edison said genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Thanks Tom. When I was at primary school although I was aware that poetry did not 'have to rhyme' much of what we learned eg Robert Louis Stevenson, John Masefield, Alfred Noyes, Walter de la Mare, rhymed and was straightforwardly good. It was written so that anyone could understand and enjoy it and it was also easy to learn by heart. I feel that writing can do anything we want it to and yet I have a lot of time for those first poems I learned. I have also always loved ballads.

Consequently I often think in rhymesmiley