Well...hello there Poem Friends! Welcome to the ninth of ten poetry video visits here at The Poem Farm. In each of these short clips, I will share a small something about poetry, and you will always be able to find the poem(s) I read below the video. If you wish, you may watch the earlier videos linked below:
COAXING POEMS VISITS:
And here is Visit 9: Time for Rhyme:
Students - Today we think about rhyme. Rhyme gives poetry a special sound, and many poets enjoy rhyming to create a mood or a feeling of repetition, song, or comfort for readers. I like to rhyme, and when I do, I like to be sure that my rhymes make sense. I do not want anyone to really notice the rhymes at all, actually. If a rhyme doesn't make sense, fit together, or seem to mean anything, like the one below, a reader might shake their head and think, "Well, that's weird." If I tried to write something for the purpose of weirdness, that's good, but otherwise, such weird head shaking is usually not a good sign.
I like eating sweet cupcakes.
I do not ride bikes in lakes.
In an earthquake, the earth shakes.
Morning Tea
Photo by Amy LV
I do use a few techniques to help me with rhymes:
- Jot the alphabet and make lists of rhyming words from the alphabet (see below).
- Use Rhymezone or a paper rhyming dictionary. Make lists of the sense-making rhymes.
- If I cannot find a strong rhyme for the word I wish to rhyme with, try changing that word to a different word that may have more rhymes. (But don't choose a not-so-good substitute!)
- Read each pair or set of rhymes in my poem to be sure they make sense. I do not want rhymes to draw attention to themselves.
- Ask someone to read my poem aloud and not comment. Listen and see if it needs changes.
- Ask someone to read my poem to see "Am I forcing the rhyme?"
Below you can see where I have jotted the alphabet and made lists of rhyming words from it. You may also notice that the poem below is written in quatrains (four line stanzas) but that I chose to change to couplets (two line stanzas) when I typed it up. Line breaks (remember Coaxing Poems Visit 6: Give it Space) matter.
When you make your own poems, you will make many decisions and ask yourself many questions. One of these questions may be, "Do I wish to rhyme...or not?" And only you know the answer.
Thank you for joining me for Visit 9 of Coaxing Poems. May your days ahead be full of fine rhyme...
xo,
Amy
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