1. Poetry & Rhyme
CREATIVE WRITING

2. What is rhyme?
The basic definition of rhyme is two words that
sound alike.
Usually, the vowel sounds are the same and the
consonant is different.

Book, nook

3. Why rhyme?
Among many reasons, the following are the most
common:
Rhyme helps to unify a poem.
It also repeats a sound that links one concept to
another, thus helping to determine the structure of a
poem or emphasize an idea.
When two subsequent lines rhyme, it is likely that
they are thematically linked.
Connect to a rhythm/meter; add musicality.

4. Various Types of Rhyme (not fully inclusive)
Perfect rhymes (pure, strict)
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Internal rhyme
End rhyme
Masculine rhyme
Feminine rhyme
Identical rhyme
General Rhymes (use of words that are similar)
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Slant rhyme
Eye-rhyme
Assonance
Alliteration
Apocopated rhyme

5. Internal Rhyme
Rhyme inside a line of a poem or a word inside a line
that that rhymes with a word at the end of a line
Ex:

As he spoke, the child began to choke.

6. End Rhyme
Rhyme at the ends of lines of poetry
Ex:
Time frozen on a face
Dreams drift to a place

7. Masculine Rhyme
Rhyme in which only one syllable is matched.
Example:
I fell in the pit
And lost my mitt

8. Feminine Rhyme
More than one syllable rhymes.
Example from William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 20”

A woman’s face with nature’s own hand painted,
Hast thou, the master mistress of my passion;
A woman’s gentle heart, but not acquainted
With shifting change, as is false women’s fashion...
But since she prick’d thee out for women’s pleasure,
Mine be thy love and thy love’s use their treasure.

9. Identical Rhyme
Using the same word in repetition.
End rhyme or Internal Rhyme
Ex (E. Dickinson)

We paused before a house that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground—
The Roof was scarcely visible-The Cornice--in the Ground.

10. Slant Rhyme
Slant rhyme (Near rhyme) -- is a rhyme that is close
Ex:

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As we walked up to the place
She entered, face locked in daze

11. Eye rhyme
Also known as visual rhyme or sight rhyme
a similarity in spelling between words that are
pronounced differently and hence, not an auditory
rhyme.
Examples:
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Slaughter & laughter
Move & love
Rain & again

12. Assonance
Matching vowels
shake, hate
Assonance is sometimes used to refer to slant
rhymes.

13. Alliteration
Matching initial consonants
(short,ship)

14. Apocopated Rhyme
Occurs when the last syllable of one of the rhymes is
missing.
Ex:
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Trap; happen
Wet; netted
Ease; treason
A poem should be wordless
As the flight of birds.

15. Example
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air Theme Song

This is a YouTube video of the theme song.
See handout for lyrics.
What types of rhymes do you see? Make notes on
your copy as I play the song.

16. Rhyme Scheme
A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming lines in
a poem or song.
It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate
which lines rhyme.
In other words, it is the pattern of end rhymes or
lines.
Can help when figuring out a poetic form (more on
this to come).

17. Example of Rhyme Scheme
Bid me to weep, and I will weep
While I have eyes to see;
And having none, and yet I will keep
A heart to weep for thee.
A
B
A
B

18. Example
“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

You can listen to two different people read it by clicking on this
link.
See worksheet.

19. Food for Thought
Rhyme works best when it doesn’t call attention to
itself.
A rhymed word stands out.
Think of a rhyme as an echo.

20. More Rhymes
“Glossary of Rhymes”

21. Homework
Write a poem that uses as many types of rhyme as
you can (perfect and general).
Label your rhymes (end, internal, eye, etc.) so that I
know you understand what you’ve done.
For extra credit, include a type of rhyme we did not
discuss in class today.

22. Next Class
Meter
Specific Types of Rhyme Schemes