Rhyme is a crucial component in many forms of poetry. It can profoundly affect the way a poem is read, and can create a sense of completeness that greatly enhances the experience of reading it. In this article, we will explore what is meant by this literary device as well explore its significance in a poem.
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounding words in a poetic piece, and serves as a linguistic device in poetry to provide structure and create a lyrical feel. It is most commonly used to create a desired rhythm, and some believe rhyme has the power to add emotional weight to a poem.
Classically, rhyme referred to a perfect match between two distinct words – like “day” and “may” – but many Modern poets would also consider similar sounding words a rhyme, such as “vocation” and “provocation”. It’s also important to note that it is not only the sequence of single words that can rhyme, but also full syllables.
Poets can also employ an imperfect rhyme, which is the repetition of similar sounding words that do not match perfectly. This looser style of poetry can be seen in many lines of rap, like “She Will” by Eminem: “I could never had foreseen that the direction she was headin’/ Was straight in the path of a rottweiler she was steppin’ in”. Imperfect rhyme can also be used to increase the sense of urgency or surprise in a poem.
Rhyme is an incredibly powerful tool for poets, as it allows them to blend rhythm and sound in a way that can create an infinitely varied range of effect on the reader. It can be used to draw attention to particular words or to accentuate the overarching themes of a poem. Rhyme can also bring out hidden meaning in a poem, as clever poets use it to add an extra layer of resonance to their work.
Rhythm
An integral part of rhythm in poetry is the use of consistent rhythmic patterns. Poets craft their lines in a certain way to emphasize certain words through the use of rhyme and repetition, as well as to create a unified sound in their work. This is essential to conveying the essence of their poetry and making it feel such as continuous and complete works of art.
For instance, in a traditional poem such as William Blake’s “London”, he uses a combination of rhyme and repetition to emphasize the plight of the people in the poem. In the fourth stanza of the poem, Blake writes: “And mark in every face I meet/ Marks of weakness, marks of woe”. The use of rhyme here not only increases the rhythm of the line, but emphasizes the suffering of the people he is depicting.
By using rhyme, poets can create a sense of closure and completion, which can add strength and power to their work. The use of rhyme also helps bring out the tones, emotions and themes present in a poem, and in this way, it helps create a mental image for the reader.
Structure
As well as adding rhythm and sound to a poem, rhyme is also a useful tool for adding structure. The use of rhyme can help create an overarching structure to a poem, allowing the poet to group certain lines and ideas together. This can help to shape the poem in a certain way, adding another layer of complexity and meaning to the poet’s work.
For instance, in Robert Frost’s “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening”, the poem is broken into three quatrains (four lines of verse that each rhyme). This helps to create an overall structure to the poem as well as increasing the sense of harmony. The lines also exhibit an internal rhyme, in which the words within each line rhyme. This adds an extra layer of meaning in each line, as well as serving to draw attention to certain words.
Rhyme can also be used to create parallelism within a poem, as well as establishing a balance within the poem that can create an atmosphere or mood. In some cases, this can help to create a sense of unity or closure at the end of the poem. This can be seen in William Butler Yeats’ poem “The Stolen Child”, where Yeats uses rhyme and repetition in the final stanza of the poem to create a sense of resolution and provide a fitting end to the poem.
Creativity
Above all, rhyme can be a source of creativity and self-expression for poets. As one of the oldest poetic devices, rhyme has been a useful tool for poets to develop an identity and hone their skills in a unique creative manner. The use of rhyme can help to make a poem more unpredictable, as well as allowing poets to go beyond the traditional rules of rhyme and rhythm.
The use of imperfect rhyme or internal rhyme can introduce a flavor or tone to a poem that can make it stand out from the work of other poets. For instance, in the poem “Love” by e.e. cummings, he uses a combination of perfect and imperfect rhymes to create a unique musical atmosphere for the poem. This helps to bring out the themes of the poem, as well as make it memorable for the reader.
Rhyme can also be used as a tool to express a certain feeling or emotion, allowing the poet to share their feelings through their work. This is especially effective in rap, as the use of rhyme and rhythm can help to create a flow that can evoke emotion in the listener. This is why it is important for poets to pay close attention to the words they choose to rhyme, as it can help bring out a hidden quality in their work.
Conclusion
Rhyme is an incredibly important part of poetry, and is a powerful tool for poets to express themselves and create a unique atmosphere in their work. By making use of perfect and imperfect rhymes, as well as internal rhyme, poets can add richness and depth to their work. The use of rhyme can also help to structure and shape a poem, allowing the poet to emphasize certain words or create a sense of completeness in the work.
Wordplay
In addition to its more conventional use, rhyme can be used as a way to add a touch of fun and surprise to a poem. This is especially useful if the poem is intended for a younger audience, as the use of rhyme can help to keep the poem enjoyable and engaging.
This is seen in the work of American poet Shel Silverstein, whose work often employs rhyme in a playful and unconventional manner. His work is often full of surprises and twists, as he uses rhyme to introduce unexpected elements into his work. For instance, in his poem “Falling Up”, Silverstein uses a combination of wit and rhyme to create an entertaining and humorous poem.
The use of rhyme in this way can be a great way to add creativity and depth to a poem, as well as making it enjoyable and engaging. It can also be used to draw attention to certain words or to create unexpected mental images for the reader. This can be a great way to add emotion and energy to a poem, as well as making it more memorable.
Themes
Rhyme can also be used to bring out underlying themes in a poem, as it can help to emphasize certain words or ideas. This is especially true in traditional poetry, where the reader is expected to look for deeper meanings in the work. The use of rhyme can help to add weight and resonance to a poem, as it can bring out hidden meanings or insights that the poet may have wanted to express.
This is seen in a poem like “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns, where the use of rhyme helps to emphasize the theme of eternal love in the poem. In the poem, Burns writes: “I’ll love thee still, my dear/ Till a’ the seas gang dry”. This use of rhyme serves to emphasize the theme of everlasting love, as the repetition of the words “dear” and “dry” create a strong emotional impact on the reader.
The use of rhyme in this way can therefore be an incredibly effective tool for poets, as it allows them to add an extra layer of meaning to their work. By doing so, they can help to create a deeper and more complex work, as well as making it more enjoyable and meaningful for the reader.
