Leslie Fiedler

I am interested in writing poems with more elaborate rhyme schemes. Any tips?

I have been writing poems for a long time now I have moved from poetry to songs and vice versa. But I have never really 'followed' any pattern that I laid down for myself outside of whatever I feel the first bar sets. So I wanted to ask if anyone knew anyways to learn, develop and master new schemes? I have read about other schemes I have tried them but I never found a way of to really practice and master them. Any suggestions?

Public Comments

1. Yes, first, however, remember that poetry is all about meaning and rhyme is only used to emphasize meaning ... it's not the rhyme that is important. Having said that, there are ways to describe rhyme, such as AABB (this means that the last word of the first and second lines rhyme, and the last words of the third and fourth lines rhyme), ABAB, ABABCC, etc. Also, remember, in classic poetry that rhymes, the lines that rhyme have to have the same number of syllables. Finally, if you want to try something really complex, try internal rhyme, where words within a line rhyme, like in "The Raven" by Poe ... "One upon a midnight dreary, as I pondered weak and weary" Although in the first line, dreary and weary rhyme, and each portion of this line, divided by the comma, each part has eight syllables.
2. I, too, have been writing poetry for a lot of years, and in my experience, I just wrote down my deep feelings and however they came out was how they came out!! Like you, I tried different forms of writing, but I was never really comfortable with them. Most of my poems rhime, a few don't, and one is "free verse". Write whatever you FEEL at the time, and the poem will set its own form.
3. I have never really been into free verse, and have always written my poetry in rhyme, rhythm. The syllable count is the same, but you can "cheat" by using poetic contractions, "oer" instead of over, "e'er" instead of ever for instance. I always start with a theme, then make lists of words that would suit the theme and rhyme. Often I use the ABAB, first and third lines rhyming, while second and fourth lines rhyme, such as He never was a friend was someone that I'd bet would stick you in the end without slightest regret or couplets AABB He never was a friend would stick you in the end and furthermore I'd bet without slightest regret Then I've tried long A short B, long A He always was for me a truly easy bet he never was a friend, would stick you in the end And do it all without the tiniest regret, each line still with 12 syllables. That's not one of my poems, I just threw those lines out to show you an example for the rhyme/rhythm schemes. It is a lot of fun, like putting word puzzles together, and the more you practice, the more you can actually make them deeper in meaning, the form will become almost second nature.
4. Here is an excellent book to get you started "Handbook of Poetic Forms" Edited by Ron Padgett
5. you can try the poem "Tragedy" by Jill Spargur or , "Secret Heart" by Robert Tristin Coffin, or Ex-Basketball Player by John Updike