Rhyme

is the repetition of similar sounds in words.  Rhymes normally come at the end of a line, although it does not have to be the following line. It can be alternate lines or lines that are even further apart.  It is also possible to have a line which does not rhyme with another one as in the fourth line of the two verses of Gavin Ewart’s poem in the metre section.  But once a rhyme scheme has been chosen, it should continue until the end of the poem.

The opening lines of W.H. Davies’ poem ‘Leisure’
are an example of rhymes in consecutive lines:

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare,

.....            

Another example of a rhyming scheme comes in Sophie Hannah’s poem
‘The End of Love’:

The end of love should be a big event

It should involve the hiring of a hall.

Why the hell not?  It happens to us all.

Why should it pass without acknowledgement

.....

Rhyme not only helps give the poem a shape and emphasizes what the poem is saying but also helps in memorizing the lines. Most contemporary pop songs use rhyme in their lyrics.         

Metre

is the rhythmic structure of a poem. Counting the syllables in each line should reveal a repeating pattern. A verse can have an equal amount of syllables in each line or a varied amount as long as each verse follows the same scheme as in Gavin Ewart’s poem to his mother ‘The Late Eighties’:

            2                                          To her

            6                                I am a coloured blur,

            4                                    a just heard voice,

            4                                    as she sits there –

            6                                she hasn’t any choice.

            2                                           Life fades

            6                                like on-off hearing aids,

            4                                   and in her sleep

            4                                   the realer world

            6                                  is dreaming long and deep.

                                               .....      

Verse

(or stanza) is a group of lines in a poem, separated from the rest by a break.  It can be two lines, or three lines or four or more and like rhyme and metre helps provide a structure for a poem – something which is so often missing in free verse, requiring explanations and commentary to elucidate what has been written.

Invitation.

Having read the above information, get out your poetry tools and send us your poem.  It can be about anything you like but must not be more than twenty-four lines long.  Don’t worry if a line is short of a syllable or has an extra syllable. That is better than adding or removing a word that upsets the flow of the line. I am also happy to answer any questions or comments about writing poetry or poetry in general via the contact form and some of your poems will be published on this website in “The Poems” section.