1. Rhyme

Rime old spelling of rhyme refers to the similarity or likeness of sound existing between two words. Example: “sat” and “cat”, “top” and “stop” are perfect rhymes because the vowel and final consonant sounds are exactly the same.

o   End Rhyme: rhyme occurring at the ends of verse lines; most common rhyme form.

 I was angry with my friend,

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

(William Blake, “A Poison Tree”)

o    Internal Rhyme: occurs when rhyming words appear in the same line of poetry

The splendour falls on castle walls

 And snowy summits old in story:

The long light shakes across the lakes

And the wild cataract leaps in glory.

(Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “Blow, Bugle, Blow”)

o   Rhyme Scheme: the pattern or sequence in which rhyme sounds occur in a stanza or poem. To label the rhyme scheme, a similar letter is assigned to each pair of rhyming sounds in a stanza

Take, O take those lips away,—a

That so sweetly were forsworn;—b

 And those eyes, the break of day, a

Lights that do mislead the morn:—b

But my kisses bring again, bring again;—c

Seals of love, but seal’d in vain, seal’d in vain.—c

(William Shakespeare, “Take, 0 Take Those Lips Away”

 Therefore the rhyme scheme of the above stanza is: a b a b c c

 NB. If the poem does not have a rhyme scheme, it is considered to be a free verse poem (modern poetry: Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme.

2.Alliteration

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, such as:

Seven Silver Swans Swim Silently in the Sea

Our gang paces the pier like an old myth

3. Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds without the repetition of consonants. Example: ‘My words like silent raindrops fell.”

4. Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds. Although it is similar to alliteration, consonance is not limited to the first letters of words. Example: “… and high school girls with clear skin smiles.”

5.Onomatopoeia

The use of a word whose sound suggests its meaning. Such in:

The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard          

(Robert Frost, “Out, Out”)

Veering and wheeling free in the open

(Carl Sandburg, “The Harbor”)

 

 

 

 


Last modified: Saturday, 25 November 2023, 7:44 PM