What's all the 'seemingly' commotion about a poem 'must' ryhme?

Question

Depends on the poem...wouldn't you say? Why not have certain people go into a lather about 'a poem MUST have a syllabic count of 7-5-7-5, or MUST be a sonnet...or it's NOT a poem'?

What's going on with 'attachment' to ryhme?

Answer 1

If I am going to rhyme, I am going to use some type meter, no meter, no rhyme.  That's a rule for myself only.  Juvenile to rhyme?  If so I am a geriatric juvenile.  I like rhyming lyrical poetry.  That is not to say that I don't like poetry without form or rhyme, so long as it isn't chopped up beyond making a semblance of sense.  Forget rules if you wish, I will stick close to them and only bend them a bit no and then.  It's much like the old saying, "If it feels good, just do it".  I also like the one that goes, "If I dood it I did a whuppin........ I dood it anyways!".

edit:

also like the witches' line in Macbeth

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

stir it darlin....

oops, that rhymes..

Answer 2

In my humble opinion,

I think it is more how one

reads , Not so much the rhyming or non rhyming.

I Read as I see the words,

placed in their correct text standard,

All verse has a meaning,even if reading

between the lines!

Answer 3

wow! tear down the walls! lol

no leave them up.

nah, tear them down! hahaha!

Jellz, i have this fish you know,

and im just going to cook it and eat it

and not whack you upside the head. lol

all your words are good batter bread.

elys question is alarming yes

but not to worry is my best guess.

poem police ive never seen

but why do these handcuffs

hurt my spleen?

probably my low sonnet intake digest

or con verb vitamin aging simic chest

what the h**l makes a poet crime?

i dont know...

im drinking Hydropro's lemon AND lime.

Answer 4

Now go hurry and write us anther one! please?

Answer 5

If we would expose students to modern poetry before they graduated high school, this would probably clear up. I don't think you should remove formal poetry, but add Gluck, Olds, Simic, (h**l anyone who is still writing compelling free verse).

I think that is the heart of the issue.

Answer 6

And here I thought the artistic movement currently going on was liberating us from structured forms of poetry. Shows you how much I know. Honestly, I don't understand the attachment to rhyme. I love rhyming poetry, I love writing it, but not every poem needs to rhyme, for some it would take away the message. It restricts more than it liberates...and restriction is not the art of poetry. Restriction is not art.

Answer 7

It's pretty silly, and a reflection of how many kids are on here.  There have been non-rhyming poems for as long as there has been poetry.  In fact, you would have a hard time publishing a poem that rhymed these days.  It seems old-fashioned and juvenile.  As to structure, there are very few rules anymore, unless you deliberately set out to write a haiku or sonnet or something that does have a prescribed structure.  Let your creativity flow, and ignore the critics.

Answer 8

I am a newbie both to this site and to poetry, if truth be known.

I have learned so much by reading all the works on this site.  I have tried to examine all the different structures.  I have been reading an anthology of poetry from the Iron and Bronze ages through the present.  It is obvious that the need to write has been there since before cuniform was invented.  I don't know if it rhymed in the original, but the translations are incredible free verse.  Thanks to all on this site for sharing.

Answer 9

What!!!!!!!!

I just write what I feel.............

It doesn't always have to rhyme......

As long as I can get it out so that others will understand..

Free verse I think it's called.

Sometimes I have no idea what I will write til' I've written it.

After reviewing it sometimes I am amazed at what I've done.  If it makes sense to me it'll make sense to anyone.  I think!!!Maybe....sometimes.....once in a while....occasionallly....even.

Answer 10

As we all know now.....I love experimental poetry. If I get stuck in a paricular form you have my permission to slap me round the head with a wet fish!

expressing your inner voice in words that convey a message or seeks to confuse totally, is all you need to be doing.

Free the sleeping beast within.

Release the hounds of thought

ravaging your dreams.

....and have a nice day!

Glorify the power of words!

Put convention to the sword

Express the rage of the ages

....and if pain persists, see your doctor

Answer 11

Gee, I remember reading poetry way back in Junior High that did not rhyme.....some do; some don't.....that's what we were taught as kids.  Later, we used to go to poetry readings in Greenwich Village.....some good stuff...that did not (usually) rhyme.  I just love all the work you guys and gals do here....wish I had it in myself........

Answer 12

M a t h e m a t i q u e + The Sensuous...

Answer 13

i don't know for sure. i perfer poems that don't rhyme than do. i geuss it's because a poem that rhymes is like a song and it'll get stuck in your head, or the flow becomes better with rhymes.

its a mystery though

Answer 14

I, who got sonnet blasted this morning, am laying low! lol I presented one in your format and got told I should read sonnets and practice iambic verse!  lol  I removed it to l**k my wounds.  He took no time to try to understand it, just hacked it because it did not fit the rules that he knew!  Maybe if we just don't call them poems and just present, everyone would enjoy for the thoughts, imagery and flow?  It is like a History test of old, remember the dates, for those are the rules to the test.  Never mind that you can't remember the signifigance or understand the correlation.  Interesting question.

Answer 15

Thank you so much for clearing that up!

Hopefully the right people will read this question...

A star for you!

Answer 16

All I know is if I like it,I like it. How or why it was written doesn't matter to me.

Answer 17

Personally, I prefer structure, rhyme, and rhythm, but I also very much appreciate well written free verse and free form.  I've asked these questions myself many times and I've come to the conclusion that  It's just a product of ignorance for anyone to insist that a poem either rhyme or not.  My only belief is that the poem should contain some form of poetic device to be considered a poem and there are a load of devices to use.   I'm not attached to rhyme or anything for that matter and have had a lot of fun experimenting with structures, devices, rhyme, non rhyme, and meter.  However, it did take me a while to learn how to not rhyme and it seem like no matter how hard I try those rhymes still try to find their way into my verse.

Answer 18

No crime

Not to rhyme

Done all the time

Subtle or sublime

Grease or grime

Lemon or lime

Uphill climb

Slippery slime

Trying to rhyme

All the time

Answer 19

I think one word sums it up: ignorance.

I think it is ok to have a preference of one form over another, but don't put down poetry of other forms just because you do not like the form. That irritates me. Read with an open mind. Great question, Elys!