To rhyme or not to rhyme...?

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Rtyhgn85
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To rhyme or not to rhyme...?

Post by Rtyhgn85 »

That is the question. That is to say, do you prefer poetry to rhyme, or would you rather it didn't, or aren't you really that bothered either way?

Personally I much prefer poetry that is rhymed - I find that being subjected to formal constraints focuses the mind of the poet and brings forth better versification. There are of course exceptions; Walt Whitman's poetry doesn't rhyme yet I consider him a genius. Still, an exceptional genius: most unrhymed, unmetered poetry looks to me like chopped up prose.

Any thoughts?
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Cnc_theft_auto
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Post by Cnc_theft_auto »

Definitely rhyme.

I find that most poems that don't rhyme are garbage and gibberish.
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Post by Aileenhu »

For me, to rhyme must sound good, as in catchy and falls in a regular beat. It should sound...natural?

But sometimes, rhyming sounds to forced. That spoils it a little, particularly for me.
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Post by Maud Fitch »

For me, poetry is personal relevance. It doesn't matter to me if it rhymes or not, if it's high verse or doggerel, simple meanings or complex ideals. It just needs to strike a chord and if it possess the ability to touch my soul that is a bonus.
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Zekes
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Post by Zekes »

Like it more when it rhymes because you can easily retain the lines in your memory and I think its fun to read.
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Teesie
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Post by Teesie »

Doesn't matter as long as it has a good flow and a bit of harmony to it. Rhyming is fun, but sometimes it just doesn't work.
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Cheryl Rendone
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Post by Cheryl Rendone »

When I read poetry it doesn't matter if it rhymes or not; however, when I write poetry, I prefer it to rhyme because it's easier for me.
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AmyElizabeth
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Post by AmyElizabeth »

When poetry rhymes and has sort of a musical tone to it, is when I think it's at its best. It also tells me that the writer of the poem put in more imaginative qualities in it than a writer who just wrote out a poem that doesn't rhyme.
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Post by Bfrisco »

Actually, some of favorite poems have been the ones that don't rhyme.
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FNAWrite
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Post by FNAWrite »

It's been probably 10 years since I was actively involved in the ' poetry scene' ( readings). In the 90s and early 00s, rhyming poetry was quite uncommon - and often condemned. The situation was such that I was moved to actually write a poem praising the virtues of rhyme.

When I was younger I too felt viscerally the uncoolness of rhyme and I wrote free verse. Most of it was IMO crap. In the early 90s I started writing rhyming verse. Turns out, that was really the voice inside me and once that was allowed to speak, eventually my free verse became much better, I think by virtue of hearing wht the rhymes could do.
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Post by amcdaniel_01 »

Personally, I prefer rhyming poetry. It think it just flows better and sound more... well, poetic. Perhaps it is also because I am a fan of older poets and their general style was rhyming. This is not to discount contemporary poets who write in free style, it's just not my taste. I do, however, find myself increasingly liking spoke word poetry.
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missanonymous
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Post by missanonymous »

I enjoy writing and reading either. Generally, I tend to write more rhyming poems than free-verse, but as long as the poem flows nicely I don't think it matters much.

-- 05 Apr 2014, 17:34 --

I enjoy writing and reading either. Generally, I tend to write more rhyming poems than free-verse, but as long as the poem flows nicely I don't think it matters much.
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Post by Bookworm4ever »

I hate poems that don't rhyme, they just seem like a bunch of words. In my mind a poem has to rhyme for it to be good!
catolle
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Post by catolle »

Rhyming poems seem to flow better and the words just roll off the tongue. Its easier to read, especially out loud if the poem rhymes.
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Post by katliegh »

Honestly I prefer prose, or blank verse. Granted, many greats chose to write in a rhyme scheme, but in my mind it is often overrated in terms of importance. Anyone can plug in the right words to make things sound melodic, but the real heart of poetry, in fact this was my tenth grade exam definition, was to convey deep emotional meaning. Oftentimes I find that when a poet allows him or herself to expand their horizons past a set meter, their words have a much deeper meaning, therefore creating a better work.
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