To Rhyme or not to Rhyme.. was that the question??

To rhyme or not to rhyme was being talked about on another site I am on.. Is a poem not a poem if it does not rhyme? Is a rhyme not a rhyme if the syllabic form is not tight.. Does the hem-i-stitch mean I can sew my prose any which way but loose?  I came up with this little piece.. enjoy.... 

What is a poem

dare I ask

perhaps mere words

from  a writer's flask

marble carved or

precision etched

with ink on lines

a poet's sketched

perhaps like Frost

with rhyme and meter

words designed

like written theater

with metaphors

so finely placed

and free versed lines

emotionally based

where rules are kept

and rules are broken

silently read

or loudly spoken

ink painted portraits

that hold each curve

such versification

in written word

poetic lyric

rhythmic prose

the true meaning?

only the poet knows

© 2008 bj smith

aka shallimarRose

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more shallimarRose Poetry titles visit my table of contents in my blog...

 

Bits of Me...Table of Contents by title...

 

Author's Note

The photo is actually a blurred out photo of myself writing in the Diary of an Angel.. A book that has been traveling the world for five years sharing a message of love.. link is on my profile..

feel free to leave your thoughts here as comments.. shallimarRose

Reviews

[Keith]

Just realised that I never actually left a rr here. This one of the most beautiful pieces that I have come across. I typed up a lengthy review when I first read it, then copied it out and made it into my poem on this subject. In my favourites. Thanks Rose.

[shallimarRose]

I think I commented on that poem.. great job.. huggs to you Keith.. xo Rose

[Keith]

Yes you did, thanks Rose.

[Mrs.Murs]

this is dead nice. i really enjoyed it.

[Great Aunt Astri]

Your'e right, only the poet knows. But these days of 'anything goes' it is quite nice to see a poem with a thought out structure. I like yours.

[shallimarRose]

Thank you Aunt Astri... I appreciate your coming to read.. shallimarRose

[Dr. Wood ?]

I rhyme all the time I can't seem to stop......Thanks for the explanation which I thought was both enlightening AND quite marvelous

[shallimarRose]

Thank you Dr. Wood for reading .. glad you enjoyed.. shallimarRose

[Tate Morgan]

Hi I suppose the value of a poem is in its memorability If I remember one I value it

[shallimarRose]

Thank you Tate.. I believe the value is measured by what it meant to the writer more so then the reader and if that writer can draw the audience into those emotions and feelings that is when it is of the MOST value.... I am always honored to have you read and reflect with me ..
xo Rose

[Great Aunt Astri]

Yes, there is quite a problem in today's poetry. I think, the secret is, like people, it is all different.It is a god exercise to use a formal format but you can have great fun experimenting.Another good thing to do is to read as much diverse, modern and old, as you can

[Harsh]

very well rhymed poem..........
thanks for sharing with us...................

[shallimarRose]

LOL.. love the photo Hash... Thank you for reading and for the compliment on my rhyme.. I love freeverse also but rhyme is my poem of choice i think.... shallimarRose

[jacob erin-cilberto]

4th line..did you mean "a writer's flask"?

i really like this...raises good questions but i think the answer is that free verse is just as valid as poetry as rhyme.

it is more natural...frost, yes...famous...has his perks...but ferlinghetti, ginsberg...creeley...sexton, rich..others..all of the beats who got away from rhyme...they still have a rhythm to their work that is unmistakeably poetry.

nice write.

i like the near rhyme you used here...

jacob

[shallimarRose]

Thank you Jacob.. Se.. the word is flask... in my mind the poetry is like alcohol to us.. an addiction.. Im happy you enjoyed this.. by the question "near rhyme" are you referring to the only the 2nd and 4th lines being the end line rhyme and the 1st and 3rd abstract, or are you referring to the words curve and word not being a perfect match..? Thank you again.. xo

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, i see that ...but didn't you want an apostrophe in "writer's"?

i was referring to the words not being a perfect match...emily dickinson used that a lot...it's also called slant rhyme...and is very effective...it also helps to alleviate having a sing-song effect when reading...like it very much.

[shallimarRose]

I stand corrected. I will fix it. I actually had the apostrophe there when i wrote it and thought it looked wrong.. I appreciate your catching this stuff for me.. I am just a poet with little education.. ty again, Rose

[shallimarRose]

I would say I use slant rhyme most of the time.. Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson were the only things I checked out of the library in grade-school.. my love for poetry began at a very young age.. xo

[jacob erin-cilberto]

ugh, spell check..useless...it recognizes words and lets them go, but can't reason...doesn't know if you meant a plural or a possessive...writers is plural..but writer's is possessive with the apostrophe...i think spell check catches about 60% of the mistakes only.

drives me crazy.

[shallimarRose]

yes me too and I'm horrible at editing.. lol... ty

[Sheila Kline]

Thanks for pulling this over to Writer's Cafe! You cover the subject with "rhyme and reason"!
I am still more of a "rhymer" and like proper meter when I can discipline myself enough to watch the count, but it is the accent that trips me up....still working on that! Free verse is that which I enjoy reading but rarely write.
Excellent coverage of the styles of poetry and prose!

[shallimarRose]

That was my byline on Myspace.. "I love reading free verse but rarely write it" lol
thank you for reading Sheila and no prob on the pulling the poem.. xo

[Great Aunt Astri]

Yes, it is intellectually a good exercise to use a known format and gives a lot of satisfaction. But you can have great fun in any genre .The secret is to read as much diverse poetry(and comment on it) as you can. If we all 'share' perhaps soon everyone will be reading our poems!!!!!

[CagedEnigma]

This poem is actually very helpful for me. Since I'm new to writing I've kind of been confused about the rhyming part. This settles it. What matters is if I'm expressing myself through my poems, rhyming is a choice I guess. Thank you for this great write. :)

[shallimarRose]

Hello Cagey..Yes that is exactly.. Only the poet himself can made the choice.. The most poignant poem I have ever seen was only four words.. A photo of a dried up apricot hanging on a dead limb.. The poem read.. "Afraid to let Go" the photographer poet was Nyla Alissa from myspace.. You write what you feel.. Glad we could be of help.. shallimarRose

[Great Aunt Astri]

Yes, but sometimes it is fun, and a good exercise to use a known format. Everyone is different, every poem is different. If we all read as much diverse poetry as we ca (and comment on it) perhaps everyone will be reading poems, including ours!!!

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

As you know I don't do much rhyming in my poetry. I prefer mine to be free flowing like emotions really are. But to each his own. Poetry is art and art is subjective.