Young Writers Society

Hey I want to become a better writer but I also like the idea of changing rhyme schemes in poetry. It's not always in a pattern or anything but when I read it to myself it sounds good. My readers often say they are confused with my rhythm for my poetry but I continue to do it anyway because that's how i like to write; in a sort of dialog kind of way. For example;

"I am one without a faith
But what I believe will never last
And when evidence is not enough
Theories are all I have
So if I told you how we're made
Not a single thing would change
That like anything it fades
And in the end I live in shame.

I am one without an answer
Trueness or reality is mystery to me
A place that we can never see!
A truth that you and I can never be
Never to be proven with no return
And the very second my belief will burn
I will watch its particles turning
Yearning to be a fact."

Does anyone know of a author who writes in a similar way of changing rhyme schemes and his ability to keep rythem on a large scale for the average reader? Do you have any tips on how I can make my poetry more rhythmic without basic punctuation or do you think I should just write with the same rhyme schemes? I really need help here.

I think the best way to get to the rhythm of a poem is to read it aloud to yourself, paying extra attention to where the stresses of the words fall (so, for example, "I think the best way to get..."). If it helps, really exaggerate the stresses in words to help you work out where they fall. Once you've worked out where they fall in the line, you can work out whether they work like that, or whether it's making you stumble when you're reading aloud. (Or rather than stumbling, you might catch yourself putting in extra-long pauses, or saying words a bit different to normal, which is often an indicator that the rhythm of the line is a bit off.)

Personally, I quite like predictable rhyme schemes, but I also think that the rhythm and 'flow' is probably the most important part - there are lovely poems that flow well without rhyme schemes, but it throws me when people twist the rhythm to get a rhyme in. You can still have a dialogue kind of style with a natural-feeling rhythm, it just involves paying attention to how the English language sounds a bit more.

On becoming a better writer: something that might be fun is to look up lots of poetic forms (such as rondeaus, sonnets, villanelles...) and have a play with them. Find out the rules, try to write a few, and then maybe try changing the rules and doing something different with them. If you want a book, Stephen Fry's The Ode Less Travelled was one I found fun for this. And always remember to read things aloud - if you catch yourself forcing words weirdly to fit the rules, stop and think whether there's a different way to say it.

Inevitable disclaimer: I don't write poetry very often these days, so take this all with a pinch of salt, but if you do try some of this, I hope you have fun with it - that's the most important bit!

If you do any sort of structure to your poem, you must maintain that structure. When I read poetry, I get into a certain flow of reading the poem. This means I expect a certain amount of syllables per line, and the words to keep bumping along at a certain pace.

When you throw in random rhyme schemes, this completely breaks any rhythm you get into when reading. You weren't expecting a rhyme scheme, or you were expecting a certain one to continue. This sudden change makes me, at least, reread what had been written to make sure I didn't completely miss a pattern.

Structured poetry is about patterns. This article explains how to write a structured poem, and this one talks about rhyming.

Good poetry, to me, has a certain predictability. You can do something more "random", but it has to fit in with the grander context of the poem. I personally suggest to never get random with rhyming, because that is the one thing that readers rely on to know how the work is going to flow. If you are going to rhyme, establish how you are going to rhyme and stick to it.

Poetry does not have to rhyme, either. If you are simply rhyming because "that's what poetry does", then you probably shouldn't rhyme. Poetry comes in all shapes and sizes; the definition of poetry in the (Google) dictionary is:

Noun
1- Literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm;...
2- A quality of beauty and intensity of emotion regarded as characteristic of poems: "poetry and fire are nicely balanced in the music".

So long as you're sticking to that, then you're writing poetry.

As for poetry punctuation, I'll let this article speak for me.

It sounds like your problem with poetry is adhering to a set structure... Well, guess what? You don't have to.

Poetry is a form of expression, ultimately, it's all going to be about expressing yourself. If you like to write in a certain way, then WRITE in that way! Don't let others hold you back, or don't think -- oh if I ever want to be great, I need to imitate the greats. No. No. No.

But at the same token, Rosey and Cadi speak truths. I would listen to their advice if you would like to improve on rhyming and rhythm. BUT just know that you don't have to rhyme.

The way I see it, rhyme is like a series of twinkling christmas lights. It's very pretty to look at - especially the musical ones, then you can kind of bob your head to it. Now, if you have a regular pattern and you skip a pattern - all of a sudden you have a random dark spot in the series and people notice and they will freak out.

If that's the reaction that you want to create, than great! Otherwise, people are gonna request that you exchange that broken bulb, NAO.

I've seen poems where the rhyming is all over the place. There's no pattern or beat to it, but the poem flows so smoothly and silkily and the rhymes become so sweet, it's like viewing a christmas light twinkling on overdrive, switching on and off randomly and chaotically. If that's the reaction that you want to create, than great! Some people like the showiness. Some people are dazzled. Some people can freak out because it's overpowering. Or it's not what they're used to. Lesson in poetry #1: Not everyone is going to like your poem. Poetry is so similar to music, and not everyone has the same taste in music. Likewise, not everyone has the same taste in poetry.

Some poems are dark - not a single light on there - or maybe it has a twinge of hope at the end and you'll see a couplet at the end of the poem. Two little lights on the end of the line. This is a kind of sublime effect. Tip#2: Know how to express an idea using the mechanics. If you want to be a great writer, then the reason you have to go through reading all this boring stuff and learning the mechanics is so that later, you will be able to understand it enough so that you can manipulate the mechanics to your liking. You may think you have the best idea in the world, the best poem in the world, but Tip#3 what you put down on paper is never going to match what you have in your head. So the trick is to try to capture what is in your head in the best way possible. You're still communicating. You can't just make up your own rules or grammar, because otherwise people won't understand you.

You want to know something about christmas lights? We only put them on ONCE a year! That's right. Rhyme is a tiny, tiny aspect of poetry and quite honestly my favorite poems often don't contain a single bit of rhyme That's because the beauty of the tree without the distraction of lights make for a much more compelling and real image than your standard "jingle bells, batman smells" gimmicks.

In the big picture, flow > rhyme. My advice for you: read a lot of poetry. Write a lot of poetry. Understand poetry. Ask yourself why you like a certain piece. What the poet is trying to communicate. Why do some poems not use capitalization? Why do other poems use random punctuation? Why are some poems loose in structure? This question-answer game is key in developing your own style.

And if you're tired of rhyme? Ditch the lights.