All your Rhymes really don't Work
Is every mistake as mistaken as we first thought?53 total reviews
Comment from Elizabeth Daniels
Well I've learned something new. I've read many, many books, though not one on poetry or of poetry. I have one manuscript for a book I'm working on. Other than that I have done no writing. I hated having to do it in school in fact. LOL So I'm learning on the run at a later age.
reply by the author on 15-Jan-2012
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Well I've learned something new. I've read many, many books, though not one on poetry or of poetry. I have one manuscript for a book I'm working on. Other than that I have done no writing. I hated having to do it in school in fact. LOL So I'm learning on the run at a later age.
Comment Written 15-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 15-Jan-2012
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Elizabeth, thanks so much - many people learn much better at a later age when they are not being compelled to. :-) Brooke
Comment from Louise Michelle
Bravo, Brooke!! This piece is written perfectly to inform readers to be cautious with their criticisms. For novice poets like me, it is an encouraging and informative essay. I switched from fiction to poetry (and came back to FS after being away for a year) mainly to have fun. It is reassuring to know that my instincts are correct. Big Hug, Lou
reply by the author on 09-Jan-2012
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Bravo, Brooke!! This piece is written perfectly to inform readers to be cautious with their criticisms. For novice poets like me, it is an encouraging and informative essay. I switched from fiction to poetry (and came back to FS after being away for a year) mainly to have fun. It is reassuring to know that my instincts are correct. Big Hug, Lou
Comment Written 09-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 09-Jan-2012
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I'm so glad you found this useful, Lou. Thanks so much for your review :-) Brooke
Comment from Changeisgood
Brooke, I finally found it and agree wholeheartedly. I am reading some of your many poems. Not until I saw that I could narrow the search to STORIES did I find my lesson assignment. Fortunately, I think I avoided the Meter Master, but there may be more. It was a brilliant plan to use major poets to make you point about forced rhyme and the advantages (at times) to use slant. Very helpful. Franny
reply by the author on 16-Jun-2011
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Brooke, I finally found it and agree wholeheartedly. I am reading some of your many poems. Not until I saw that I could narrow the search to STORIES did I find my lesson assignment. Fortunately, I think I avoided the Meter Master, but there may be more. It was a brilliant plan to use major poets to make you point about forced rhyme and the advantages (at times) to use slant. Very helpful. Franny
Comment Written 16-Jun-2011
reply by the author on 16-Jun-2011
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Thanks so very much, Franny. I figured that citing famous and accepted poets would be a good way to persuade the skeptics who would not take my word for it that slant rhyme is not a mistake. LOL If it's good enough for Shakespeare... LOL I truly appreciate your seeking this essay out and your generous rating. Brooke : -)
Comment from RG Hamilton
A five-star essay in my book. I was also interested to read all the reviews. Very interesting how different people think. Thanks for "running point" on this one. I will refer aggressive slant rhyme reviewers to your essay in the future.
reply by the author on 31-Mar-2009
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A five-star essay in my book. I was also interested to read all the reviews. Very interesting how different people think. Thanks for "running point" on this one. I will refer aggressive slant rhyme reviewers to your essay in the future.
Comment Written 31-Mar-2009
reply by the author on 31-Mar-2009
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Thank you - you are the perfect audience for this one! :-)
I finally squelched one woman who always complained and gave me a 4 for a poem where a rhyming pair was dry/lies or gate/plates - something where one had an S and the other didn't and that was her soul objection to the poem and justification for the 4. After several four's in the past, I finally couldn't take her any more! LOL Thanks, Brooke
Comment from deRanger
Very good and most instructive essay. I can use this from time to time. I tend to be a slave to "perfect" rhyme. I'm not as bad as some at "counting syllables".
you make your case very well and dispassionately, which is , I think, good.
reply by the author on 17-Oct-2008
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Very good and most instructive essay. I can use this from time to time. I tend to be a slave to "perfect" rhyme. I'm not as bad as some at "counting syllables".
you make your case very well and dispassionately, which is , I think, good.
Comment Written 17-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 17-Oct-2008
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I get reviewers who literally tell me which words don't rhyme exactly, as if I didn't know it already! And then they will say - those are the ones you MUST FIX - as if they're broken. I was so pissed when I wrote this after a few of those episodes one right after another. Glad the essay sounds dispassionate because I wrote it while spitting mad! LOL Now I've been on the site longer and two things have happened - one, I just let those people's comments slide right off my back, and two, I get fewer of those comments - don't know if I scared people off or if I've just grown on a few of them LOL thanks for this review also - many people will not review unpromoted work :-)
Comment from heyjude
adewpearl,
Thanks for pointing that out. It is nice when people can point suggestions out in a kind way that shows they are just
trying to be helpful and not treating someone like they don't know anything.
reply by the author on 18-Sep-2008
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adewpearl,
Thanks for pointing that out. It is nice when people can point suggestions out in a kind way that shows they are just
trying to be helpful and not treating someone like they don't know anything.
Comment Written 18-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 18-Sep-2008
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You "get" exactly what I am saying! Thank you.
Comment from Kingsland
I am one of whom breaks most of the rules in poetic writing form and format. I use full rhymes, half rhymes, slant rhymes
and a mixture of all the above with free verse. Most reviewers accept the way I write. But there are a few that criticize what they don't understand. To me good poetic form needs a rhythm of sorts and that rhythm can be off center at times and still remain with a flowing thought. Thank you for posting this educational piece on poetic writing... John
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2008
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I am one of whom breaks most of the rules in poetic writing form and format. I use full rhymes, half rhymes, slant rhymes
and a mixture of all the above with free verse. Most reviewers accept the way I write. But there are a few that criticize what they don't understand. To me good poetic form needs a rhythm of sorts and that rhythm can be off center at times and still remain with a flowing thought. Thank you for posting this educational piece on poetic writing... John
Comment Written 17-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2008
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Thank you, John. You are right - most people accept my little deviations from the rules and restrictions too. This goes out to the ones who don't, particularly the ones who don't and aren't gracious about it! LOL I am glad you got something out of my essay.
Comment from Cairn Destop
Yes, I can see where people would dock stars for such a fault. Can also see where an established poet could successfully evade critism by using the "innovative" label. It works for them because of their fame. Here, it would be best explaining the stylistic choice via author notes. Think the most telling sentence in your essay is the one regarding the tone used by reviewers. We should all be constructive. No SPAG noted.
BTW, I avoid poetry unless it is a structured format because so many define deviation is stylistic.
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2008
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Yes, I can see where people would dock stars for such a fault. Can also see where an established poet could successfully evade critism by using the "innovative" label. It works for them because of their fame. Here, it would be best explaining the stylistic choice via author notes. Think the most telling sentence in your essay is the one regarding the tone used by reviewers. We should all be constructive. No SPAG noted.
BTW, I avoid poetry unless it is a structured format because so many define deviation is stylistic.
Comment Written 17-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2008
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Using the author's notes is a good idea - actually did that today after a new posting and having someone point out to me that grandglorious is not in the dictionary, so I added a sentence to the author's notes explaining it was a whimsical decision to combine the words. Yes, the tone of the reviewer is the main thing - one can always say, that rhyme didn't sound quite right to my ear rather than say - you made a mistake when you paired those words and you need to fix it. You are a most thoughtful reviewer - thank you for your comments. :-) Peace, Brooke
Comment from LegendD
Thank you for these delectable insights. I'd always felt that Yeats and the rest off-ryhmed on purpose. And I must admit it felt quite disconcerting. But why they were much too skilful to commit such blunders! I found a way to make peace with their approximations. It is the way of art.
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2008
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Thank you for these delectable insights. I'd always felt that Yeats and the rest off-ryhmed on purpose. And I must admit it felt quite disconcerting. But why they were much too skilful to commit such blunders! I found a way to make peace with their approximations. It is the way of art.
Comment Written 16-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2008
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I always delight in slant rhyme - I find it surprising sometimes, subtle others. I think of almost all authors and poets by their last names - Whitman, Faulkner - but when I think of Emily Dickinson, I think of her as Emily - she is just something totally special to me. And she uses slant rhyme to such wonderful effect. When I find slant rhyme on this site, it is the first thing I praise if it works right. My point was never, however, to talk everyone into using it. It's to talk them into recognizing that it is often an artistic choice, not a mistake! :-) I love being talked to condescendingly by someone who explains carefully to me how two of my words don't rhyme with each other as if maybe I didn't notice! LOL But now I'm ranting. LOL Thank you for your most thoughtful review!
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Be on the lookout for my sequel to this one. I hope it doesn't come off as condescending because that isn't what I intend.
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I will read with interest! :-)
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It's done, and titiled 'Eat This'
Comment from unidian
Hi Brooke, what brought that on :-) I understand what your saying and you make your point on slant ryhme perfectly. It's very interesting because there is another view on this which I will send you privately because I daren't yet post it. I respect your opinion and while my piece may not agree with what you're saying here, I think we might see common ground. Tom
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2008
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Hi Brooke, what brought that on :-) I understand what your saying and you make your point on slant ryhme perfectly. It's very interesting because there is another view on this which I will send you privately because I daren't yet post it. I respect your opinion and while my piece may not agree with what you're saying here, I think we might see common ground. Tom
Comment Written 16-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 16-Sep-2008
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What brought it on is I have had several people in reference to different poems, tell me that some pair of words does not rhyme. Now, if they say, to my ear this is jarring, or this doesn't work for me, I am cool with that. We can agree to disagree. But the people who got me going are the ones who tell me this is a mistake. I have simply failed to rhyme right! A few have even told me they would be happy to rereview and give me my point back if I will only fix my mistake. I don't like people assuming that an artistic choice is an error, like a misspelled word or a missing apostrophe. There is a wonderful reviewer, Ian, who has convinced me to change a word in a line several times for flow, so it's not like I'm stubborn and defensive - he kindly suggests to me that I try reading the line the way he has suggested to see if I might agree it flows better. And by gosh, he's been right several times and I've edited. But when someone acts as if I just don't know how to rhyme and need to work harder to get it right, I see red! LOL And don't even get me started on the guy last night who gave me a 3 - a rating I just don't see very often, because while he liked my poem about Freddy and liked the structure/flow, he wished I had written a few more verses about what Freddy's relatives and friends thought of his lack of ambition. People are now going to review what I did NOT write???? LOL Oh, I rant. Thank you for a thoughtful review and look forward to reading your private message.
