Reviews from

Say WHAT? No RHYME???

A lament upon the nature of blank verse

26 total reviews 
Comment from Sis Cat
Exceptional
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This is a fun poem that encourages me to write more blank verse. I have only written one so far, and I love your playful example demonstrating this form. While juggling words and meter you also slip in some nuggets of wisdom and advice:

surely Shakespeare's wit/allowed for cheeky variations here/and there

But the line that stood out to me was this one:

mastery/of form precedes all variations.

I spent the better part of October studying the rhymed, meter verse of Chaucer and the Gawain Poet, so I am thrilled to see your superb example of blank verse. I hope more poets are encouraged to write in this form.

Thank you for sharing your illustrative example.

 Comment Written 28-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 29-Oct-2017
    Bless you for your lovely sixer on this one SC! I personally LOVE writing blank verse, as it follows a very natural speech rhythm, especially suited to great and thoughtful themes - but it's fun to use for comedy too. Apparently most RAP is based on iambic pentameter - I didn't have a clue about that! (And sure can't see it in most). What course are you doing? Chaucer is rather hefty going sometimes,l given that the 'olde English' words are often defunct!
    :)Sharyn
Comment from DALLAS01
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Just read Pantygnt's poem regarding this and was thoroughly confused. have never attempted blank verse and although I recognize it is different than free verse, which love, seems like a lot of work to learn.

 Comment Written 28-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 28-Oct-2017
    No, not at all, Dallas! Blank verse is EASY! Five iambic feet per line, and no rhyme. Basic Shakespeare! :):):) Thx for reading my dear - I look forward to reading YOU again :)S
Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell
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Hi, Sharyn, lovely to see you! I just love this poem, it is amazing. I think Shakespeare would say, 'You go, girl!' It's a brilliant poem the rhyming is subtle within an internal rhythm, which in my opinion, makes the whole, perfect! Brilliant! Well done, my friend. I've missed you on here. Big hugs, Sandra xxx

 Comment Written 28-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 28-Oct-2017
    Bless you Sandra! I've been off writing songs for a while - but my dear musician friend finally gave in to cancer. I will miss his brilliance so much! I look forward to writing a bit now though ...
reply by Sandra Stoner-Mitchell on 28-Oct-2017
    Oh, Sharyn, I'm so sorry. The awful disease takes all the best ones. It will be lovely to see you on here again, but I wish it were for a different reason. An extra Big hug winging your way, my friend. xxxx
Comment from Thomas Bowling
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Do you suppose that Shakespeare counted syllables? I prefer to think it just came naturally to him and he didn't even realize it. He was too much of an innovator to be controlled.

 Comment Written 24-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 24-Oct-2017
    Absolutely! Thx Thomas!
    :)Sharyn
Comment from Dean Kuch
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Hahahahah.
I love your sense of humor, Sharyn, heh-heh.
This is very good, and well written (in iambic pentameter no less!).
I picked up on the internal rhyming right off--first thing. I love to do it quite often myself so I suppose I sorta watch for it when I read the work of others.
This had great rhythm.
I thoroughly enjoyed the read.
~Dean

 Comment Written 24-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 24-Oct-2017
    Haha indeed! Thx Dean! I LOVE internal rhyming & assonance etc too ... :)Sharyn
reply by Dean Kuch on 24-Oct-2017
    Anytime. :)
Comment from Barb Hensongispsaca
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LOL I had to reread this a couple of times and laughed at the content and the way you wrote it as the meter and rhyme people out there will have a field day.lol

 Comment Written 23-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 24-Oct-2017
    We like to give people something to think about, Barb, right?? And have a good irreverent laugh at the same time!
    :)Sharyn
Comment from Giddy Nielsen-Sweep
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Hi Sharon, great to 'see you' again! I love this I thought it was really clever and so exquisitely arranged. Well done I think it is a masterstroke and probably would be good for schoolchildren, don't you think? Giddy

 Comment Written 23-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 24-Oct-2017
    "Aloha" Giddy! I think this would be a VERY good piece for school kids who are doing an advanced Shakespeare class, for sure. (Though these days, are there such students? My 20 year old son managed to skate through high school without reading a SINGLE BOOK!) Thank you so much for your sweet six! How are YOU doing?
    :)Sharyn
reply by Giddy Nielsen-Sweep on 25-Oct-2017
    Fantastic thanks, Sharon, Giddy :-)
Comment from RGstar
Exceptional
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Loved this, loved the questions raised here, for long have we seen different variations of the sonnet, where even Shakespeare changes the rules as to make a work more interesting, given the differences in the Italian Sonnet to the Shakespearean.
I think a lot of the time we need to realize a certain way does not mean no way at all.
Good to read this from you. Intelligent.
Best wishes.
RGstar

 Comment Written 23-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 24-Oct-2017
    Thanks so much Roy! Italian sonnets drive me NUTS - Shakespearean so much easier, I think. Thank you for your lovely sixer on this one. I enjoy a little irreverence from time to time!
    :)Sharyn
Comment from TAB_that's me
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I love it! It is great and fun. And yes you have some rhyme but that only makes it more fun in this case. Great to see you on site. It has been awhile.

teresa

 Comment Written 23-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 24-Oct-2017
    It has indeed been a while Teresa (do I have the spelling right??? and hopefully your real name???) I've been off doing other things for the last year or so ...
    :)Sharyn
Comment from Pantygynt
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This is an absolutely brilliant take on the whole business of mere, and adherence to it. The acid test is how does it read, and also how can it be read, not to mention which of those rhymes with bread and which with bead. Does elision play a part automatically (5 or 6 syllables there?) Or do those missing letters have to be replaced by an apostrophe?

To my mind it is similar to the old adage about fooling around on a musical instrument. It is only funny when it is done by someone who can play really well. When the next event appears you will see I am splitting the club down the middle the flyers can go off and fool about and have fun an d so can the plodder when they cease to plod.

Sharyn if you ever were a plodder it was before my time. Spread your metrical wings and fly.

 Comment Written 23-Oct-2017


reply by the author on 24-Oct-2017
    Oh you do make me laugh, James. And that, for sure's a dev'lish laugh! :):):) Thank you so much for your delightful sixer!
    :)Sharyn