Day 29 ~ “Rhyming Poems” with an ‘A-B-A-B rhyme scheme’ for “30 Poems in 30 Days” #NationalPoetryMonth

OK, second to last day ~ for those of you who LOVE rhyming poems ~ this is your lucky day!

There are NUMEROUS patterns to rhyming poems, the use of end rhymes where the last sound of the end word in one line of poetry rhyming with the last sound of the end word in another line of poetry.

Here’s a couple of FREE resources you can use to find rhyming words – just type in the word in the box, click and poof ~ a rhyming word appears:

Rhyming Dictionary

RhymeZone 

Today we are going to use the most common rhyming scheme:

a – b – a – b

This is where the words at the end of the first and third lines rhyme and the words at the end of the second and fourth line rhyme. 

You should also try to keep the meters of lines ‘a’ the same as each other and the meters of line ‘b’ the same as each other. This can be done by counting syllables. 

Here’s an example of a rhyming poem with an A-B-A-B scheme written by Lousia May Alcott (it’s in the Public Domain – so I can use it here). 

To One Who Teaches Me
    by Louisa May Alcott 
To one who teaches me               (A)
The sweetness and the beauty     (B)
Of doing faithfully                        (A)
And cheerfully my duty."             (B)     

And here’s on that I wrote ~ just for fun:

In this little 4 line example I made up, you can see the end words in the first and third lines rhyme and they both lines have 5 beats (5 syllables). The end words in the second and fourth lines rhyme and they both lines have 6 beats (6 syllables). 
 

I went to the store                    (A)
To buy a loaf of bread.              (B)
I found something more            (A)
“So typical,” I said.                   (B)

                     © Stephanie Abney 2011            (Seems silly to copyright such a simple little sample verse but there you have it) 

You can just do four lines or you can create a longer poem by making several stanzas of four lines each, always rhyming lines one and three as well as lines two and four.

Also, note that often times the very last stanza can vary, or not, but all previous stanzas should follow the pattern.

Just a heads up: for tomorrow, our last day – be thinking of some of your great family stories – we will base our last poem on family history.

If you need some ideas ~ TODAY IS ARBOR DAY - perhaps a rhyming poem about trees would be in order? Up to you!! Cheers!!

OK, off you go – rhyme away!!

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright for to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or you FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.

DAY TWENTY-FIVE!! Celebrating "ARBOR DAY" for #NationalPoetryMonth + #ArborDay

TODAY IS ARBOR DAY!! What would we do without trees?  So, let’s write tree poetry today.

Many people are familiar with Joyce Kilmer’s poem, “Trees.” Most can at least recite the first stanza ~ the poem is made up of a string of rhyming couplets.

Rather than suggest only one type or poem for today, choose your own form, but remember the rules to the one you use, if it has rules, that is.

If you go with couplets, which is such a pleasant poetry form – easy to write, nice to listen to ~ keep in mind the definition of a “couplet” ~ two lines that rhyme and have the same meter.

Joyce Kimer’s poem has 8 beats (syllables) in EVERY line and the endings rhyme within each couplet. (Yes, the second line has 8 syllables – the word “poem” has 2 syllables). So, count out your beats if you are using couplets or go back and follow the directions for any other style or just do free verse.

Let’s create some new poems about trees for Arbor Day. Cheers!!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Arbor Day Foundation ~ Tree Poetry

TREES

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

              © Joyce Kilmer

Here's my #ArborDay poem ~ not the greatest, but I wanted to post it for Arbor Day ~ it's about a tree in our front yard that is over 35 feet tall but we only planted it 9 years ago - I posted some pictures of it too. My husband is standing in front of it and he is 6'5" tall so that gives an idea.

ABCB rhyming pattern

Our Tall, Tall Tree

Just outside my front door,
stands the most magnificent tree.
Planted it nine years ago,
now taller than seven of me.

Fastest growing tree around,
it shades us from the western sun.
Leafy havens for the birds,
it comforts me when day is done

Its grandeur adds ambiance
we put up with its messiness.
Only growing for nine years,
its beauty, to us, is ageless.

                                                 © 2014 Stephanie Abney

                                 (this view is looking up at the tree)