RHYME
The rhyme most commonly used in verse is the single rhyme--the rhyme of
one syllable. A single rhyme is perfect when the rhymed syllables are
accented; when the vowel sounds and the following consonant sounds are
identical and when the preceding consonant sounds are different.
"Less" rhymes with "mess" and "caress" but not with "unless," because in
this last case the preceding consonant sounds are the same. It will
rhyme with "bless" because the "b" and "l" are so joined that the
combined sound differs from the simple "l" of "less." "Less" does not
rhyme with "best" because the "t" makes the concluding consonant sounds
unlike. Nor does it rhyme with "abbess" because the accent in this word
falls on the first syllable.
A double or triple rhyme follows in construction the rules laid down for
the single rhyme. The accents must be alike; the preceding consonants
must differ and the vowels and the remaining syllables of the words be
identical. "Double" goes perfectly with "trouble" and "bubble," while
"charity," "clarity" and "rarity" all rhyme.
The spelling of a word does not affect its rhyming use. It is rhymed as
it is pronounced. "Move" and "prove" do not rhyme with "love"--all the
poets in Christendom to the contrary. Neither does "come" rhyme with
"home." The pronunciation is all in all and that must be decided not by
local usage but by some standard authority.
There are, however, certain words which have one pronunciation in prose
and another in poetry. For instance, "said," "again" and "wind." It is
permissible to take advantage of this special pronunciation and rhyme
them with "raid," "lain" and "blind."
To be strict is better than to be lax in pronunciation and it is
absolutely necessary to rise above provincialism. "Maria" is not a
rhyming companion for "fire" except in dialect verse, though this
pairing sounds natural enough in some localities.
In a piece of verse it is best not to have the same vowel sounds too
close to one another in adjacent rhyming words. Lines ending "fain,"
"made," "pain," "laid" would, of course, be correct, but the similar
vowel sounds cause a lack of variety. An arrangement such as "through,"
"made," "drew," "laid" would be better.
Nothing disgusts the reader of verse more than an imperfect rhyme. If
one is anxious to write well he should make it his business to see that
every rhyme is absolutely right before a manuscript leaves his hands.
Whatever sins may be original with a versifier at least he has no excuse
for an unmetrical line or an untrue rhyme.
To acquire facility in rhyming it is necessary to write much and to try
all styles of endings from the single rhyme to the triple. As good
practice as any will be found in the use of the French forms described
in Chapter VII.
But above all one must avoid the rhyming dictionary. When the verse
maker once gets the habit of referring to its pages there is more hope
for the amateur popular song writer than for him. Better to think half
an hour and get the right word one's self than to tread the primrose
path of the rhyming dictionary. It has one use, nevertheless, which is
perhaps allowable. There are certain words, such as "chimney," "scarf,"
"crimson," "window," "widow," and others which have no rhyme. To
ascertain whether a word belongs to this class or not the dictionary is
useful, though still a trifle dangerous.
Verse makers will rejoice to hear that "month," once a prominent figure
in this non-rhyming company, has fallen from the ranks. A new variety of
butterfly has been named the "monolunth."
IV
STANZA FORMS