Does a Poem Have to Rhyme & Other Burning Questions
Plus how I gathered the poems for my first poetry book "Hearts on Pilgrimage" - thank you, pandemic.
April is bursting here in my Pacific Northwest corner of the world, shouting in quiet whispers. And that is the purpose of Spring—God’s eternal message that new life will come from what seems lifeless and gone. The seasons of the year have always been a way for me to see God writing down the world, my internal life often echoing what is going on in the external world.
My journey to poetry has echoed that truth; read on to find out why. (And find the answer to my question above).
The first time I considered gathering my bits of paper, scribble-filled journals, miscellaneous files and folders of poems into a book was during the Pandemic in early Spring 2020. As one does.
Those lockdown dates are indelibly tattooed on my soul, yea, skin deep it seems. I will always remember those anxious, beginning days of fear and emptiness followed by the weeks of gray not-knowing. I’m sure you do, too.
My idea to publish a book of poetry focused on noticing the good, true, and beautiful seemed a fruitless endeavor in the midst of worldwide challenges and the daily heartache of a pandemic. I realized we always have disaster and hardships with us; I couldn’t simply sit and stew. The gift of those lockdown days were copious opportunities to sit and notice, lots of time to pay attention. Cobbling my poems together into a book kept me focused and occupied.
As an aside, no matter what kind of creative you are—painter, pen and ink artist, floral designer, baker, gardener, composer, musician--I think it’s important to not be deterred from sharing our creative gifts of beauty with the world when things are dark and devious or challenging and serious. What people need instead is our invitation to notice what matters, a reminder to Just Look Up.
I chose a title for the small volume of poems I’d collected: Hearts on Pilgrimage-Poems & Prayers--for I was surely on a pilgrimage. We all were, and we honestly had no idea what lay ahead. When I looked at the work to send to an editor, I noticed the way the poems wove themselves together through the seasons, a thread through the words like a cyclical anchor, something to count on in the midst of a chaotic and crazy time.
I will never look at Spring the same way again.
About the Rhyming Poem Question
Most of the poems in Hearts on Pilgrimage are written primarily in free verse. Every once in a while I wonder if that’s not taking an easy way out. Why, what’s so hard about writing verses of poetry that don’t have to rhyme?
Actually, becoming intentional about line breaks and phrase lengths, using vivid descriptors, adequate and engaging metaphors, all require multiple iterations and careful attention. I find the process challenging in the best way. Also? I simply don’t think in rhymes, unlike my favorite poet, sonneteer Malcolm Guite or Substack poet, the inimitable Thomas McKendry.
After finishing my final manuscript and Hearts on Pilgrimage was in the draft stages, I offered my teenaged/young adult grandkids a chance to read it. I’d even dedicated the book to them.
Their comments?
“Nana, these poems don’t rhyme!”
Thank you, Shel Silverstein.
Non-plussed, I vowed to try my hand at rhyme and meter on their behalf. And, because I love them, was able to remedy the problem by adding the poem below to my newest book “Mining the Bright Birds-Poems of Longing for Home.” (There’s a link to both my books in the footnotes.1 Thank you for asking.)
Herewith, a poem that rhymes.2 For my grandkids. And you.
My Grandkids Asked Me
Complaints are afoot in certain close quarters
that my poems don’t rhyme, they’re merely imposters.
The grandchildren ask me, “Is that how you write one?
I’m not really sure, Nana, your kind’s the right one.”
“There’re no matching endings, really no reasoning.
It’s like eating roast beef without any seasoning.
Tasteless and boring, and lacking all color,
we honestly think that there’s nothing duller.”
Well fine, I give up, I’ll leave free verse behind,
and because I’m your Nana, exceptionally kind,
I’ve put pencil to paper, all right, I can show ‘em
read on my dear lovelies, for here is your poem.”
HoP and MBB are available on Amazon or can be purchased via this link.
This poem would be a great one to add to your Poetry Notebook if you’re in the PoetScribe community. Not sure what that is? Read here.
“There’s nothing like strong meter to make a poem mind its business.” Niall Williams
Totally brought a smile to my face. I am new at poetry, in fact I wrote a poem titled, “I am just a pre-poet” and the question of rhyme and meter worry me, too. My mentor was Dr. Seuss. Sure, he could make up names to make rhymes, but he didn’t force it. Anyway, here I am pre-poeting and probably taking up too much of your time. Be kind. It is National Poetry month, after all.