*Adapted from Keable’s Guide http://www.iolani.honolulu.hi.us/Keables/KeablesGuide/PartFive/CreativeWriting.htm
4. Sentence structure. Avoid two common flaws: a vague series of unconnected phrases, or
a monotonous string of one-line sentences. Sentence structure is an important resource for
a poet, like metaphor, imagery or irony. Vary your sentence structure. Use run-on lines as
well as end-stopped lines. A well unified sentence that covers several lines, carefully
building up to its conclusion, can be highly effective.
5. Punctuation. Help your reader with precise punctuation. All the rules of punctuation that
apply to prose apply to poetry as well. Commas, periods and other punctuation marks go
where sentence structure and clarity of meaning dictate
6. Rhyme.
a. Avoid words that are only there for the rhyme. It is obvious when a writer ends a line
with a phrase ("you see," "as they say") that contributes nothing except rhyme. The best
rhyme words contribute to meaning. Avoid predictable and overused rhymes: day-say, love-
above, see-me-be, you-do-true.
b. Avoid letting rhyme and meter force you into awkward phrasing. Fold and cold might
make a good rhyme, but when you read "which not being cold," it is obvious that the writer
has sacrificed natural, clear phrasing for the sake of rhyme.
c. The last stressed syllable determines rhyme. If the final syllable is stressed, the rhyme
is called masculine. If one or more syllables follow the final stress, the rhyme is called
feminine.
MASCULINE RHYME: float, re-mote, petti-coat
FEMININE RHYME: vital, title, re-cital; re-ality, hospi-tality, superfici-ality
WEAK RHYME:
BETTER:
TRUE:
Of course, these weak rhymes can also be corrected by finding rhymes for ring and dead.
d. The second-to-last syllable must be unstressed for rhyme to be heard clearly. If you
need a rhyme for mouse, lighthouse or red blouse will not work, for light and red are
stressed.
e. For true rhyme, the vowel and any final consonants must be identical. Tame does not
rhyme with pain. A verb like throws or a noun like toes is not true rhyme with go. It is
usually not too hard to rephrase a sentence to have throw or toe rhyme with go, or to
change go to goes.
f. Avoid rhymes on weak words. Prepositions, conjunctions and articles seldom rhyme well
because they do not normally receive stress (see also PLE above on line endings).