Pie-in-the-sky, by Suzette Richards – image generated 10 September 2024
pie-in-the-sky (an idiom): something that you hope will happen but is very unlikely to happen.
For my latest contest I am calling upon the poets to stretch their imagination and dig deep into past experiences to compose a poem on the topic of pie-in-the-sky, incorporating internal rhyme. From personal experience, you would know that something is unlikely to happen, but it does not stop you from hoping for a different outcome in a present situation. You may use as few as two words in one line for the internal rhyme, eg an Alexandrine, or one or more internal rhymes in a 2/3/4/5/6-line verse (a poetic form of your choice). Please see the contest page for details.
NB I view AI-generated material, as well as pieces submitted that do not remotely comply with the contest requirements, eg stipulated length of poem, as SPAM.
You may pose questions relevant to this contest in the comment section.
Internal rhyme
Internal rhyme covers a vast array of rhyme schemes. The sound repetition due to internal rhyme makes a poem unified. It is employed to heighten the poem’s effects and this internal rhyme can take place in the same line or two alternative lines. Also, it adds to the meaning of words, and enhances musical the effect of a poem.
Some styles of mono-rhyme use internal rhyme to (great?) effect:
In the night, the moonlight's bright, a sight so right,
Stars ignite, a cosmic flight, in the quiet night.
Hearts unite, in pure delight, love's gentle might,
A single rhyme, in perfect time, a poet's light.
(AI-generated ‘poem’, 11 September 2024)
Types of Internal Rhyme (with my examples)
- Same Line: Rhyme in the same line comes when the words rhyme in a single line—middle and end.
the balm of ocean’s songs, they right so many wrongs (from my Alexandrine couplet, Thalassophile)
- Same Line: Rhyming two adjacent words in the same line.
morning has broken broken dreams by the cold light of day
(I used the homonym, ‘broken’, in the above monoku)
· Separate Lines (interlaced rhyme): Rhyme in separate lines comes when two or more words rhyme in the middle of the separate lines. It forms part of the design of the invented poetic form, Essence (per my following example):
A random probe sans breadth
won’t fathom his true depth.
- End of, and Middle of Line (cross rhyme): Rhyme of the words at the end of lines and words in the middle of the lines come when the words at the end of lines rhyme with the words in the middle of the next lines.
he not once considered them to reject.
Mountains reflect in pellucid waters …
(from my poem, The Heir)
But the configuration of rhyme of the words in the middle of lines and words at the end of the following lines does not seem to have the same effect.
Lesser known examples of internal rhyme
- Aicill rhyme: It is a type of cross rhyme where the final stressed word of one line rhymes with the next-to-last unstressed word in the next line.
- The Burmese climbing rhyme applies an intricate pattern of internal rhyming. The same rhyme appears in the 4th syllable of line 1, the 3rd syllable of line 2 and the 2nd syllable of line 3. This is called the 4-3-2 scheme; its characteristic stair-step gave rise to its name, climbing rhyme.
- Phi poem: My invented poetic form, Phi poem, employs cross rhyme in the first three lines of the form.
My article: How To Design Your Own Unique Poetic Form | PoetrySoup.com
A popular example of cross rhyme
The Beatles use internal rhyme in their song "Hey Jude",† written by Paul McCartney. Legend has it that he penned it for John Lennon’s son, Julian.
Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better
Hey Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better
†Source: Wikipedia
Happy quills!
Suzette