Make a rhyme, or not

You can write a poem. Sure, you can!

It can rhyme or not. You decide.

Keep your drafts, let all these hints

help you as your guide.

Count the syllables, find the words

that truly match your rhyme.

You’ll have a happy poem

In very little time.

Here’s a place to start. Ask yourself:

• What’s your poem about:_______________
• Do you want it to rhyme:    yes     no
• If yes, write a first line:  _____________________________________________
• Count the syllables like this:

A dog sat on a log

A = 1

Dog = 1

Sat =  1

On =  1

A = 1

Log = 1

How many syllables in the first line? ______

• Do you want the second line to have the same 6 syllables?
• If you do, will the next line end with a word like ‘log’?

If so, here’s a trick.

Go through the alphabet so that you add each new letter in front of the ‘og’ sound.

Example:

B + og = bog; F + og = fog or FR + og = frog, and so on.

• You can keep this pattern of syllables and ‘og’ words for your whole poem or change the pattern.
• Play with the words; try out what works for you.
• Have fun!