Rhymed versus unrhymed and a reward

Yes, it is true. I tend to privilege non-rhymed poetry over rhymed poetry in Fat Poets Speak, even though we have gotten a few great entries in rhyme which are indeed featured in FPS 2. See, when you write a rhymed poem, most of the time the rhythm and sounds are what people notice. And often it can be a stretch to rhyme each line with other lines, so at times you will sacrifice meaning for rhyme.

And let us also remember that unrhymed does not mean or equal unrhythmic. We have but to look at the Bard himself to see this; he wrote in unrhymed iambic pentameter. Most unrhymed poems have rhythms of their own, which may or may not fit into the poetic rhythms you learned about in school.

It is simply easier to convey meaning, most of the time, when we write unrhymed poems.


A reward for your perseverance: (From Fat Poets 2: Living and Loving Fatly)




Eileen Rosensteel

One Size Fits All

No room for me

In that space you created.

Am I supposed to twist myself?

Hold it, suck it in.

pretend to fit

in the space

where I am expected.

Leave parts of me out,

dent my sides on walls

where I am supposed to be

welcome.