Should Rhyming Poets Be Castrated?
Should Rhyming Poets Be Castrated?
A fair & balanced essay by Wolf Larsen
Poetry that rhymes sounds like nails on blackboard, no?
Poetry that rhymes is the ultimate act of sadistic torture, and something needs to be done about it!
So what exactly should we do about poetry that rhymes?
And what should we do about people that say, "technically that's not an essay?"
And what should we do about politicians that promise to change things, and then don't change anything at all!
And what should we do about dogs that bark all night long and keep us awake?
Clearly, the answer is NOT castration. The answer is to EAT them! After all, dog is delicious!
So, instead of castrating poets that rhyme I advocate that we eat them.
You say that eating human flesh is abominable? But there is nothing more abominable than poetry that rhymes! Making a stew or a steak or a hamburger out of poets that rhyme is clearly the civilized thing to do! Between cannibalism and poetry that rhymes clearly cannibalism is the lesser evil.
Rap Poetry Is the Only Decent Contemporary Poetry That Rhymes!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
osho
Rhyming poets are not doing anything unwanted. Rhyming is a great skill no doubt yet all I feel is no rhymes must come in the way when one comes up with beautiful thoughts and rhymes often become technological issues and the writer cannot comply with this standard.
The only exception I would make regarding the rhyme in poetry is much of the great rap poetry that one finds in contemporary literature. One only need visit some African-American literary sites to see some excellent examples of rap poetry.
However, rhyming poetry written by white people sucks! It just sounds so stale! It's like they're kissing the asses of the "greats" of the past, instead of coming up with something dynamic & original. Maybe poets that rhyme lack creativity.
Rap poetry is at least original, even when it rhymes. Although I might prefer rap poetry that doesn't rhyme. It just depends. But at least rap poetry (when it is not commercialized) is often fresh and delicious – even when it rhymes.
My comment about white people and rhyming poetry will perhaps be misrepresented by some as racist. I'm not being racist. After all, I am white. In addition, I am not burdened by any "white guilt". My ancestors were drafted into the great Union Army during the Civil War, why would I feel guilt?
Rap poetry is great contemporary poetry – even when it rhymes. Otherwise, virtually all of the rhyming poetry I've come across is garbage. And if it's not garbage, it's certainly not helped by the rhyme. The rhyme hurts contemporary poetry.
Quiero a visa para morar la em Brasil!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JCamilo
Eh, how so? Rhyming dictionaries are quite old, there is chinese rhyming dictionaries over 1000 years. I recall a description of a dialogue between Borges and Casares where they were translating MacBeath and consult to one. If Borges can use one ,why not anyone else? Of course, it has more how the person uses it than the fact they used it.
Todo bem Camillo?
Quiero a visa para morar la em Brasil! Carnivaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!!!! Que sorte tem voce ser Brasileiro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Falar a verdade - queiro morar la em Brasil - mas a immigrcao e muito complicado!
Even Hillwalker is against rhyme in poetry! Yeah, the rhyme in poetry is long dead.
Eu sou brasileiro em meu corazao!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PeterL
Poetry was devised as a device to make it easier to remember than prose. There fore poetry has rhyme and meter, which prose lacks. It is my opnion that "poetry" that lacks rhyma and meter is simply poorly punctuated prose.
Nonsense! Poetry is whiskey, and prose is beer. Poetry is espresso, and prose is watered-down Americano. Poetry is a fistfight, prose is a tense discussion. Poetry is World War III, prose is a diplomatic crisis. Poetry is having sex 30 times a weekend, and prose is having sex 1.5 times a week like most Americans.
And rhyme all you want, but the rhyme makes poetry sound like a stale cliché.
And Camillo, I'm sorry but not all the world is nice. I have been to 50 countries. India is amazing, but not a pleasant place to live, I tried to live there. The best countries are Brazil, Greece (before the crisis), Italy, and the Netherlands, in my opinion.
And perhaps you are right Camillo. Perhaps the rhyme will come back someday. Many modern artists, for example, have been inspired by medieval art. But, the rhyme does not help contemporary poetry for now. It is too cliché. It must die before it is reborn. Actually, it is already dead. Many contemporary "poets" just don't realize it.
You Don't Need to Rhyme to Have Rhythm
Quote:
Originally Posted by
cacian
On second thoughts WolfLarsen I would much rather call it rythmic poetry. A peotry that has rythm.
As to your experiencing nails on blackbroard feelings it could only be as a reaction to something you are not used to. They do say any reaction is better then none. Maybe it is saying something about the state of our minds that it has been dormant for a very long time . A rough awakening is seriously better then a smooth one. Traumatic at first but solid in the long run.
I believe that to control a langauge is to control all. Rhythm freezes a meaning and launches new others. It is liberating to liberate the sense and meaning of language. It allows of creativity and movement.
You don't need to rhyme to have rhythm. In addition, I assure you I am all too used to the nails-on-blackboard experience of the rhyme in contemporary poetry. It is not an awakening. It is more like sado-masochism.
As for rhythm one can write a poem to the beat of Afro-Brazilian drums, or 20th century classical music, or the free jazz greats David S Ware or Rob Brown or Sabir Mateen – or you can write your poem to the beat of your neighbors doing the mattRess-syMphonY-bEd-spriNg-bOng.
The rhythm is up to you. You don't need a rhyme for rhythm.
Great stuff! The music that is.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Emil Miller
So the rhyme could be used to make discordant disturbing music & poetry – interesting idea!
I like the music on that link. Although I wish it was more – powerful & dramatic. If Beethoven were alive today maybe he would compose discordant stuff like that – but I bet it would be more powerful.
Yeah. Discordant poetry with the use of horrible rhymes on purpose. You might be onto something.
