Have you noticed that poems that rhyme usually have a great rhythm (or beat) to them? Can you remember any nursery rhymes? Baa, Baa, Black Sheep? Jack and Jill? Or Humpty Dumpty? They all have very strong rhythm and rhyme - which makes them fun and easy to remember!

Here is a rhyming poem by Christina Rosetti. Try reading it aloud:

The Sound of the Wind

The wind has such a rainy sound

Moaning through the town,

The sea has such a windy sound, –

Will the ships go down?

The apples in the orchard

Tumble from their tree. –

Oh, will the ships go down, go down,

In the windy sea?

Could you hear the strong beat of the rhythm in the poem? It goes:

Dee-DAH, dee-DAH, dee-DAH, dee-DAH (4 beats or 'stresses')

Dee-DAH, dee-DAH, dee-DAH (3 beats)

Dee-DAH, dee-DAH, dee-DAH, dee-DAH (4 beats)

Dee-DAH, dee-DAH, dee-DAH (3 beats)

This is 'ballad' rhythm, and lots of poems and songs are written to this pattern.

Ballads rhyme too, did you notice the rhyming words at the end of the lines?

The rhyming words are extra effective as they are on the last 'DAH' (or stress) of each line.

In the first verse two rhyming words are on the last 'DAH' of the 4 beat lines (line 1 and 3). Actually they are both 'sound' so as they are both the same word they make the most perfect rhyme of all!

Two more rhyming words, town and down, are on the last 'DAH' of the 3 beat lines, (lines 2 and 4).

This is an ‘abab’ four line pattern or ‘rhyme scheme’.

Here's one of my own poems.

When you read it can you hear that it has 4 beats or 'stresses in each line, just like Humpty Dumpty?

There are lots of different rhythm patterns in rhyming poems.

Listen out for them and you can use them in your own poems.

Happy writing!

Rhythm and Rhyme