How to Write a Couplet
Think of your main idea or point in the couplet., Think of the keywords surrounding your topic and end the first line with one of them.The last word in a line of poetry is always emphasized, and this is twice as true when the lines rhyme...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Think of your main idea or point in the couplet.
It doesn't matter if the couplet will stand alone or as part of an 80-page epic
-- the two lines should form a complete thought or idea.
Poetry is about verbal economy
-- using "the right words in the right places"
-- so have a clear idea what you want to talk about in the couplet.This doesn't mean you need a grand idea or big philosophical point.
A couplet could describe a flower, crack a joke, or explore your feelings on something. -
Step 2: Think of the keywords surrounding your topic and end the first line with one of them.The last word in a line of poetry is always emphasized
Rhyming calls attention to the word, making it the center piece of the line.
Furthermore, the last word of a line always stands out, capping off the line before it.
In general, you want a unique, exciting word to end your line.
You don't necessarily want to end on a difficult-to-rhyme word like "orange" or "knickerbocker," even if they are exciting words.
The best poets use language in fresh, exciting, and innovative ways.
While you could find a lot of rhymes for "you" or "me," ask yourself if there is a more unique word to choose. , Once you've got a line you're comfortable and a good end word, start brainstorming potential rhymes.
Write out every word that you can think of
-- even seemingly unrelated words may fit in perfectly as part of a metaphor, simile, or image.
While most rhymes occur on the last word, they don't have to.
Check out, for example, this couplet from Dr.
Suess: "Fox in socks, our game is done, sir. / Thank you for a lot of fun, sir." You may decide to rewrite your first line if you have no good rhymes
-- this is just part of the process. , Contrary to popular belief, most poetry is meant to be read normally, meaning you don't stop or pause at line breaks but instead read it out loud like you would read any other book.
If you leave it open, the rhyme is subtle and feels less like a song, since you read right over the rhymed word but still get the musical quality.
If you place a comma or period after the first line you generally get a more old-fashioned, song-like rhyme.
Talented poets will often mix and match open and closed couplets, such as in Sir Edmund Spenser's "Mother Hubbard's Tale".
For a master course in open couplets, read Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales., Say the couplet out loud to yourself.
Does it flow off the tongue, or does it sound awkward? If you can't comfortably read your couplet, try cutting or adding words so that both lines are roughly the same length.
If you're comfortable with poetic meter, try and make the two lines as close as possible with stresses and syllables.
If not, just focus on making them sound lovely. , Some poets would rather write out the first line then brainstorm good words to rhyme.
Others think of pairs of words they want to rhyme, then build lines around them.
Still others work backward, crafting the second line as a punchline or surprise and then building the lead-in before it.
Most poets do a bit of everything.
Once you've got the structure down, the only way to get better is to practice.In general, couplets give a poem a light, playful, and sing-songy feel in modern poetry Appropriately, many modern song lyrics are written in couplets.
There are some that feel like poetry -
Step 3: and this is twice as true when the lines rhyme.
-
Step 4: Brainstorm several words that rhyme with the end of your first line.
-
Step 5: Place punctuation at the end of the line for complete thoughts
-
Step 6: or leave it as an "open couplet."
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Step 7: Make sure that both lines have roughly the same amount of syllables.
-
Step 8: Follow your imagination and intuition to keep crafting couplets.
Detailed Guide
It doesn't matter if the couplet will stand alone or as part of an 80-page epic
-- the two lines should form a complete thought or idea.
Poetry is about verbal economy
-- using "the right words in the right places"
-- so have a clear idea what you want to talk about in the couplet.This doesn't mean you need a grand idea or big philosophical point.
A couplet could describe a flower, crack a joke, or explore your feelings on something.
Rhyming calls attention to the word, making it the center piece of the line.
Furthermore, the last word of a line always stands out, capping off the line before it.
In general, you want a unique, exciting word to end your line.
You don't necessarily want to end on a difficult-to-rhyme word like "orange" or "knickerbocker," even if they are exciting words.
The best poets use language in fresh, exciting, and innovative ways.
While you could find a lot of rhymes for "you" or "me," ask yourself if there is a more unique word to choose. , Once you've got a line you're comfortable and a good end word, start brainstorming potential rhymes.
Write out every word that you can think of
-- even seemingly unrelated words may fit in perfectly as part of a metaphor, simile, or image.
While most rhymes occur on the last word, they don't have to.
Check out, for example, this couplet from Dr.
Suess: "Fox in socks, our game is done, sir. / Thank you for a lot of fun, sir." You may decide to rewrite your first line if you have no good rhymes
-- this is just part of the process. , Contrary to popular belief, most poetry is meant to be read normally, meaning you don't stop or pause at line breaks but instead read it out loud like you would read any other book.
If you leave it open, the rhyme is subtle and feels less like a song, since you read right over the rhymed word but still get the musical quality.
If you place a comma or period after the first line you generally get a more old-fashioned, song-like rhyme.
Talented poets will often mix and match open and closed couplets, such as in Sir Edmund Spenser's "Mother Hubbard's Tale".
For a master course in open couplets, read Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales., Say the couplet out loud to yourself.
Does it flow off the tongue, or does it sound awkward? If you can't comfortably read your couplet, try cutting or adding words so that both lines are roughly the same length.
If you're comfortable with poetic meter, try and make the two lines as close as possible with stresses and syllables.
If not, just focus on making them sound lovely. , Some poets would rather write out the first line then brainstorm good words to rhyme.
Others think of pairs of words they want to rhyme, then build lines around them.
Still others work backward, crafting the second line as a punchline or surprise and then building the lead-in before it.
Most poets do a bit of everything.
Once you've got the structure down, the only way to get better is to practice.In general, couplets give a poem a light, playful, and sing-songy feel in modern poetry Appropriately, many modern song lyrics are written in couplets.
There are some that feel like poetry
About the Author
Gloria Ford
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow pet care tutorials.
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