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Rhyming Quotes

On rhythm, rhyme and when it's used too freely.

One quote warns that rhyme purely for its own sake is actually harmful to good versification, while another simply enjoys writing rhyming poems and plays without overthinking it. There's also a nod to rap rhythms built entirely from rhyming sound patterns, connecting to our Creativity collection.

Versification is, indeed, indispensable for music, but rhyme, solely for rhyming's sake, most pernicious.

Quotes by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Back in the day, rappers were 'bump bump bump ba bump ba bump.' They was rhyming like that, but I was like, 'bababa bump bump babum ba babump bababa bump.'

Quotes by Rakim

I really liked writing rhyming poems and plays.

Quotes by KT Tunstall

Poetry consists in a rhyming dictionary and things seen.

Quotes by Gertrude Stein

Creativity Quotes

Jigging veins of rhyming mother wits.

Quotes by Christopher Marlowe

Frequently Asked Questions

Is rhyme always treated positively in these quotes?
No, one quote specifically warns that rhyme used solely for its own sake is pernicious and works against good versification, suggesting rhyme should serve the writing rather than the other way around.
Do any of these quotes connect rhyming to rap music?
Yes, one recalls older rap styles built around repeated rhythmic rhyming sounds, contrasting how rappers used to construct verses purely through rhyme patterns rather than complex lyrics.
Is there a simpler, more personal quote about enjoying rhyme?
Yes, one speaker says plainly they really liked writing rhyming poems and plays, offering a straightforward, enthusiastic counterpoint to the more critical quotes in this topic. Learn more in our Creativity quotes.
What does the quote about a 'rhyming dictionary' suggest about poetry?
It somewhat cynically reduces poetry to just a rhyming dictionary combined with things observed, implying that technique alone, without genuine insight, isn't enough to make real poetry.
What's the overall tension in these rhyming quotes?
There's a push and pull between enjoying rhyme as a creative tool and worrying that leaning on it too heavily can hollow out the writing it's meant to support.

A more skeptical line even reduces poetry itself to little more than a rhyming dictionary paired with observation. Explore more in our Expression page.