Hello, Poetry Friend
Sometimes when we talk about poetry, it’s with a capital P. It’s P-o-e-t-r-y, very dramatic, wearing a shawl, and sighing into a cup filled with some kind of potion.
And then, there are silly rhymes. Nonsense rhymes with made-up words. I love them with all my soul.
One of my favorite movies is The Muppet Christmas Carol. Not only does it get the ghosts right, not only does Michael Caine act his English heart out, but it’s full of jokes. That is especially clear in the song “Scrooge,” in which the chorus of Muppets (horses, cats, pigeons, sheep, cows, vegetables, people and all sorts of what-nots) introduce Scrooge to the audience.
He charges folks a fortune for his dark and drafty houses Us poor folk live in misery It's even worse for mouses
Sure, “mice” is the correct plural term. But it’s more fun to take one of the easiest rhyme pairs — house and mouse — and play with it. If houses, then mouses.
This rhyme later in the song is even sillier.
Don't ask him for a favor cause his nastiness increases No crust of bread for those in need No cheeses for us meeces
Meeces isn’t anywhere close to mice, but it’s such a fun play on mouses that it seems it was always out there in the rhyming ether, waiting for someone to grab hold of that crust of cheese.
When your poem calls for rhyme — and sometimes it should, just for funsies sake — scroll through a rhyming dictionary. I especially like the section with links to songs and poems, to see what words other writers have rhymed, from Robert Burns to Lin-Manuel Miranda.
However, sometimes rhyme can make a word less visible, not more. If the point is getting lost in sing-songiness, it might be time for a made-up word.
Poetry Journal
Tis the season! Watch the video of the Muppets “Scrooge” song. When you have time, watch the whole movie.
What rhymes stand out to you? Why do they catch your attention?
Can you think of any other songs or poems with silly rhymes? Ogden Nash comes to my mind.
Write a short rhyme—a couplet (2 lines) is fine. If you like, email me what you write.
Take care, Megan