We all know poem starters...
How about "There once was
a man from Nantucket"?

It's curious how people are able to see in poem starters such as this one all the rhyming words that could possibly rival "Nantucket". This is one of those poem starters that leads very gracefully into the subtle rhyming pattern I'm sure you picked up on as you tried to find your own word or phrase to rhyme with the line.

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Of course, poems don't have to rhyme. Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein are two world-class examples of poets who use their rhyming ability to satisfy their readers' desire to be entertained.

It was quite possibly because of these two poets that I chose to buy a rhyming dictionary from the Scholastic catalog that my elementary school distributed each month. That rhyming dictionary is still one of my favorite books to page through as I search for new and interesting rhymes for words that pop into my head from time to time.

I also like to check out other websites, such as Funny Poems For Free to see the variety and adaptability of different concepts that flow so rhythmically. The author of this site has expressed through her work how easily words can flow from you, and how poems can bring a smile to your face when you realize how funny a limerick truly is, or how supremely clear-cut a haiku can be with so few syllables making up its entirety. It's nice when poems are deep and take on layers of meaning that are unique to each individual poet, but sometimes simplicity truly can be the best bet.

Some feel that poetry does in fact have to rhyme, and if it doesn't, it's not really poetry, but rather some sort of verse or narrative that should not be classified as true poetry. I'm here to tell you that whatever type of poetry you choose to write, whether it rhymes or not is unimportant. Whatever works best for you is the best kind of poetry. Don't live up to others' expectations. Only strive to fulfill your own.

These creative poetry starters will help guide you on the path to writing poems that will express not only your rhyming nature, but the expressive, lyrical nature that you possess when you write poems like Sonya Sones does in her sensational young adult novels-in-verse.

Creative writing poems will be only the beginning for you when you take the steps to learn how to harness your writing ability through these tips on writing poems that will help you find the best ways to engage your readers - whether your poems rhyme or not!

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