Rhyme and rhythm are useful devices for poets. An interesting exercise is to make a table of rhyme, this can be done by hand using a ruler or on the computer with spreadsheets. Take the ending sound at, then make a column of all the one syllable words that end with this sound – cat, sat, mat etc… not everything may rhyme with the way the word is pronounced so have a second column for such words or a devision within the cell of the spreadsheet to cope with this.

Now make a column for all the two syllable words that end in at, another for the three syllable words and so on until you run out! Then if you want you can think of slant or half rhymes that could go with your chosen word ending. Maybe the words have ot at the end or at in the middle etc…

These tables can be extremely useful if you are creating a rhyming piece, they can also be useful if you are trying to avoid an obvious rhyme as they will give you a plethora of other words to use. The syllable break down helps you find the right length word for poem so that you do not have to twist and distort the rhyme (unless that is what is wanted).

This exercise can also be helpful if you are trying to avoid accidental rhyme too – if makes you more aware of what does and does not rhyme and those little sneaky almost rhymes that can ruin a good prose poem.