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Monorhyme

Monorhyme is a rhyme scheme in which each line has an identical rhyme. The poetic term "Mono-rhyme" pertains to the utilization of one (Mono) type of repetitious sound (rhyme). The end of the lines of a monorhyme poem all end with similar sounds. Throughout the poem, the last words of the line utilize the same sounds that correspond with one another. This is common in Arabic, Latin, and Welsh works, such as The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, e.g. Qasida and its derivative Kafi. Monorhyme is also used in the third verse of American rapper Jay-Z's song Already Home.

Some styles of monorhyme uses the middle of a poem's line to utilize this poetic tool. The Persian ghazal poetry style places the monorhyme before the refrain in a line. This is seen in the poem “Even the Rain” by Agha Shahad Ali. “What will suffice for a true-love knot? Even the rain?But he has bought grief's lottery, bought even the rain.” The monorhyme knot is introduced before the line’s refrain or pause. The corresponding rhyme bought was used in the next line. Although these are not the last words of the lines in the poem, monorhyme is incorporated identical rhyme schemes in each line.

Examples

An example of monorhyme is the poem “A Monorhyme for the Shower” by Dick Davis. This monorhyme has all the ending lines corresponding to rhyming with the word "hair".

A Monorhyme for the Shower

Lifting her arms to soap her hair

Her pretty breasts respond – and there

The movement of that buoyant pair

Is like a spell to make me swear

Twenty odd years have turned to air;

Now she’s the girl I didn’t dare

Approach, ask out, much less declare

My love to, mired in young despair.

Childbearing, rows, domestic care

All the prosaic wear and tear

That constitute the life we share

Slip from her beautiful and bare

Bright body as, made half aware

Of my quick, surreptitious stare,

She wrings the water from her hair

And turning smiles to see me there.

See Also

More examples of Monorhyme poetry is displayed at http://allpoetry.com/list/17480-Monorhyme

References

Murer, E. (2010, March). Poets.Org: From the Academy of American Poets. Retrieved April 27, 2012, from http://forums.poets.org/viewtopic.php?t=20383

Davis, D., Aralia Press., & Exploring Form and Narrative (Conference). (2001). A monorhyme for the shower. West Chester, Pa: Aralia Press.