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Internal rhyme

Rhyme whose time is not the end of a line

In poetry, internal rhyme, or middle rhyme, is rhyme that occurs within a single line of verse, or between internal phrases across multiple lines. By contrast, rhyme between line endings is known as end rhyme.

Internal rhyme schemes can be denoted with spaces or commas between lines. For example, "ac,ac,ac" denotes a three-line poem with the same internal rhyme on each line, and the same end rhyme on each line (which does not rhyme with the internal rhyme).

Examples

Poetry

In the following limerick, each stressed syllable rhymes with another stressed syllable using one of three rhyme sets. Each rhyme set is indicated by a different highlight color. Note that the yellow rhyme set provides internal rhyme in lines 1, 2, and 5, and end rhymes in lines 3 and 4, but the blue set is entirely internal, and the pink is exclusively end rhymes.

Each time alie for a She well that her are the Of the , and it , But this will ex More than , so some gape and .

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is filled with lines that include internal rhyme, such as "The guests are met, the feast is set"; "The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared"; and "It cracked and growled, and roared and howled". Internal rhymes were a trademark of 19th century English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, for instance, in "God's Grandeur":

Why do **men** **then** now not reck his rod? Generations have **trod**, have trod, have trod; And all is **seared** with trade; **bleared**, **smeared** with toil; And **wears** man's smudge and **shares** man's smell: the soil Is **bare** now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

Percy Dearmer (1867–1936) revised John Bunyan's (1628–1688) poem "To Be a Pilgrim" in 1906. It became a popular hymn when Charles Winfred Douglas (1867–1944) set it to music in 1917. Here are Dearmer's lyrics, with the internal rhymes in bold. Note that in the three quatrains, the internal rhymes are also echoed in the line rhymes (also in bold).

He who would **valiant be** 'gainst all disaster, Let him in **constancy** follow the Master. There’s no **discouragement** shall make him once **relent** His first avowed **intent** to be a pilgrim. Who so beset him **round** with dismal stories Do but themselves **confound**—his strength the more is. No foes shall stay his **might**; though he with giants **fight**, He will make good his **right** to be a pilgrim. Since, Lord, Thou dost **defend** us with Thy Spirit, We know we at the **end**, shall life inherit. Then fancies flee **away**! I’ll fear not what men **say**, I’ll labor night and **day** to be a pilgrim.

Popular music

In the comic operas that he wrote with Arthur Sullivan, W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) used internal rhymes in some of his song lyrics. For example, Bunthorne's solo aria from Patience begins:

If you're anxious for to **shine** in the high aesthetic **line** As a man of culture rare, You must get up all the **germs** of the transcendental **terms**, And plant them everywhere. You must lie upon the **daisies** and discourse in novel **phrases** Of your complicated state of mind, The meaning doesn't **matter** if it's only idle **chatter** Of a transcendental kind.

Internal rhyme schemes were common in popular songs of the Swing Era. One illustration is the bridge from "Don't Fence Me In", which was written by Cole Porter for the 1944 film Hollywood Canteen:

Just turn me **loose** let me **straddle** my old **saddle**, Underneath the western skies, On my **cayuse** let me **wander** over **yonder**, 'Til I see the mountains rise.

Bob Dylan often used internal rhymes in his lyrics such as in "Subterranean Homesick Blues":

Ah get **born**, keep **warm** Short **pants**, **romance**, learn to **dance** Get **dressed**, get **blessed**

And "Like a Rolling Stone":

Once upon a **time** you dressed so **fine** You threw the bums a **dime** in your **prime**, didn't you? People'd **call**, say, "Beware **doll**, you're bound to **fall**"

Other pop, rock, and rhythm and blues lyricists from the 1960s and the 1970s employed the technique more sparingly than Dylan such as Smokey Robinson in "The Tears of a Clown" ("In order to shield my pride, I've tried") and Carly Simon in "Anticipation" ("When I was thinking about how right tonight might be").

Rap and hip-hop

Internal rhyme is used extensively in rap and hip-hop music, and it sometimes then overlaps with assonance. The usage of internal rhyme in rap has increased over time, but can be found even in the earliest rap songs, such as the Sugarhill Gang's 1979 single, "Rapper's Delight":

I'm six-foot-**one** and I'm **tons** of **fun** and I dress to a **T** You **see**, I got more clothes than Muhammad **Ali** and I dress so **viciously** I got body **guards**, I got two big **cars**, I definitely ain't the **whack** I got a Lincoln Continental and a sun-roofed **Cadillac** So after **school**, I take a dip in the **pool**, which is really on the **wall** I got a color **TV**, so I can **see** the Knicks play **basketball**

Internal rhyme is used frequently by many different hip-hop artists, including Kool Moe Dee, Big Daddy Kane, Nas, and Rakim, as is demonstrated in Eric B. and Rakim's 1987 piece, "My Melody" from their debut album Paid In Full:

My **unusual style** will **confuse you a while** If I were water, I'd flow in the **Nile** So many **rhymes** you won't have **time** to go for **yours** Just **because** of **applause** I have to **pause** **Right** after **tonight** is when I **prepare** To catch another sucker-duck MC out **there** My **strategy** **has to be** **tragedy,** **catastrophe** And after this you'll call me your **majesty...**

Another prominent hip-hop artist who uses complex internal rhymes is AZ, as is shown in "The Format":

**Young and gifted**, my **tongue's prolific** In the **beach bungalow** is how I **brung in Christmas** To the **streets I'mma flow** from the **hungriest districts** **Swiss kicks** crisp when I come to them **picnics** **Play slow**, paper chase **stack and lay low** **Range rove** tinted all **black the same old** **Psychic mind**, **righteous rhymes** that **turned a new leaf from a life of crime** No **concerns with new beef, who's as nice as I'm** It's **confirmed, from few feet I'm still a sniper blind** **Built my fame**, **spilt my pain** Politicking daily, still trying to **milk the game** It's obvious that I'm real, rap **skills remain** I took some **change** and I'm **still the same**

Black Thought, a rapper from The Roots, uses internal rhymes in the song "Respond/React":

The **attractive** **assassin**, **blastin** the devil **trespassin** **Master** gettin **cash** **in** an orderly **fashion** Message to the fake n**** **flashin** Slow up **Ahk**, before you get **dropped** and **closed** like a **caption** **Fractional** kids don't **know** the time for **action** Styles got the rhythm that of an Anglo-**Saxon** Round of applause, an avalanche of **clappin** {*BLOW*} that's what **happen**, now what's your **reaction** We heavyweight **traction**, pro-**pornographin** Specialize in science and **math and**, original **black man** Bustin thoughts that **pierce** your mental The **fierce rippin** your **sacks** **and** Vocal toe to toe impeccable **splittin** your **back** **son** Simple as **addition** and **subtraction** **Black** **Thought**, the **infinite** **relaxed** **one** Shorties say they love it with a **passion** Bring the **international** charm, see a squad I **harass**

MF Doom uses almost every word as internal rhyme in this verse in his song, "Figaro" (rhymes are highlighted):

It's , ? ? , but , , , Not through how with

Kool Keith uses internal rhyme heavily in his song "3000" and effectively throws off the listener:

As studies have shown; participator acts , And mess up water the that comes from the In the the you , ence What is you , ing Commercial in the , stuff on disc that's very That you , you think it's won't go inum Or even turn , sell the Your homey's tape You my , my chicken on the Open your and see Rap moves on to the year three thousand! Bad Lip Reading uses internal rhyme in their comedic song [“My Stick”](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xl0Qr0uXuY&t=1s&pp=ygUYQmFkIGxpcCByZWFkaW5nIG15IHN0aWNr).

I **disappear** for **years** then **reappear** right **here** to **cheer** about my cool stick…

References

(2000). "Poetry". Edinburgh University Press.
(2014). "Internal rhyme". Encyclopædia Britannica.
"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (text of 1834)". [[Poetry Foundation.
"God's Grandeur". [[Poetry Foundation.
"He Who Would Valiant Be".
"Subterranean Homesick Blues". The Official Bob Dylan Site.
"Like a Rolling Stone". The Official Bob Dylan Site.
"Sugarhill Gang – Rapper's Delight".
Salaam, Mtume ya. (Summer 1995). "The Aesthetics of Rap". [[African American Review]].
"Rakim Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio {{&}} More". [[AllMusic]].

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