Let's Put a Twist on Rhyme

Hi EverybodyI

Lori here.

I write in rhyme - most of the time (but not always), so I thought that’s what my first WIT post should be about.  One easy way to practice writing in rhyme is to take a familiar nursery rhyme and change some of the words to create a new one.  The reason it’s easy is because the rhythm (or meter) is already set up, so you don’t have to create a new one.  Usually, the hardest part of writing in rhyme is making it read smoothly and, if the meter isn’t just right, it won’t read well.  

Here are two examples of nursery rhymes I changed: 

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary had a little lamb,

whose fleece was white as snow.

And everywhere that Mary went,

the lamb was sure to go.

Mary Had a Little Pig

Mary had a little pig,

whose tail was pink and curly.

And everywhere that Mary went,

They called her piggie Shirley.

Little Boy Blue

Little Boy Blue,

Come blow your horn,

The sheep's in the meadow,

The cow's in the corn;

But where is the boy

Who looks after the sheep?

He's under a haystack,

Fast asleep.

Little Boy Blue

Little Boy Blue,

Come play your flute,

The pig’s in the meadow,

All chubby and cute;

But where is the boy

Who looks after the pigs?

He’s under a fig tree,

eating some figs. 

Here’s a list of Nursery Rhymes to get you started:

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

Hey Diddle Diddle

Humpty Dumpty

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Jack and Jill

Little Bo Peep

Little Miss Muffet

Old Mother Hubbard

Star Light, Star Bright

This Little Piggy

Give them a twist!

- Lori