End Rhyme Examples, Poetic Definition, And Writing Exercises

Poetry’s kinda like that friend who always shows up with something surprising. Sometimes, it’s smooth and elegant. Other times, it’s loud and goofy. One thing poetry never misses? The beat. That rhythm that hooks you. And one of the biggest tools poets use for that beat? The good ol’ end rhyme.

Rain. Mud. A shovel. That’s how my first poetry experiment began—trying to slap together lines that rhymed at the end. Spoiler: it was messy, but I learned a ton about end rhyme just by screwing up. So, stick with me here. We’re diving deep into what end rhyme is, some killer examples, and writing exercises that’ll get y’all rhyming like pros. No fancy jargon, promise.

So, What’s This End Rhyme Thing Anyway?

Alright, imagine two lines in a poem, and their last words sound the same or really close. Boom—that’s end rhyme.

Like:

The dog ran fast through the park,
Chased a squirrel until it got dark.

“Park” and “dark” are the perfect little buddies at the end of each line, making it an end rhyme. Simple, right?

I remember once trying to rhyme “orange.” Yeah, good luck with that. Their/there mix-ups? Guilty as charged.

This kind of rhyme usually sits at the end of lines (duh), helping poems sound musical and stick in your brain. That’s why Shakespeare’s sonnets still get quoted. And probably why you still remember “Twinkle, twinkle, little star” from way back.

Different Flavors of End Rhyme

Just like ice cream comes in flavors, end rhyme isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Perfect Rhyme (The Classic)

Words sound exactly alike after the stressed vowel.

Think: light / night or cake / bake.

Easy-peasy.

Slant Rhyme (Half Rhyme)

Words sound kinda alike but not exactly. It’s the poetic equivalent of a wink.

Examples: worm / swarm, or shape / keep.

I like to call this rhyme’s cool, lazy cousin.

Eye Rhyme

This one’s sneaky. Words look like they should rhyme but don’t when you say them.

Example: love / move.

Fun fact: Victorians believed talking to ferns prevented madness. I talk to my begonias just in case.

Famous End Rhyme Examples That’ll Make You Go “Whoa”

You’ve heard of Shakespeare, right? His sonnets are basically an end rhyme party.

Like in Sonnet 18:

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.”

“Day” and “May” — perfect end rhyme duo.

Oh, and Edgar Allan Poe? Dude’s a master of spooky rhymes.

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary…”

Creepy, right? But those rhymes are what make The Raven stick in your head like glue.

How To Spot End Rhyme Without Losing Your Mind

Here’s my quick n’ dirty method:

• Read poems out loud. Your ears will catch the rhymes before your eyes do.
• Look at the last word of each line and see if they sound alike.
• If you want to get fancy, label the rhymes A, B, A, B or whatever pattern you find.

I still mess this up sometimes — especially when poets use slant rhyme. You need nitrogen-rich soil—wait, no, was it potassium? Let me Google that again…

Wanna Write End Rhyme? Try These Fun Exercises

Exercise #1: AABB Rhyme Scheme

Write a four-line poem with pairs of lines rhyming:

The sun dipped low beyond the hill,
The air was calm, the world stood still.

Super simple, and it gets you playing with sounds.

Exercise #2: Remix a Nursery Rhyme

Take “Jack and Jill” and swap out some end rhymes:

Jack and Jill went up the slope,
Jack fell down — now he needs soap.

Okay, maybe don’t make him that dirty, but you get the point.

Rhyme Schemes That Make End Rhyme Shine

Ever noticed poems with a pattern of rhyme? That’s the rhyme scheme.

Some favorites:

• AABB — two rhyming couplets. Feels neat and tidy.
• ABAB — alternating rhyme, keeps things lively.
• ABBA — wraps one rhyme around the other, like a sandwich.
• ABCABC — fancier, kinda like the special occasion rhyme.

Choosing a rhyme scheme is like picking a playlist for your poem’s vibe. I usually go with ABAB because it feels just right—not too predictable, not too wild.

Why Bother With End Rhyme?

I asked myself this when I first started writing poems that rhymed (spoiler: mostly to sound cooler). But here’s why it matters:

• It makes poems feel musical. Like a song you can hum.
• Helps you remember lines (handy for that one poem you have to recite in class).
• Adds punch and emotion.
• Keeps poems connected to tradition—because hey, poets love a good challenge.
• Forces you to pick your words carefully, which can lead to unexpected gems.

My first herb garden died faster than my 2020 sourdough starter—RIP, Gary. But using end rhyme? That was way easier.

End Rhyme vs Internal Rhyme — What’s the Deal?

End rhyme is at the end of lines. Internal rhyme happens inside a line.

Internal rhyme example:

“I drove through the snow, feeling the glow as I go.”

Both sound cool, but end rhyme holds the structure together like glue.

Who’s the Big Fan Club of End Rhyme?

• Robert Frost — classic guy, loved neat end rhymes.
• Emily Dickinson — slant rhyme queen.
• Alexander Pope — mastered the heroic couplet (basically back-to-back end rhymes).
• Langston Hughes — blended blues and rhyme like a champ.

Looking at their work made me realize that end rhyme isn’t just for kids’ poems. It’s serious business.

Writing Prompts To Get Your Rhyme On

Try these:

• Nature walk: Describe a stroll using at least four rhyming pairs.
• Childhood memory: Write about a day from your past using ABAB rhyme.
• Emotional contrast: Craft a poem where joy and sadness clash, highlighted by end rhyme.

Writing these felt like trying to keep a cat in a box—tricky but satisfying when it worked.

Watch Out! Common End Rhyme Slip-Ups

• Don’t force a rhyme that sounds like a robot wrote it.
• Too many rhymes can get annoying. Ever heard a poem that felt like a nursery rhyme on caffeine? Yeah, don’t do that.
• Don’t make your meaning suffer for rhyme.
• And predictability—mix it up or yawn alert.

How Teachers Can Rock End Rhyme

Got kiddos? Use rhyming games, group poem projects, or word sorting.

My middle school teacher made me love poetry by turning rhymes into a game. I still remember the smell of Walmart’s parking lot rosemary on June 7th, 2019—it was that kind of magic moment.

End Rhyme in Songs — It’s Everywhere!

Rap? Hella complex rhyme schemes, and end rhyme is front and center.

Pop? Those catchy choruses? Yep, packed with end rhyme.

Country? Storytelling gold, built on rhyme.

Can You Use End Rhyme in Free Verse?

Absolutely. Sprinkle it here and there for surprise or emphasis.

I like to sneak in rhymes in my free verse, just to keep readers on their toes.

The Wrap-Up (But Not That Wrap-Up)

Anyway, here’s the kicker: end rhyme isn’t just a dusty old tool. It’s alive and kicking, in poems, songs, and your brain’s memory.

Next time you pen a line, remember those last words—they’re your chance to make something sing.