Blogging & Writing Tips
Blogging & Writing Tips
Alliteration and Assonance: Use with Caution By John Davis Jr., Poet
Younger poets who are just getting into the literary scene typically enjoy the music of language. Indeed, one thing that draws writers toward poetry is its musical quality. There is a sense and sound to poetry that few other genres can boast, and poets are more keenly attuned to this beauty than the average reader.
With that said, this same love of“ language music” can often lead to poor editorial choices on the part of the amateur: where a few words with the same initial sound would do, new poets tend to stretch the boundaries of their vocabulary. Never mind whether the words work in the context of the broader poem; alliteration( the repetition of initial consonant sounds) and assonance( the repetition of initial vowel sounds) have such magnetism that the budding verse writer has difficulty resisting them. How do I know this? I, too, was an abuser of these same devices before teachers and mentors helped me develop a greater“ ear” for poetry writing and reading. They gently persuaded me to use these tools with greater care, and my work became stronger thanks to this advice.
The result of using too much alliteration or assonance is tongue-twisting, Dr. Seuss-like lines. Usually these lines don’ t fit well within the topic or theme of the larger piece. Every editorial decision when writing poetry must be informed by the demands of the subject – if one is writing about those“ seven slimy snakes” or“ seashells by the seashore,” then certainly alliteration is justified. However, if one is examining the meaning of life or composing an elegy, cutesy devices like these are best left in the poet’ s toolbox. The same could be said of puns( another“ deadly sin” of mine) or trite wordplay.
Wiser and older poets know that it is far better to consider what tone and which tools best suit the piece at hand than to simply slap or string silly syllables into sentences( See what I did there? Kind of ridiculous, huh?). Choose your devices based upon your topic and tone, and the work will reward your diligence and discernment.
For the sake of argument, let’ s say that a poet wants to write about getting his or her first pet. This topic is one that stirs happy, jovial memories, and the motions and excitement
11 | Write Mag | writemag. net | January 2013 | Issue # 1