About workshops

Workshops on Neopoet are groups that meet for a certain period of time to focus on a certain aspect of poetry. Each workshop participant is asked to critique all the other poems submitted into a workshop. A workshop leader helps coordinate -- they set the agenda, give participants feedback on whether their submissions and critique are at they level expected of them, and after the workshop is over, give feedback to participants. 

To join a workshop, first find one that is of interest to you. Once you have found the right workshop (and verified that it is open -- you can find this out in the description below), you can apply to join the workshop.


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Assonance and consonance

Status: 
Program description/goal: 

Description: We will examine the poetic devices of assonance and consonance

Leader: Weirdelf

Objectives: To learn to use assonance and consonance in the context of free or structured verse

Level of expertise: Shark Pool, theoretically, but anyone interested will be able to grasp the concepts, probably more easily than meter.

Subject matter: We will define the terms in discussion then each attempt to write a really good poem using elements of both assonance and consonance avoiding alliteration where possible.

The real purpose of this workshop is that freeverse is so often just prose broken into lines. We need to learn all the tools in the poetic toolbox to make our poems memorable and reach into the psyche of our reader. If we are not going to do it by nurseryrhyming and sing-song meter we need more subtle craft.

PLEASE, EVERYONE WHO JOINS POST AT LEAST AN "I'M HERE" COMMENT ON THIS PAGE SO YOU GET NOTIFICATION OF UPDATES.

Please PM me, weirdelf, to join.

Length: 
14 days
Number of participants (limit): 
10 people
Skill level: 
Date: 
Thursday, March 8, 2012

Comments

I'm here! (I messaged you to add me btw.) What day does this one start?

It is such a secret place, the land of tears. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Make of me a better poet. wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

count me in

Lou

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

.

if so you are welcome.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

I have only used assonance as a rhyming tool (end line). I hope you will still let me run a workshop later on rhyme in which we can talk about this.
The question now. I have written one alliterative piece (which is posted here). Is alliteration a form of consonance?
wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

strictly speaking assonance and consonance are used within a line, not at the end, so are not rhyming tools, more "sound" or "mood" tools, comparable in a way with Onomatopeia.

Assonance and consonance used at the end of a line as rhyming tools are more aptly described as partial or half rhymes.

Since alliteration refers to the first letter of words is can be assonance or consonance just depending if it's a vowel or a consonant. Get the drift?

We'll see how this workshop pans out whether separate more specific workshops are needed.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

Ok I'm ready lol

Lou

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

anybody there?

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

Starting workshop tomorrow.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

assonance and consonance. I'd like each of you to just post here what you think they mean now (not copy and pasting from an online dictionary) and give a three line example of each. And add what you think the difference is from rhyme and alliteration.

Then we'll write 3 lines of the same assonance and 3 lines of the same consonance, this is not as easy as it sounds by the way, and post them to "Assonance and consonance" workshop.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

The definition of Assonance is the repetition of the central vowel sounds in a row of words,
Consonance means to repeat the central or ending consonant sounds in a row of words, and they are not always easy to detect. Where as Alliteration is the repetition of the sound that begin a group of words in a row and includes the stressed syllables, and is a lot more obvious for that reason.

Lou

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

and why are all three different from rhyme?

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

The main difference is with a rhyme you generally just rhyme the last word in every line, where as. With Assonance and consonance, you do it all the way through each line.

Lou

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

on

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

A rhyme (proper or authentic) is two words of like vowel and consonant sounds preceded by an unlike consonant sound or no sound at all and... (this is the important part) they can appear anywhere in a line (internal rhyme, initial rhyme). So just because it is more common to rhyme the last sounds in the lines, rhyme is not restricted to that position in the line.
wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

how then would you describe the difference between rhyme and assonance?

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

... what blue halcyon said. That's how I see it except I think consonance can use the initial consonant. Unfortunately, I think that would describe alliteration, so... I don't know. What blue said. wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds with different consonants. (Words do not rhyme in the case of assonance.) Consonance is usually the repetition of ending consonant sounds. Alliteration is when the sounds of stressed syllables of a word are repeated in a line. In alliteration it can be a consonant or a vowel sound that is repeated.

Alliteration example: The evil elf eats every egg.
Assonance example: The elf’s felt hat smelled like hell.
Consonance example: Accusations stink; I think I need a drink!

(Let’s see if I managed to get these straight with the examples. **Waits to be hit with a ruler by the elf**) hehehe

You can usually find rhyme at the end of a line.

It is such a secret place, the land of tears. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

I've realised I am really not clear myself on the difference between assonance and rhyme.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

I must confess I've been using dictionary.com to help clarify my view of these tools. Evidently, rhyme is the identity in sound of some part of a word, but it's usually the end of the word. What I understand from reading different definitions and examples is that consonance can be used as a rhyming device. This would make sense, considering with consonance the ending consonants usually have the same sound, which is similar to the definition of rhyme. (With the same sounds usually at the end of the word.) However with rhyme, the end sound can be either a consonant or vowel sound, and the placement of the rhyming words is important. (If I'm understanding it all correctly. This is turning out to be more complicated than I had anticipated!)

It is such a secret place, the land of tears. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The rhyme is not always the last syllable.

Condenser/Dispenser... the last two syllables rhyme.
Practitioner/Petitioner... the last three syllables rhyme.

It seems that in our attempt to define what is NOT assonance/consonance (which by the way, is a double rhyme), we are covering a lot of the ground I was going to cover in a rhyme workshop. I only have thirteen different types of rhyme to discuss and we're cutting through a lot of them.
wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

It's not always the last syllable - that's why I had said usually. ;-) Double and triple rhymes, of course, are not as common.

It is such a secret place, the land of tears. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

if we are talking about what is known as True rhyme, then the difference is rhyme uses words that sound and look similar , such as like, and bike , whereas assonance just uses the vowels and consonance just uses the consonants within words .

Lou

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

hope it's ok I've posted my three lines of assonence and consonance .

Lou

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

Ever do I elevate my effort.
How about I cow tow in a minute.
I wonder and erect my ponder higher.

I place my face that I might chase the vision.
I slip my hopeless dogs in campsite’s girdle.
I’m going on to bomb and mayhem start.

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

Assonance
When sober Booze Hound is sound, yes he is solid
down to earth he is a bloke whose thoughts are coherent.
Thoughts are well founded and down right consistent

Consonance
Mad bad and low down
danger hides deep in the depths
Of his dirty debauched soul

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

I thought about superstitiously arranging a great, hoary, running argument filled with vitriol and profanity to greet him when he returns, but I find I like the guy so I'm going to pass. If everyone wants to fight on their own that's your choice. It might get his blood pressure up and speed the recovery.

As I always do, I researched assonance and consonance as understood by the intelligentsia. I found that fully half of the discussions were about its use (specifically assonance) as a rhyme scheme. Our fearless leader does not subscribe to this and having written a poem with assonance as rhyme scheme, I must agree with him. I didn't like it. It seemed to me to have virtually no effect on the poem other than a certain dulling effect due to the absence of rhyme (I think you all know how much I like my rhyme). Jess tells us that it is to be used through the sentence to harden or soften the phrase. I have trouble seeing that.
Any thoughts on these specifics?
Our next assignment following the example sentences is to write a short piece using assonance or consonance (or both?) to good effect in the work. I'm more than commonly interested to "hear" everyone's submission (before mine probably), so as to hear how we at Neo use the concepts.
Please have at it. Also note that lou is the only one to post to this workshop's submissions and because it was only the example sentences that's no big deal. But please, when you post your small poem do so in submissions so it goes to The Stream. Thereby allowing everyone at Neo a chance to insult us.
Thank you.
Assistant Elf, wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

was enough provocation to drag me from my death bed.
Freeform poetry is still poetry, you fucking misguided snob.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

What's wrong with the elf? :-(

It is such a secret place, the land of tears. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Some sort of Faerie disease that we can't catch. He's snorting Pixie Dust and should be fine soon. wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

viral migraine, seldom felt so aweful. Wesley has kindly agreed to take over till I can get my these demons with pokers dislodged from my head.

Misty, I see we're still waiting for your first exercise and comments on Wesley's (which was supposed to be posted as a workshop piece) and Lou's.

Next discuss how different syllable and consonant sounds fit different content. Discuss hard and soft consonants, different vowel sounds, long and short etc.

Finally choose a particular theme, imagery or mood and write a short piece using appropriate assonance and consonance.

That's worn me out,
see you soon.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

You heard the General. Get writing.

(you too wesley)

Who said that? Speak up or I'll have you flogged.

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

Sorry to butt in. Seems assonance and consonance along with alliteration are best used to reinforce the rhythm and sometimes rhyme in poetry. It might be even more useful in free verse and poetic prose.........now back to the experts lol.....stan

Come back. Elaborate. Don't drop a bombshell then run away, I'm really confused here. wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

See your shop poem"I seriously don't know how..........." my comment there might help show how it helped in one of my rhymers. Maybe I need to fins an example in free verse and/or poetic prose also? But be prepared to be bore by another example from My meager stock lol..........stan PS wish I had time to fully join in this shop

words with long vowels and soft consonants might match well with air-water imagery, with langorous moods, with gentle themes, oppose that the hard or guttural consonants and short vowels, also consider the part the various sounds can play in pacing. Give examples.

You, Wesley seeem to be really struggling with this concept. A hint, its all in the sounds.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

Beyond the discussions of long and short vowels in the Greek, what are examples in English? All of my vowels are of the same length. It takes no longer to pronounce and "o" than an "a".
How are you feeling?
wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

You would be surprised at how the ear and brain perceive the difference in vowel lengths, they are not the same! Without getting into a long discourse on phonetics short vowels between hard syllables are definitely shorter and create a faster pace than long vowels between soft syllables, stress plays a part too, of course. Consider the sound and feel difference between these two 4 syllable lines.
gits get hit back
languorously

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

I'm having more trouble keeping up than I had anticipated. :-/ I have too many things going on with work, school and taking care of the babies.

It is such a secret place, the land of tears. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

it's just getting interesting!

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

Have not taken part there has been a family crisis

Lou

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

best wishes

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

Its being sorted out, thanks Jess,

Ilou

Stand tall, be proud to be who you are, give the world the finger!!!!

I wish we all had degrees in phonetics, it would make all this easier. But lets look at a few generalities.

Hard consonants like t and k lend themselves to fast pacing, incisive content, terse emotions.
short consonants s and h the opposite.

Vowels can be long and short, this does not necessarily reflet hoow long they take to pronounce.
bit bart, kit cart, hot naught.

Try it out, experiment with fifferent emotionns, imagery, pacing. Write something on air or relaxation with soft consonants and long vowels.Write about being in a hurry with the opposite.

The sounds like g, j, lend themselves to stuck emotional states. Yes really!

Experiment and see what you can come up with.

As I mentioned elsewhere compare these two lines, both 4 syllables
gits get hit back
languorously

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

Assonance and Consonance,
do they have to run the full length of a piece of poetry or can they vary.
Can they be included in a few lines then rested.
Yours Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

They should be used with discretion.
A poem full of alliteration is horrible.
Similarly ass/con should only be used where they enhance the content.
The exceptiion is perhaps a comic poem where the ass/con is part of the humour.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment

I wrote this a few days ago and didn't put it near to your workshop but if you say as answer to my question I will put it here for a viewing :-

Ass O'nance and Cons O'nance

Submitted by Ian.T on Wed, 2012-03-21 08:16

Ass O’ Nance, was weird, a little strange
One of the best from the west bank
Yet was completely absurd

Cons O’ Nance his younger brother
Didn’t conform or perform to anything norm
A parliamentarian he spoke the word

To change the world that we know
But as two brothers both did go
To war over a sticky thing called oil

They are now both immortal
As they gave their everything
What a waste I hear you cry

Yet we support this cause
Where our young men die.

Yours, Passerine .

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

then you can post it as a workshop poem, remember to tick "Assonance and workshop Workshop" near the bottom of the poet submission page.

The poem has no relevance to this page.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

author comment
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