Poetic License: Exploring the World of Slant Rhyme

Slant rhyme, also known as half rhyme, near rhyme, or oblique rhyme, can be defined as a type of rhyme in which the stressed syllables of ending consonants match, however, the preceding vowel sounds do not match. In simple terms, it's a close but not exact rhyming sound that often occurs at the end of lines in poetry, but can also be found inside lines. It's a literary device that poets use to create a subtle feeling of echo or resonance without adhering strictly to perfect rhyme conventions.

For example, in the lines, "the slithering snake shakes its little rattle," we see consonance with the repeated 's' sound, which could create slant rhymes if used at the ends of lines. Another example by poet Richard Hugo, "ten" and "ton," along with "hands," demonstrate slant rhyme through internal consonance within the poem. Furthermore, assonance is present in phrases like "green, tease, deep" where the vowel sounds are repeated creating a rhythmic quality akin to slant rhyme.