Literary notes about rime (AI summary)
The term “rime” in literature wears many hats, acting both as a structural element and a vivid visual metaphor. Poets use "rime" to denote established patterns of sound in verse, such as the tail rime that punctuates stanzas [1] or the elaborate schemes found in rime royal [2], contributing to the overall rhythm and musicality of a poem. At the same time, "rime" evokes the delicate, shimmering beauty of frost—a glistening layer on cold mornings [3], an icy accretion on nature’s canvas [4], or even a frosty detail that brings a scene vividly to life on a wintry day [5]. This dual usage underlines the word's rich versatility: it not only structures poetic form but also enriches imagery by embodying the transient, fragile aspects of nature.
- At the end of each stanza is a rimed refrain, called by the French a "tail rime."
— from English Literature by William J. Long - These are written in the rime royal, and are marked by strong poetic feeling and expression.
— from English Literature by William J. Long - From here an icy breath, unceasingly issuing from the chill recess, ever forms a glistening rime which melts again beneath the midday sun.
— from The Argonautica by Rhodius Apollonius - The frost of night, the rime of dawn Bind flowerless trees and glades of lawn: Benumbed in apathetic chill Of icy chains they slumber still.
— from The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Valmiki - A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin.
— from A Christmas Carol in Prose; Being a Ghost Story of Christmas by Charles Dickens
