To rhyme or not to rhyme?

Rhyming is a personal choice best made in light of the piece´s needs. Some people simply detest poetry that rhymes, while others don´t recognize free verse. Most of us probably reside somewhere in the middle, respecting verse that is simply good. For myself, a poem is good if its images are evocative, its language strong, and its meaning clear. Whether or not it rhymes is rather a minor consideration. If you choose to rhyme, keep it light and use it only where you don´t have to force words into rhyme. If you have to sacrifice clean lines of verse to make it rhyme, better to stick with free verse.