How to Write a Couplet

Guide Note

Couplets are two-line poems that often contain the same meter and rhyme. They tend to appear within other forms of poetry, like the sonnet and the epic poem (favorite mediums for great poets such as Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare). If you'd like to learn more about the different types of couplets and how they are used in poetry, please read on.

Table of Contents

Writing Couplets Tips
  1. Choose the type of couplet you want to write.
  2. All couplets contain two lines.
  3. Open couplets:
    1. Are less strict in their meter.
    2. Have enjambed lines.
  4. Closed couplets:
    1. Have tighter meter.
    2. Have end-stopped lines.
  5. Heroic couplets:
    1. Often form part of epic and narrative poems.
    2. Are written in iambic pentameter.
    3. Usually have end-stopped lines.

Introduction

(Photo by Joakim Buchwald)
(Photo by Joakim Buchwald)
  • Whether you're writing a couplet as part of a homework assignment, or you're simply looking to expand your poetic horizons, the following guide will walk you through the writing process.

Step 1: Open Couplets

  1. It consists of of two lines.
  2. It must rhyme.
  3. It contains lines that are enjambed.
    • Enjambment is when a complete thought in poetry, such as a sentence, is carried over from one line into the next without pause.
  4. Couplets are often strung together to create long, narrative passages.
  • Below is an excerpt from Sir Edmund Spenser's "Mother Hubbard’s Tale".
    • This brief excerpt is made up of six couplets, each with their own end-rhymes.
    • Notice how Spenser used the form narratively, connecting the couplets themselves with enjambment.
  • Even as new occasion appears? (A)
  • Or shall we tie ourselves for certain years (A)
  • To any service, Or to any place? (B)
  • For it behooves ere that into the race (B)
  • We enter, to resolve first hereupon. (C)
  • Now surely brother (said the Fox anon) (C)
  • —courtesy of Poetry Magnum Opus
  • Note how line two carries its thought over to be finished in line three.
  • Line four also follows this pattern.

Step 2: Closed Couplets

(Photo by April Milam)
(Photo by April Milam)
  1. A closed couplet consists of two lines.
  2. The lines must rhyme.
  3. The lines must be end-stopped
    • End-stopping is the opposite of enjambment. The lines are complete in and of themselves, and do not extend beyond.
  • True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, (A)
  • As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance. (A)
  • 'Tis not enough no harshness gives offence, (B)
  • The sound must seem an echo to the sense. (B)
  • —courtesy of Representative Poetry Online
  • Pope's lines are complete and do not carry over mid-thought into the next line.
  • Each of those lines physically pauses on account of the punctuation.

Step 3: Heroic Couplets

  • The heroic couplet has long been used in epic and narrative poetry, which both tell a story. There are a couple of extra rules for the heroic couplet:
(Photo by Sanja Gjenero)
(Photo by Sanja Gjenero)
  1. Lines are coupled into pairs.
  2. Paired lines must rhyme.
  3. The rhymes must end on a masculine note.
  4. Each line is written in iambic pentameter.
    • Iambic pentameter is when the meter of the poem is measured out to equal ten syllables per line with the stress on every second beat: daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM.
  5. Lines are almost always "closed" or end-stopped, like the closed couplet.
  • In the following excerpt from Jack Denham's "Cooper's Hill", look at how each of Denham's end-rhyme finishes on a masculine note.
  • Count out the iambic pentameter, which has been indicated in bold capitalization.
  • Sure THERE are POets WHICH did NEver DREAM (A)
  • UpON ParNASsus, NOR did TASTE the STREAM (A)
  • Of HELiCON, we THEREfore MAY supPOSE (B)
  • Those MADE not POets, BUT the POets THOSE . (B)
  • —courtesy of Rutgers—Newark
  • You will also note that each line is a complete thought in and of itself.

Step 4: Tips and Tricks for the Couplet Writer

  • When you take a look at some of the rules for couplet writing, the process can seem a little intimidating. There are a couple of things you can do to make the writing process a little simpler and more fun.
(Photo by Fran Priestley)
(Photo by Fran Priestley)
  1. Read a lot of different types of couplets, both classical and new, to get a feel for how they are written.
  2. Decide how you're going to use your couplet. Will it be part of a longer piece or format, or stand on its own?
  3. Think about the tone you want to set before you choose your rhymes. The rhyme pattern can set the entire mood of a poem, and if you're trying to be serious, the last thing you want is a childish rhyme pattern.
  4. Don't be afraid to use a rhyming dictionary to help you find the perfect words!
  5. Read your finished product out loud a few times, and listen to how it sounds. You'll know if you've captured the right mood.
  6. If you're working on a heroic couplet, don't be afraid to count out the rhythm on your fingers, or by drumming on your desktop.

Conclusion

  • Writing couplets, even in their stricter forms, can be a lot of fun. The rhyme pattern often has a tendency to seem forced, but children's poet Shel Silverstein often used this to his advantage to make great poetry kids could relate to. The brevity, rhythm, and meter of couplets also makes them a great introduction to poetry in the classroom.
  • Whether you're entertaining or teaching children, writing an epic poem, completing your sonnet, or just having some fun with words, the couplet is a great way to exercise your poetic muscles. As always, don't forget to share your poetry. Poetry readings and writer's groups are a fantastic place to get feedback and learn.

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