Rhyme in The Fish

In the phrase “defiant edifice,” notice how the first two syllables of each word are identical, but reversed. The fragment “edif-” sounds like “defi-” pronounced backwards, syllable by syllable.

Moore’s approach to rhyme in “The Fish” is innovative. In each stanza, the first and second lines rhyme, as do the third and fourth. The fifth line is unique. In metered poetry, the end rhymes usually land on the final stress of the line, and so our ears anticipate the rhymes. In Moore’s syllabic verse, the lack of consistent meter means the rhymes are often subtle and surprising.