Jump to content
Poetry Magnum Opus

Schuttelreim


Tinker

Recommended Posts

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry
German Verse

Schuttelreim is a German poetic device synonymous with the word play technique of Spoonerisms, named for English educator W.A. Spooner 1844-1930, which is the swapping of the beginning sounds of 2 different words such as big rats/rig bats. The Shuttlereim takes spoonerism a step further and in a rhymed couplet, the initial consonant of the last 2 words of the first line are reversed in the second line. The device is most often used in light verse.

The elements of the Schuttelreim are:

  1. a single rhyming couplet.
  2. rhymed, switching the initial consonants of the last 2 words in the first line with the initial consonants of the last 2 words in the second line.
     
    Springtime's triad -- thrush, lake, dove,
    tell the sunlight their dark love.
                  --- Robin Skelton (from Shapes of our Singing)

 

German and Austrian Poetic Forms:

~~ © ~~ Poems by Judi Van Gorder ~~

For permission to use this work you can write to Tinker1111@icloud.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.