Sounds of Poetry
Edna St. Vincent Millay definitely has the ability to rime down. Her use of masculine rime in her poem “Recuerdo” gives the poem a good back and forth motion which helps it to flow very well. This helps insure the poem keeps an upbeat tone as a fond memory of a good time with a friend. She also uses initial alliteration and assonance well with phrases such as “being bare and bright”, “smelled like a stable”, “good morrow, mother”, and “ate an apple”.
Beth's Blog 
Beth,
What impact does Millay’s use of rhyme have on the poem as a whole? Does the poem seem serious, sad, or maybe something like light or playful? The same questions can be asked of her use of alliteration and assonance. This is not a poem where the rhyme and other sound elements blend into the content. They seem to stand front and center.
Response grade: X+