Using two-syllable words?

Question

Is it ever okay to use two-syllable words as unstressed in a rhyme or poem?e.g. In this sentence using "pigeon" as two unstressed syllables:>The śmall pigeon rán to the édge of the fórest I assume that as this is going against the natural emphasis of the word, it is incorrect... however I have seen it done before in top quality rhymes. Can anyone tell me what the rules are?Thank you!

Answer 1

Poetry doesn't always strictly follow the rhythm pattern in which it is written. If you are looking for a hard, fast rule, you won't find it. My advice would be to follow the rhythm pattern as closely as you can, but don't worry if there is an occasional word that doesn't strictly follow it. Of course, if you are writing for a class, then you would want to check on what the teacher's requirements are and how strictly he/she wants you to follow the pattern.