By: X. J. Kennedy
John while swimming in the ocean


John while swimming in the ocean
Rubbed sharks' backs with suntan lotion.
Now those sharks have skin of bronze
In their bellies---namely, John's


this does show assonance, yes?

the emphasis of the vowels "A" "O" and "I"?

does assonance deal mainly with the ability to rythem of flow of the piece.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

for assonance to work do the words with the emphasis of the vowel have to be right after each other such as "deep, green sea?" Or can their be other words in between such as "Rubbed sharks' backs with suntan lotion." would the rubbed and suntan be methods of assonace?

>this does show assonance, yes?

Not much, no.

"Joe, while floating in the ocean" would, though.

>do the words with the emphasis of the vowel have to be right after each other

No, nearby will suffice, or even a large number of the same sounds in the poem as a whole.

>would the rubbed and suntan be methods of assonace

Yahbut I doubt that was his main intention in a ditty of this type.