FAWM: "Don’t! Rhyme! At! Me!"

Don’t! Rhyme! At! Me!

Skirmish: That doesn't rhyme (@200ghosts)

Liner Notes

FAWM 2026 / Song 19 Instrument: plastic soprano ukulele tuned high GCEA

2/18 Adding chords/melody and a demo to a skirmish lyric

I tried to do something literal and figurative at the same time with the “That Doesn’t Rhyme” prompt. So it does rhyme, in places, but this couple doesn’t — and rhyme won’t save them.

#ukulele #uke #girlwithukulele #personwithukulele #antivalentine #singersongwriter #acoustic #acousticonetake #onetake

Lyrics

Guess you don’t hear “no” well We’re like snow in hell, too hot And cold. Then it got worse Kept telling you to hold the verse It’s old, it doesn’t flow

Don’t! Rhyme! At! Me! I’m not your Valentine No po!e!try! Not this time, no way, bay beeeee

It’s just ticks on clocks, now, All my brittle thoughts surround Your plans like contraband, They slam and mock and reprimand Those pretty little plots

Don’t! Rhyme! At! Me! I’m not your Valentine No po!e!try! Not this time, no way, bay beeeee

BRIDGE Somebody was taking notes Yet he wasn’t listening Our ship’s afloat but listing and I never did like boats No one can save a sinking ship By writing rafts of lines ‘bout it

Cute just doesn’t cut it You’re no sonnet rocking up It’s not your neighborhood You should hit bricks, it’s more than good To separate our socks

Don’t! Rhyme! At! Me! I’m not your Valentine No po!e!try! Not this time, no way, bay beeeee

Comments

@savvyaz 6h

Yes!!! This turned out great! I love your melody and singing.

@musicsongwriter 8h

Beautiful new demo. Gorgeous, happy vocals and playing. I love your musical interpretation of your lyrics. Sounds humorous, light and light-hearted.

@newukenewyork 8h

Thanks so much for encouraging me with your comments on the lyric for "Don't! Rhyme! At! Me!" -- there is now a melody and demo. :) @200ghosts @savvyaz @jongoldie @frey @matthewsanford @musicsongwriter @debs @ductapeguy

@200ghosts 3d

Ahhh, I love it! The attitude is so spicy; I love an angry song. The bridge is fantastic. Great work!

@newukenewyork 2d

Thanks very much for reading these lyrics. I appreciate your comment.

@savvyaz 3d

Delicious, forbidden internal rhyming galore in here. I can’t wait to hear more.

@newukenewyork 2d

Thanks very much for taking a read!

@jongoldie 3d

Very compelling read. Especially liked "No one can save a sinking ship By writing rafts of lines ‘bout it". Would make a cool song. But stands as a cool piece of writing on it's own. Cheers

@newukenewyork 2d

Thank you so much for reading these oddball (for me, at least) lyrics. I hope they do become a cool song!!

@matthewsanford 3d

I dig it, middle of the line rhyming with another in the middle, near rhyming in listening and listing, and many more! Well crafted!

@newukenewyork 2d

Thanks very much for wading through the strange structure! I appreciate it!

@frey 3d

Yesss I love an F-Valentines Day song. The little alliterations scattered in are just perf

@newukenewyork 3d

Thanks for reading my curious draft! I’m encouraged to finish it.

@musicsongwriter 3d

Very clever writing ✍️ with rhymes and not rhymes. I hope to hear it.

@newukenewyork 3d

Thank you very much! 🙂

@debs 4d

I love this! So many great lines. That socks line really struck me - are the couple separating their own socks from a pile of socks or is each person taking their own pairs of socks and separating the pair by putting one in one drawer and one in the other drawer. I must know!

@newukenewyork 3d

Hi! Thanks so much for the listen and the question! I’m tickled that you asked about that. Though this song is not autobiographical, I borrowed a detail from my real life — my husband and I keep all our socks together in one drawer, and if we were to split up we’d need to separate them to go our different ways. ;)