Yes, irrational hatred of anything as harmless--nay, pleasant--as well-done rhyme must be a psychological defense of some kind. Why kick the dog if the dog is just doing what dogs do?
But even aside from writing verse, it's worthwhile too to become a skillful reader of poetry--not necessarily a critic, not a professor of poetry, just an artful, adventurous reader. And I don't see how that's possible without being able to appreciate rhyme as one of poetry's pleasures.
Yet even just plain ol' readers of verse give the old dog a kick these days, when all he wants is to bark in peace.
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