[Jerome Betts]

Interesting point, Roger. Hadn't realised that. I wonder when the close pronunciation became non-standard here? I would suspect from around the mid-19th century, but further research needed.

[Melissa Balmain]

FWIW, I grew up in Brooklyn (parents from NY and MD) and my family pronounces the th...

[Jayne Osborn]

Originally Posted by Melissa Balmain

Hi everyone,

I can see, from a number of your questions, that I should have been a bit clearer about what we're looking for... Per Jayne's excellent suggestion, I have edited my original post, including a bunch of examples that I hope will help.

Melissa

Thanks very much, Melissa. I feel a bit less of a chump now!

Jayne

[Roger Slater]

Originally Posted by Brian Allgar

As far as I know, the only rhyme that includes the "th" sound is "loathes".

How about betroths?

[Jerome Betts]

Brian, seems that both voiced and unvoiced pronunciations of 'oaths' are current, so would rhyme with BE 'clothes' and 'loathes'.

[Brian Allgar]

Melissa, the Light standard submission page specifies a maximum of five entries. It also says: "We try to respond to submissions within 10 weeks, though it may sometimes take a bit longer, especially for snail-mail submissions. Please let us respond to your submission before you send additional poems."

I'm currently up to twelve pieces, several of which are merely couplets. Should I stick to the submission guidelines, or is there a way that I can submit the whole batch?

With best wishes,
Brian

[Roger Slater]

Originally Posted by Brian Allgar

Melissa, the Light standard submission page specifies a maximum of five entries. It also says: "We try to respond to submissions within 10 weeks, though it may sometimes take a bit longer, especially for snail-mail submissions. Please let us respond to your submission before you send additional poems."

I'm currently up to twelve pieces, several of which are merely couplets. Should I stick to the submission guidelines, or is there a way that I can submit the whole batch?

With best wishes,
Brian

I hadn't seen that. I've also written about a dozen so far, all of which are quatrains.

[Melissa Balmain]

Thanks, Brian and Roger. I wasn't counting on such prolificity! I will now write and post another clarification of my original post.

[Tony Barnstone]

Ah, too bad it's limited to six lines--none of my sonnets will do.

My faves among them, rhyming "the problem with the cops is" with "stereopsis," and rhyming "Oh, no" with "wood kimono" (30's gangster slang for a coffin).

Should be a fun issue.

'njoy, Tony

[Brian Allgar]

Originally Posted by Roger Slater

Not everyone is British, and if you look at American dictionaries you will see that the first pronunciation that's given is ˈklōz , with only the alternative pronunciation voicing the th in the way you prefer.

American dictionaries? In the interests of transatlantic goodwill, no comment.