INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The alternating rhyme scheme may be the most common way to organize a poem. To use it, place your rhyming pairs at the end of every other line. For example, your rhyming words would follow the pattern ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, etc. If you want to incorporate a little more complexity into an alternating rhyme scheme, then try structuring your poem in ballade form. This features 2 sets of 4 alternating rhymes divided by 1 extra line that rhymes with the second line. Then, a third set of 4 alternating rhymes that features the same rhymes as the second set follows. For example, this rhyme scheme would look like ABABBCBC and then BCBC. Monorhyme is when you use the same rhyming sound throughout your entire poem. This can be tricky if there are not a lot of words or syllables that rhyme with your first word, so choose carefully. For example, the last word in each line in your poem would rhyme with the first one you used, so the rhyme scheme would look like AAAAA. A couplet is simply 2 lines that end with the same rhyme. You can write your entire poem in couplets, or just include a few for variety. A poem written in a couplet rhyme scheme would look like AA BB CC DD etc. You can also do a variation of the couplet by writing triplets, such as AAA BBB CCC etc. If you want to try something that will help to signal the beginning and then end of your stanzas, then open and close each one with the same rhyme. You can include a couplet or other rhyme scheme in the middle of the stanza, or not include any other rhymes except for at the beginning and end of the poem. For example, you could organize your rhyme scheme as ABBA CDDC EFFE, or try something like ABCA DEFD GHIG. Limericks are 5 line poems that tell a short silly story, so this is a great option if you want to write a funny rhyming poem. The Limerick structure includes 2 couplets followed by 1 line that ends on the same rhyme as the first couplet. For example, you could structure your poem as AABBA. You can also place rhyming words within the same line for a quicker succession of rhymes. This is known as an internal rhyme scheme. Choose 2 words that rhyme or that have a rhyming syllable at the end and place them both in the same line in your poem. For example, you might include a rhyme that reads, "Stealthily I stalk along the walk," or "Beauty is my solemn duty."

SUMMARY: Opt for an alternating rhyme scheme for a simple pattern. Try out a ballade structure for something more complex. Rhyme all of the words in the poem with each other for a monorhyme. Write couplets for a simple way to organize your rhymes. Start and end each stanza with the same rhyme for an enclosed rhyme. Go with a Limerick structure for a funny poem. Include 2 or more rhyming words in the same line.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: . Communicate with others in a way that lets them know your wants and needs while still respecting theirs. When being assertive, use "I" statements; facts rather than judgments; take ownership of your thoughts and feelings; and make clear, direct requests rather than phrasing them as questions to which people can respond "no."An example might be to say, "I have noticed that you often leave your dishes in the sink rather than putting them into the dishwasher. When I come home from work/school I get anxious when see them there, and I feel the need to clean the kitchen up before I can start making my own dinner. Let's come up with a timeframe for doing dishes that we can both live with." If assertive communication is new behaviour for you, be prepared for people who know you to be confused by the change. It may be helpful to explain to them that you are trying to change the way that you communicate. Part of being assertive means setting clear boundaries. The purpose of setting these is to protect yourself and also to give others a clear idea of what you are and are not willing to put up with. An example of setting a boundary might be, with an alcoholic relative, to tell them that you enjoy their company, but you do not like the way that they behave when they are drunk; as a result, if they call you or come over when they are drunk, you will hang up on them or not let them into your house. . Exuding confidence is largely about body language. When communicating with someone, some key things that you can do to appear confident include maintaining good posture, making eye contact, and being calm and positive. When standing, good posture means keeping your shoulders straight, back and relaxed, your abdomen pulled in, your feet hip distance apart, your weight balanced evenly on both feet, and your hands hanging naturally at your sides. In addition, you'll have a gentle bend to your knees (don't lock them), and your head will be balanced on your neck, not tilted forward, back, or to the side. Assertive body language includes facing the person to whom you are speaking; standing or sitting tall; avoiding dismissive gestures such as rolling your eyes or waving your hand as if to wave their response away; staying serious but pleasant; and maintaining a calm and non abrasive tone of voice. Mirroring the other person can help them feel more comfortable and may create a better environment for communication. To empathize with someone is to understand and share their feelings; to sympathize with them is to feel pity and sorrow for them. Expressing or eliciting sympathetic responses only reinforces victimized thinking. When you seek or give sympathy, you are seeking/giving pity. You might find that when expressing your problems, you encourage people to feel sorry for you by emphasizing how powerless you are in the situation. You might find that they offer solutions and/or even try to rescue you. The desire to rescue someone usually comes from a good place, but it also tells the person you seek to rescue that you don't believe they can help themselves. A sympathetic response to a complaint might be, "I feel so sorry for you. Have you tried XYZ?" When you seek or give empathy, you are seeking/giving support. Someone who offers empathy offers understanding without pity. A person who empathizes with you shares in your emotions but believes that you can help yourself. An example of an empathetic response to a complaint might be, "I can imagine how difficult this must be for you. What do you need right now?" When we act helpless and seek sympathy, we place ourselves in the position of victim and we ask others to be our rescuers. This is unfair both to ourselves and our would-be rescuers. An empathetic approach emphasizes mutual respect and the belief that we care about each other but know that we are capable of taking care of ourselves. If you're feeling angry, stressed out, anxious, or otherwise upset in some way, take a moment to calm yourself through breathing. Breathe in deeply through your nose, thinking of your breath as inflating your stomach, rather than your chest.

SUMMARY:
Be assertive Set clear boundaries. Exude confidence Know the difference between empathy and sympathy, and avoid sympathy. Breathe.