Alliteration, Assonance, and Consonance

Just like poems, music lyrics can contain more than one poetic element. Tupac Shakur's Dear Mama contains examples of alliteration, assonance, and consonance. Alliteration is the repetition of the initial letter or sound in two or more words in a line of verse. Assonance is the resemblances of sounds (specifically vowels) that are used with different consonants in the stressed syllables of rhyming words. Consonance is the use of the repetition of consonants and consonant patterns as a rhyming device. Sometimes the definitions can be confusing and not very helpful so lets put them to use! Accompanied is the video and lyrics to Dear Mama. Some examples of alliteration are in red, assonance in blue, and consonance in green. Not all are highlighted so see if you can find some!!!

Dear Mama

You are appreciated

When I was young me and my mama had beef

Seventeen years old kicked me out on the streets

Though back at the time, I never thought I'd see her face

Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place

Suspended from school, and scared to go home, I was a fool

with the big boys, breaking all the rules

I shed tears with my baby sister

Over the years we was poorer than the other little kids

And even though we had different daddy's, the same drama

When things went wrong we'd blame mama

I reminisce on the stress I caused, it was hell

Hugging on my mama from a jail cell

An who'd think in elementary?

Hey! I see the penitentiary, one day

And running from the police, that's right

Mama catch me, put a whooping on my back side

And even as a crack fiend, mama

I finally understand

for a woman it ain't easy trying to raise a man

You always was committed

A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did it

Lady

Don't ya know we love ya? Sweet lady

Dear mama

Place no one above ya, sweet lady

You are appreciated

Don't ya know we love ya?

The complete lyrics can be found at : http:/www.lyrics.com/dear-mama-lyrics-2pac.html

Can you find the reasons for each element? Test your knowledge!