Język Polski, 1920, nr 3 (maj/czerwiec)

A fascinating glimpse into the shifting mechanics of Polish poetry, this scholarly essay traces how the traditional rhyme pattern—based on matching the final stressed vowel—has been quietly transformed over the past two centuries. Starting from the sixteenth‑century conventions, the author shows how phonetic changes and regional pronunciation have opened the door to unconventional pairings, such as “wróci—porzuci” and “piechotą—złoto,” that once would have seemed impossible.

Drawing on vivid excerpts from contemporary poets like Gella, Iwaszkiewicz, and Tuwim, the piece illustrates the new “free‑consonant” principle, where the ending consonant no longer dictates the rhyme. Readers also encounter occasional experiments with vowel‑only matches, revealing a playful yet rigorous re‑evaluation of poetic sound. The essay invites anyone curious about language evolution to hear the rhythm of a living tradition being reshaped from within.