ósamrýmist

ósamrýmist is a term used in Icelandic literary criticism to describe poetry that intentionally does not use end rhymes. The word derives from ó- meaning not, samrým meaning rhyme, and the suffix -ist, forming a descriptor for a style or principle. In ósamrýmist verse, the musical effect comes from measures, alliteration, assonance, consonance, line length, and cadence rather than rhyming endings.

Official dictionaries may not list the term as a fixed category, but it is encountered in discussions of modern and contemporary Icelandic poetry and translations. It helps distinguish poems that embrace free verse or other non-rhyming structures from those that rely on end rhymes or strict rhyming schemes.

Characteristics commonly associated with ósamrýmist poetry include a tendency toward irregular or flexible line breaks, avoidance of end rhyme, and a greater emphasis on sonic textures produced by alliteration and internal rhyme. The approach may appear in both original Icelandic poetry and in translated works where the translator chooses to deprioritize rhyme for rhythmic or semantic reasons.

Context: In Icelandic literary history, traditional saga and skaldic verse used alliteration and internal rhyme more than end rhymes; ósamrýmist usage is therefore more aligned with modern experimentation, not with traditional forms. Critics may discuss ósamrýmist works as part of a broader shift toward free verse and vers libre trends.

See also: rhyme in Icelandic poetry, samrím, free verse, alliteration.