Reasons for creating the"rhymes"

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When a reporter asked Edmund Hillary, the first man to conquer Mount Everest, why he did it, he answered "Because it's there and I could". That's pretty much why I write poems. At Sea Cadets, an occasional after-school activity, I learned from a poem how to steer a ship safely at night after it LEFT PORT (and to tell port from starboard):

When both lights you see ahead, starboard turn and show your red

If to your starboard red appear, it is your duty to keep clear

To act as judgment says is proper, starboard, port, back or stop her

But if upon your port is seen, a vessel's starboard light of green

There's not much for you to do, as green to port keeps clear of you

Both in safety and in doubt always keep a good watch out

In danger with no room to turn, ease her, stop then full astern.     

Author unknown.

I've never navigated a ship at night but it was fun to learn. Later, I discovered in chemistry the first period of the Table of Elements after hydrogen had a rhythm like Frère Jacque when pronounced like Helly Bebknoff: He Li Be B C N O F. These are both examples of mnemonics, or memory aids. If you want to learn more science in an enjoyable way, check out my blogspot called "Science Mnemonic Rhymes" Its web address is http://beechsciencerhymery.blogspot.com.