Poppagator, the words "self" and "else" are not "almost rhymes"; they are perfect alliterations!

They alliterate NOT because they both begin with "e" but because they both begin with vowels. The letters "i", "a", "o", and "u" would do as well to alliterate with either "elf" or "else", like "elf/also", "elf/under", and so on.

Alliteration of consonants, of course, calls for the same beginning consonant sound.

I'm rather fond of North European alliterative verse, which almost never rhymes but uses an internal pattern of alliterations to build the heroic beat. I know, however, that some people intensely dislike this sort of verse. Different strokes, and all that.

Dave Oesterreich