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When I heard the learn’d astronomer,When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
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Rhyme scheme meaning
The rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes followed by the words at the end of each line in a poem or song. This pattern is usually consistent throughout all the stanzas of a poem, although a poem can change its rhyme scheme while moving from stanza to stanza, or sometimes, even line to line.
Rhyme schemes follow different formats. The format of a rhyme scheme is usually indicated by assigning an alphabetical letter to the lines that end with words that rhyme with each other.
For example, if the rhyme scheme of a poem is ABAB, this means that the first line of the stanza ends with a word that rhymes with the last word of the third line (as indicated by the letter 'A' assigned to both of them).
The same can be said for the second and fourth lines, which both end with rhyming words (as indicated by the letter 'B' assigned to both of them).
Every time a new rhyme appears in a poem, the next letter of the alphabet is assigned to mark the rhyme. So if the first verse of the poem had the rhyme scheme ABAB, and the second verse introduces a new rhyme, that would be marked by the letter C.
Let us look at the rhyme scheme of the popular nursery rhyme 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' (1806) by Jane Taylor:
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, (A)
How I wonder what you are. (A)
Up above the world so high, (B)
Like a diamond in the sky. (B)
In this song, the rhyme scheme is AABB because the word 'star' rhymes with the word 'are', hence they have both been assigned the letter 'A'. Meanwhile, the words 'high' and 'sky' are also rhyming, which is why they have both been assigned the letter 'B'.
The rhyme scheme of a poem has several purposes, apart from just making the poem sound pleasant and structured. It can be used to depict shifting moods in a poem.
For instance, a poem about pain and sadness can be loosely structured compared to a poem that is happy and upbeat. Rhyme schemes also draw the reader's attention to the particular words that are being rhymed and the meanings associated with them.
In more traditional poetry, poets would tend to adhere to a strict rhyme scheme. This is because poems at the time were often read out aloud and even performed in theatres. A rhyme scheme would not only sound more pleasing to a listening audience, but it would also give the performers a beat and rhythm to follow.
However, modern poets tend to follow a more 'free' approach when it comes to writing poetry and avoid the constraints of a rhyme scheme. Many poems today follow a free verse style, which is poems with no rhyming structure.
An example of a free verse poem is 'When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer' (1867) by contemporary poet Walt Whitman.
Types of rhyme scheme
Not all poems follow the exact same rhyme scheme. There are many diverse types of rhyme schemes that can be used by mixing around the pattern of rhymes in a poem. Here are some of the most common types of rhyme schemes.
| Types of poetic forms | Example of a typical rhyme scheme |
| Alternating rhyme | ABAB |
| Ballad | ABAB or ABCB |
| Coupled rhyme | AA, BB, CC, etc. |
| Monorhyme | AAAA |
| Enclosed rhyme | ABBA |
| Triplet | AAA |
| Terza rima | ABA BCB CDC, etc. |
| Limerick | AABBA |
| Villanelle | ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA (full) |
Alternating rhyme
This is commonly used in four-line stanzas where the rhyme scheme is ABAB. Hence, every alternating line ends with a rhyming word - the last words of the first and third lines rhyme and the last words of the second and fourth lines rhyme.
'The Brook' (1886) by Alfred Lord Tennyson is an example of a poem that has an alternate rhyme.
I come from haunts of coot and hern, (A)
I make a sudden sally (B)
And sparkle out among the fern, (A)
To bicker down a valley. (B)
By thirty hills I hurry down, (C)
Or slip between the ridges, (D)
By twenty thorpes, a little town, (C)
And half a hundred bridges. (D)
Notice how the rhyme scheme follows an alternating pattern (ABAB, CDCD)?
Ballad
A ballad is a narrative poem that follows the rhyme scheme ABAB or ABCB. However, the rhyme scheme can often vary.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' (1798) is one of the most classic examples of a ballad. Here are two stanzas drawn from the entire poem. Note that Coleridge varies his rhyme scheme by differing the lengths of the stanzas, and also makes use of internal rhyme.
The Sun came up upon the left, (A)Out of the sea came he! (B)And he shone bright, and on the right (C)Went down into the sea. (B)Higher and higher every day, (D)Till over the mast at noon—' (E)The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, (F)For he heard the loud bassoon. (E)
Coupled rhyme
A coupled rhyme (or couplets) is a rhyme scheme that occurs in pairs - two lines in a verse consecutively end with rhyming words. The rhyme scheme looks something like this: AA, BB, or CC.
William Shakespeare was extremely prolific in using rhyming couplets, especially in his sonnets. Here is a famous example from Romeo and Juliet (1597)
This precious book of love, this unbound lover, (A)
Here is another example taken from Hamlet (1901)
The time is out of joint, O cursed spite (A)
That ever I was born to set it right! (A)
Sonnet: A traditional poem of 14 lines having a strict formal rhyme scheme.
Monorhyme
A monorhyme is when all the lines in a stanza or even the entire poem end with the same rhyme. The rhyme scheme looks something like this: AAAA.
'Silent, Silent Night' (1863) by William Blake is a monorhyme where each stanza of the poem has lines that end with the same rhyme.
Silent Silent Night (A)Quench the holy light (A)Of thy torches bright (A)
For possessd of Day (B)Thousand spirits stray (B)That sweet joys betray (B)
For possessd of Day (B)Thousand spirits stray (B)That sweet joys betray (B)
Enclosed rhyme
This is a sandwiched rhyme, where the first line and the fourth line of the stanza end with rhyming words, thereby sandwiching or enclosing the second and third lines that also end in a rhyme.
The rhyme scheme looks something like ABBA, where the rhyme indicated by 'A' is enclosing the rhyme 'B'.
The first stanza of 'Shakespeare' (1849) by Matthew Arnold follows the enclosed rhyme scheme pattern of ABBA.
Others abide our question. Thou art free. (A)
We ask and ask—Thou smilest and art still, (B)
Out-topping knowledge. For the loftiest hill, (B)
Who to the stars uncrowns his majesty, (A)
Triplet
A triplet is a three-line stanza (or tercet) where all lines end with the same rhyme. The rhyme scheme may look like: AAA, BBB, CCC etc.
The poem 'Upon Julia's Clothes' (1648) by Robert Herrick is made up of two stanzas that are both triplets.
Whenas in silks my Julia goes, (A)Then, then (methinks) how sweetly flows (A)That liquefaction of her clothes. (A)
Next, when I cast mine eyes, and see (B)That brave vibration each way free, (B)O how that glittering taketh me! (B)
Next, when I cast mine eyes, and see (B)That brave vibration each way free, (B)O how that glittering taketh me! (B)
Terza rima
Terza rima has three-lined stanzas that follow an interlocking chain pattern where the first line of the stanza rhymes with the third line of the stanza, whereas the second line of the stanza rhymes with the first line of the subsequent stanza. The rhyme scheme should look something like this: ABA BCB CDC DED.
Here is the first part of Percy Bysshe Shelley's 'Ode to the West Wind' (1820), which cleverly makes use of the terza rima rhyme scheme.
Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red, (A)
Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou, (B)
Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed (A)
The wingèd seeds, where they lie cold and low, (B)
Each like a corpse within its grave, until (C)
Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow (B)
Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill (C)
(Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air) (D)
With living hues and odours plain and hill: (C)
The rhyme scheme here is ABA BCB CDC
Limerick
A limerick is a poem with five lines that follow the rhyme scheme AABBA.
A limerick is usually a humorous poem with outrageous and comical thoughts strung together that builds up to a punchline in the last line of the poem.
'Bump' (1918) by Spike Milligan is an example of a funny limerick
Things that go 'bump' in the night (A)
Should not really give one a fright. (A)
It's the hole in each ear (B)
That lets in the fear, (B)
That, and the absence of light! (A)
Villanelle
A villanelle consists of five three-line stanzas that all follow the rhyme scheme of ABA. The sixth concluding stanza is a four-lined one with the rhyme scheme ABAA.
Additionally, the first line of the first stanza is repeated as the last line of the second and fourth stanzas, whereas the third line of the first stanza is repeated as the last line of the third and fifth stanzas.
Here are the first three stanzas of the villanelle 'Mad Girl's Love Song' (1953) by Sylvia Plath.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead; (A)
I lift my lids and all is born again. (B)
(I think I made you up inside my head.) (A)
The stars go waltzing out in blue and red, (A)
And arbitrary blackness gallops in: (B)
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead. (A)
I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed (A)
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane. (B)
(I think I made you up inside my head.) (A)
The repetitive nature of the poem shows the narrator's own obsession with her lost love and her struggle to get over this loss.
Sonnet rhyme scheme
A sonnet is a traditional 14-line poem that follows one of several strict rhyme schemes. There are three primary types of sonnets, all of which have their own rhyme scheme, structure and tone. Here we will mostly look at the rhyme scheme that each sonnet uses.
The sonnet was first created by Italian poet Giacomo da Lentini in the 13th century, which later became a popular classical poetic form in the rest of Europe. Its name was derived from the Italian word 'sonetto', which means 'little song'. Sonnets were typically used to convey expressions relating to the theme of love, especially during the Renaissance period.
Petrarchan sonnet
The traditional Petrarchan sonnet divides the standard 14-line poem into two stanzas with the rhyme scheme ABBA ABBA CDE CDE. The first stanza consists of eight lines (octave) and follows the rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA and is therefore split into two quatrains with the same rhyme scheme. The second stanza consists of six lines (sestet) and follows the rhyme scheme CDE CDE.
'Composed Upon Westminster Bridge' (1802) is a Petrarchan sonnet by William Wordsworth.
Shakespearean sonnet
During the Elizabethan era, the Petrarchan sonnet was adapted to create an English sonnet, now popularly known as the Shakespearean sonnet, due to William Shakespeare's popular use of that form.
The Shakespearean sonnet has the rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, as each stanza in the sonnet is used to represent a separate idea.
Spenserian sonnet
The Spenserian Sonnet is a variation of the Shakespearean sonnet with a more challenging rhyme scheme of ABAB BCBC CDCD EE. Hence, the second rhyme in one stanza is usually carried on to be the first rhyme in the subsequent stanza.
'Amoretti LXXV' (1595) is a Spenserian Sonnet by Edmund Spenser, the Italian poet who developed the form in the 16th century.
Rhyme scheme examples
Now let us look at a few examples of popular poems and try to work out their rhyme schemes.
'Acquainted With the Night' (1928)
Try to make a note of the rhyme scheme of the following poem by Robert Frost.
I have been one acquainted with the night.
The rhyme scheme here is ABA BCB CDC DAD AA.
Here, the first line of the stanza rhymes with the third line of the stanza, whereas the second line of the stanza rhymes with the first line of the subsequent stanza. This interlocking chain-like pattern to the rhyme scheme suggests that it is a terza rima.
'Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?' (1609)
This is a famous sonnet poem written by William Shakespeare.
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st,
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st,
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Knowing that this poem was written by William Shakespeare should hint you to the famous poetic form associated (and even named) after him!
The rhyme scheme of this poem is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
Also, note that the poem has only 14 lines. That is because this poem is 'Sonnet 18', one of the most popular sonnets written by William Shakespeare in the 16th century. The structure and rhyme scheme of this poem strictly adheres to that of a typical Shakespearean sonnet.
Rhyme Scheme - Key takeaways
- The rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes followed by the words at the end of each line in a poem or song.
- The format of a rhyme scheme is usually indicated by assigning an alphabetical letter to the lines that end with words that rhyme with each other. An example would be ABAB, ABBA, CDCD etc.
- The rhyme scheme of a poem gives the poem structure and lyrical quality, as well as depicts the shifting moods and tones in the poem.
- The different types of rhyme schemes are:
- Alternative rhyme
- Ballad
- Coupled rhyme
- Monorhyme
- Enclosed rhyme
- Triplet
- Terza rima
- Limerick
- Villanelle
There are three primary types of sonnets, all of which have their own rhyme schemes.
Petrarchan sonnet: ABBA ABBA CDE CDE
Shakespearean sonnet: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Spensarian sonnet: ABAB BCBC CDCD EE
References
- Fig. 1 - Public Domain: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sonnets1609titlepage.jpg
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Frequently Asked Questions about Rhyme Scheme
What is rhyme scheme?
The rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes followed by the words at the end of each line in a poem or song.
What is rhyme scheme example?
This is a stanza from the famous poem 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
"It is an ancient Mariner, (A)
And he stoppeth one of three. (B)
'By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, (C)
Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?" (B)
The rhyme scheme here is ABCB.
What is the rhyme scheme of a Petrarchan sonnet?
The rhyme scheme of a Petrarchan sonnet is ABBA ABBA CDE CDE.
How to find the rhyming scheme of a poem?
To find the rhyme scheme of a poem, focus on the sounds at the end of every line in the poem. If the last word of a poem rhymes with the last word in any other line of the poem, assign this line with a letter of the alphabet (say, for instance, the letter 'A'). Now follow the same steps for the rest of the poem. Every time a new rhyme appears in a poem, the next letter of the alphabet is assigned to mark the rhyme (so the next rhyme, in this case, would be 'B', followed by the letter 'C').
What is the rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean sonnet?
The Shakespearean sonnet has the rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
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