Rhyme & Refrain

Rhyme

The occurrence of the same or similar sounds in two or more words

Rhyme Scheme

A rhyme scheme is a regular pattern of rhyme, one that is consistent

throughout the extent of the poem. Poems that rhyme without any regular pattern can be called rhyming poems, but only those poems with an unvarying pattern to their rhymes can be said to have a rhyme scheme.

Rhyme Scheme

When rhyming verses are arranged into stanzas, we can identify the rhyme scheme by assigning letters to each rhyme, beginning with a and proceeding through the alphabet.

The following short poems illustrate the labeling of a rhyme scheme.

There once was a big brown cat

That liked to eat a lot of mice.

He got all round and fat

Because they tasted so nice.

There once was a big brown cat (a)

That liked to eat a lot of mice.

He got all round and fat

Because they tasted so nice.

There once was a big brown cat (a)

That liked to eat a lot of mice. (b)

He got all round and fat

Because they tasted so nice.

There once was a big brown cat (a)

That liked to eat a lot of mice. (b)

He got all round and fat (a)

Because they tasted so nice.

There once was a big brown cat (a)

That liked to eat a lot of mice. (b)

He got all round and fat (a)

Because they tasted so nice. (b)

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Sugar is sweet,

And so are you.

Roses are red, (a)

Violets are blue,

Sugar is sweet,

And so are you.

Roses are red, (a)

Violets are blue, (b)

Sugar is sweet,

And so are you.

Roses are red, (a)

Violets are blue, (b)

Sugar is sweet,

And so are you.

Roses are red, (a)

Violets are blue, (b)

Sugar is sweet, (c)

And so are you.

Roses are red, (a)

Violets are blue, (b)

Sugar is sweet, (c)

And so are you. (b)

Identify the rhyme

scheme

in the following

poem:

Stopping by Woods

on a

Snowy Evening Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

Whose woods these are I think I know.

(a)

His house is in the village though; (a)

He will not see me stopping here (b)

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

(a)

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

My little horse must think it queer (b)

To stop without a farmhouse near (b)

Between the woods and frozen lake(c)

The darkest evening of the year. (b)

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

He gives his harness bells a shake (c)

To ask if there is some mistake.

(c)

The only other sound's the sweep (d)

Of easy wind and downy flake.

(c)

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

And miles to go before I sleep.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

(d)

But I have promises to keep, (d)

And miles to go before I sleep. (d)

And miles to go before I sleep. (d)

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know. a His house is in the village though; a He will not see me stopping here b To watch his woods fill up with snow. a

My little horse must think it queer b To stop without a farmhouse near b Between the woods and frozen lake c

The darkest evening of the year. b

He gives his harness bells a shake c To ask if there is some mistake. c

The only other sound's the sweep d Of easy wind and downy flake. c

The woods are lovely, dark and deep, d But I have promises to keep, d

And miles to go before I sleep. d And miles to go before I sleep. d

Refrain

A line or group of lines that is repeated throughout a poem, usually after every stanza.

Shadow Changes Into Bone

The air is dark, the night is sad,I lie sleepless and I groan.

Nobody cares when a man goes mad:He is sorry, God is glad.Shadow changes into bone.

Every shadow has a name;When I think of mine I moan,I hear rumors of such fame.Not for pride, but only shame,Shadow changes into bone.

When I blush I weep for joy,And laughter drops from me like a stone:

The aging laughter of the boyTo see the ageless dead so coy.

Shadow changes into bone.

The air is dark, the night is sad, (a)I lie sleepless and I groan.

(b)Nobody cares when a man goes mad: (a)He is sorry, God is glad. (a)Shadow changes into bone. (b)

Every shadow has a name; (c)When I think of mine I moan, (b)I hear rumors of such fame. (c)Not for pride, but only shame, (c)Shadow changes into bone. (b)

When I blush I weep for joy, (d)And laughter drops from me like a stone:

(b)The aging laughter of the boy (d)To see the ageless dead so coy.

(d)Shadow changes into bone. (b)

Shadow Changes Into Bone

The air is dark, the night is sad, aI lie sleepless and I groan. bNobody cares when a man goes mad: aHe is sorry, God is glad. aShadow changes into bone. b

Every shadow has a name; cWhen I think of mine I moan, b

I hear rumors of such fame. cNot for pride, but only shame, cShadow changes into bone. b

When I blush I weep for joy, dAnd laughter drops from me like a stone: b

The aging laughter of the boy dTo see the ageless dead so coy. dShadow changes into bone. b

Write a rhyme scheme/refrain poem.(Use “Shadow Changes Into Bone” as a model.)• Must be at least three stanzas

• Each stanza must be at least five lines

• Each stanza should follow a specific rhyme scheme

• The fifth line of each stanza should be a “refrain”