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The pattern of rhymes at the ending of each line in a poem is called a rhyme scheme. Letters (A,B,C...) are usually used to express which lines rhyme. Verses that are designated with the same letter are said to rhyme with each other. It is also known as an arrangement of rhymes in a stanza or a poem.
Example:
1. For easier understanding of the concept, let us take a famous nursery rhyme, written by Jane Taylor as an example.
Twinkle twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky.
We see that the first two lines rhyme with each other (star-are); the second two lines rhyme with each other (high-sky). Let us name each line as A, B depending on the words that rhyme with each other.
| 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 |
It can thus be seen that this poem follows AABB pattern.
Rhyme scheme of the poem "Courage" -
| Courage isn’t a brilliant dash, | A |
| A daring deed in a moment’s flash; | A |
| It isn’t an instantaneous thing | B |
| Born of despair with a sudden spring | B |
| It isn’t a creature of flickered hope | A |
| Or the final tug at a slipping rope; | A |
| But it’s something deep in the soul of man | B |
| That is working always to serve some plan | B |
Important!
The overall rhyme scheme of the poem "Your Space" is \(AABB\).
Reference:
State Council of Educational Research and Training (2019). Term-1 English Standard-7. Your Space by David Bates (pp. 70-72). Published by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation.
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