
Poetstrain Homepage Poetry Forms Handbook: Introduction Glossary of Poetry Terms Meter Iamb Iambic Pentameter Rhyme scheme Couplet Stanza Alliteration Pun Sensory Language Imagery Simile Metaphor Types of Poetry Acrostic Ballad Blank verse Cinquain Diamante Epic poem Free Verse Haiku Limerick Ode Pantoum Quatrain Senryu Shape poetry Sonnet Tanka Villanelle Conclusion Practice: Try Out What You've Learned At The Poetry Forum!	Rhyme Scheme Rhyme scheme – The pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem. It uses letters to indicate which lines rhyme with which other lines. Each time a new sound occurs at the end of a line, a new letter is used for that line; all lines with the same letter rhyme with each other. The Unicorn by Shell Silverstein has a very simple rhyme scheme made up of couplets (pairs of rhyming lines), so the rhyme scheme goes aabbccbbddee etc. THE UNICORN A long time ago, when the Earth was green a There was more kinds of animals than you've ever seen a They'd run around free while the Earth was being born b And the loveliest of all was the unicorn b There was green alligators and long-necked geese c Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees c Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born b The loveliest of all was the unicorn b The Lord seen some sinning and it gave Him pain d And He says, "Stand back, I'm going to make it rain" d He says, "Hey Noah, I'll tell you what to do e Build me a floating zoo, e and take some of those Green alligators and long-necked geese c Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees c Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born b Don't you forget My unicorns b Old Noah was there to answer the call f He finished up making the ark just as the rain started to fall f He marched the animals two by two e (rhymes with “do” in the second stanza) And he called out as they came through e Hey Lord, I've got green alligators and long-necked geese c Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees c Some cats and rats and elephants, but Lord, I'm so forlorn b I just can't find no unicorns" b And Noah looked out through the driving rain d (rhymes with “pain” in the second stanza) Them unicorns were hiding, playing silly games d Kicking and splashing while the rain was falling g Oh, them silly unicorns b There was green alligators and long-necked geese c Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees c Noah cried, "Close the door because the rain is falling g And we just can't wait for no unicorns" b The ark started moving, it drifted with the tide h The unicorns looked up from the rocks and they cried h And the waters came down and sort of floated them away i That's why you never see unicorns to this very day i You'll see green alligators and long-necked geese c Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees c Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born b You're never gonna see no unicorns. b -- Shel Silverstein

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Poetry Forms
Handbook:

forms of poetry book

Introduction

Glossary of Poetry Terms

Meter
Iamb
Iambic Pentameter
Rhyme scheme
Couplet
Stanza
Alliteration
Pun
Sensory Language
Imagery
Simile
Metaphor

Types of Poetry

Acrostic
Ballad
Blank verse
Cinquain
Diamante
Epic poem
Free Verse
Haiku
Limerick
Ode
Pantoum
Quatrain
Senryu
Shape poetry
Sonnet
Tanka
Villanelle

Conclusion

Practice:

Try Out What
You've Learned
At The Poetry Forum!

Rhyme Scheme

Rhyme scheme – The pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem.

It uses letters to indicate which lines rhyme with which other lines.

Each time a new sound occurs at the end of a line, a new letter is used for that line; all lines with the same letter rhyme with each other.

The Unicorn by Shell Silverstein has a very simple rhyme scheme made up of couplets (pairs of rhyming lines), so the rhyme scheme goes aabbccbbddee etc.

THE UNICORN

A long time ago, when the Earth was green                             a
There was more kinds of animals than you've ever seen   a
They'd run around free while the Earth was being born    b
And the loveliest of all was the unicorn                                    b

There was green alligators and long-necked geese                      c
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees   c
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born        b
The loveliest of all was the unicorn                                b

The Lord seen some sinning and it gave Him pain          d
And He says, "Stand back, I'm going to make it rain" d
He says, "Hey Noah, I'll tell you what to do                   e
Build me a floating zoo,                                                     e
                and take some of those

Green alligators and long-necked geese                                       c
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees   c
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born     b
Don't you forget My unicorns                                                        b

Old Noah was there to answer the call                                            f
He finished up making the ark just as the rain started to fall   f
He marched the animals two by two                e (rhymes with “do” in the second stanza)
And he called out as they came through                                         e
       Hey Lord,
I've got green alligators and long-necked geese                          c
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees   c
Some cats and rats and elephants, but Lord, I'm so forlorn         b
I just can't find no unicorns"                                                          b

And Noah looked out through the driving rain d (rhymes with “pain” in the second stanza)
Them unicorns were hiding, playing silly games              d
Kicking and splashing while the rain was falling             g
Oh, them silly unicorns                                                      b

There was green alligators and long-necked geese    c
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees   c
Noah cried, "Close the door because the rain is falling               g
And we just can't wait for no unicorns"                                         b

The ark started moving, it drifted with the tide                              h
The unicorns looked up from the rocks and they cried   h
And the waters came down and sort of floated them away             i
That's why you never see unicorns to this very day                       i

You'll see green alligators and long-necked geese                       c
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees   c
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born         b
You're never gonna see no unicorns.                                             b

-- Shel Silverstein