A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song. It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme; lines designated with the same letter all rhyme with each other. Rhyme schemes can change line by line, stanza by stanza, or repeat throughout an entire poem. There are many different types of rhyme schemes that poets use in their work, including internal rhymes, slant rhymes, eye rhymes, identical rhymes, and more. Some of the most common rhyme schemes include:
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ABAB: This is a common rhyme scheme that demonstrates alternate rhymes. This means that the first line rhymes with the third line, while the second line rhymes with the fourth line.
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AABB: This rhyme scheme has consecutive rhyming lines. This means that the first line rhymes with the second line, while the third line rhymes with the fourth line.
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ABCB: This rhyme scheme has a pattern of rhyming words at the end of the second and fourth lines of each stanza, while the first and third lines do not rhyme with each other.
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AAA: This rhyme scheme has consecutive rhyming lines.
Rhyme schemes are described using letters of the alphabet, such that all the lines in a poem that rhyme with each other are assigned a letter, beginning with "A". Poets wanting to write certain forms of poems, such as sonnets or villanelles, have to match the rhyme scheme they use to the rhyme scheme defined by the type of poem in question. Rhyme schemes are not mandatory in poetry, and free verse is a type of poem that does not have a specific rhyme scheme, number of lines, or stanzas.
