Question

Identify the rhyme scheme of the following verses:
a) Better to see your cheek grown hollow,
b) Better to see your temple worn,
c) Than to forget to follow, follow,
d) After the sound of a silver horn.

a) Better to bind your brow with willow
b) And follow, follow until you die,
c) Than to sleep with your head on a golden pillow,
d) Nor lift it up when the hunt goes by.
a. abab cdcd
b. abba cddc
c. abcd abcd
d. adda cdcd

Answer 1

Hint: Reading the given poem will help you to identify exactly which word rhymes with which another. This will also help you to note down each letter of the rhyme scheme.

Complete answer:
The rhyme scheme is a rhyme pattern that is used in poetry, It is used to give metre to the poetry and make it more pleasant to read. It is mostly used in structured poems where there are clear stanzas. Free verse poetry usually does not use a rhyme scheme, although there are exceptions.
The given poem is a structured poem. The poem is extremely wordy and it contains a lot of confusing phrases/metaphors. However, we are not concerned with the content. The only thing that matters for a rhyme scheme is the word that comes last in every sentence.
After studying each line, we can infer that in the first stanza, the words in the first and third line rhyme, and the words in the second and fourth line rhyme. The rhyming pairs are ‘hollow-follow’ and ‘worn-horn’.
In the second stanza, the words in the first and third line rhyme, and the words in the second and fourth line rhyme. The rhyming pairs are ‘willow-pillow’ and ‘die-by’.

Now, we know what we are looking for. Let’s go through the given options-
a. abab cdcd - This rhyme scheme perfectly denotes the rhyming words in the given poem. This is exactly how the words in the poem rhyme with each other. This is the required answer. So, this is the correct option.
b. abba cddc - This rhyme scheme does not denote the rhyming words in the poem. This is not how the words in the poem rhyme with each other. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
c. abcd abcd - This rhyme scheme does not denote the rhyming words in the poem. This is not how the words in the poem rhyme with each other. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.
d. adda cdcd - This rhyme scheme does not denote the rhyming words in the poem. This is not how the words in the poem rhyme with each other. This is not the required answer. So, this is an incorrect option.

Note:
The given poem is written in a way that is heavy, i.e. it has a lot of words. Do not get confused by the words preceding the end word of a sentence. The last word is all that matters. Then, pick the correct option accordingly.