Page 9 - Lesson Notes

Example #5: A Poison Tree (By William Blake)

I was angry with my friend: A
I told my wrath, my wrath did end. A
I was angry with my foe: B
I told it not, my wrath did grow. B
And I watered it in fears C
Night and morning with my tears; C
And I sunned it with smiles, D
And with soft deceitful wiles. D

This extract from William Blake’s poem has an excellent rhyme scheme as AA, BB, CC, and
DD.

Example #6: The One (By Crystal R. Adame)

The one who brought me down to earth, A
And held me every day. B
The one who gracefully gave me birth, A
And said, I love you in every way. B

The one who taught me everything, C
Like how to crawl and walk. D
The one who taught me how to sing C
After learning how to talk. D

Here, poet Crystal R. Adame makes dexterous use of rhyme scheme. The scheme runs like
this: ABAB and CDCD.