Question

authors craft poetic conventions: metrics and rhyme
directions: read this short poem by emily dickinson. then, answer the questions.
the bee is not afraid of me
the bee is not afraid of me,
i know the butterfly;
the pretty people in the woods
receive me cordially.
5 the brooks laugh louder when i come,
the breezes madder play.
wherefore, mine eyes, the silver mists?
wherefore, o summers day?

1. underline the stressed words and syllables in lines 1 and 2 and in lines 7 and 8.
2. does this poem contain mainly end rhyme or internal rhyme? explain, and give examples.
3. list the rhyming words in the poem.
4. on the lines to the right of the poem, use a, b, c, d, e, and f to indicate the rhyme scheme. two hints are given at lines 3 and 5. refer to the rhyme - scheme example on page 1 of this worksheet for a reminder.

Explanation:

1. In English poetry, stressed syllables are emphasized in pronunciation. For lines 1 and 2: "The BEE is not aFRAID of me, I know the BUTterfly;". For lines 7 and 8: "Wherefore, mine EYES, the silver MISTS? Wherefore, O sumMER's day?".
2. This poem contains mainly end - rhyme. End - rhyme occurs at the end of lines. For example, "me" and "butterfly" in the first two lines, and "mists" and "day" in the last two lines.
3. Rhyming words: me - butterfly; woods - cordially; come - play; mists - day.
4. Analyzing the end - words of each line for rhyme, the rhyme scheme is: a, a, c, c, d, d, e, e.

Answer:

1. "The BEE is not aFRAID of me, I know the BUTterfly; Wherefore, mine EYES, the silver MISTS? Wherefore, O sumMER's day?" (stressed words underlined as indicated)
2. Mainly end - rhyme. Examples: "me" and "butterfly", "mists" and "day".
3. me - butterfly; woods - cordially; come - play; mists - day
4. a, a, c, c, d, d, e, e