What is the rhyme scheme for "If" by Rudyard Kipling?

1 Answer
Alan P.
Jul 15, 2016

Rhyme scheme: a-b-a-b-c-d-c-d

Explanation:

The first verse might be confusing since the first four lines all rhyme,
but examining the second verse (for example)

If you can dream—and not make dreams your color(red)("master");
color(white)("XX")If you can think—and not make thoughts your color(blue)("aim");
If you can meet with Triumph and color(red)(" Disaster")
color(white)("XX")And treat those two impostors just the color(blue)("same");

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve color(green)("spoken")
color(white)("XX")Twisted by knaves to make a trap for color(brown)("fools"),
Or watch the things you gave your life to, color(green)("broken"),
color(white)("XX")And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out color(brown)("tools"):

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