Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.
[a] [a] [b] [b]
In the fi rst poem you will read in this section, ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, the rhyming scheme has been identifi ed for the fi rst two stanzas.
to do a dramatic reading of a poem
What I will learn:
to listen for rhythm and rhyme in poetry
rhyming schemes
A rhyming scheme is the pattern of rhyme between lines of a poem or song. People usually use letters to show which lines rhyme with which other lines. For example, in a poem that has
the rhyming scheme aabb, the fi rst and second lines rhyme with each other and the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other.
Poet Profi le
Name: Roald Dahl (1916–1990) Nationality: British (born in Wales)
Fact: Roald Dahl’s parents were Norwegian. He wrote poems, novels and short stories for adults and children, many of which were made into fi lms, including The Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda.
This poem – a unique and humorous take on the tale of Little Red Riding Hood from Roald Dahl’s collection, Revolting Rhymes – is a narrative
poem, which means that it tells a story. It relies heavily on rhythm and rhyme. Remember that rhythm and rhyme contribute to the musicality of a poem.
