Is this the right rhyme scheme?

Question

I had to answer questions about I heard a fly buzz before I died.
Would this be the rhyme scheme?
A
B
C
D

A
E
F
B

G
F
H
A

H
F
I
F

If not, could someone help me with this? Thanx!

Answer 1

There are variant versions of this poem, some using true rhyme and some using slant rhyme. It's best if you post the version you're looking at. The two comments above are looking at different versions of the poem. However, Classmate is correct in pointing out that it's some variation on xaxa.

Answer 2

I heard a Fly buzz – when I died –

The Stillness in the Room

Was like the Stillness in the Air –

Between the Heaves of Storm –



The Eyes around – had wrung them dry –

And Breaths were gathering firm

For that last Onset – when the King

Be witnessed – in the Room –



I willed my Keepsakes – Signed away

What portions of me be

Assignable – and then it was

There interposed a Fly –



With Blue – uncertain stumbling Buzz –

Between the light – and me –

And then the Windows failed – and then

I could not see to see –



Emily Dickinson



That's the poem. Working out Dickinson's rhyme scheme can be a little bit tricky.



In this poem, as in many others, Dickinson uses a rhyme scheme called "intermittent rhyme" or "ballad rhyme." In each stanza, lines 2 and 4 rhyme with each other, while lines 1 and 3 don't rhyme. One conventional way to represent this rhyme scheme is to use "x" for the non-rhyming lines. So the rhyme scheme for a single stanza of ballad rhyme is xaxa.



Normally, the rhyme scheme for four stanzas of ballad rhyme would be xaxa xbxb xcxc xdxd. But in this poem, the rhymes are the same in stanzas 1 and 2, and again in stanzas 3 and 4. (In the first two stanzas, "Room," "storm," and "firm" are slant rhymes. That is, they don't rhyme perfectly, but they sound similar enough to be used as rhymes. Dickinson used a lot of slant rhyming. In the last two stanzas, "be," "me," and "see" are perfect rhymes, while "Fly" is a slant rhyme.)



So the rhyme scheme for this poem is xaxa xaxa xbxb xbxb.

Answer 3

I heard a fly buzz when I died; A

The stillness round my form B

Was like the stillness in the air C

Between the heaves of storm. B



The eyes beside had wrung them dry, D

And breaths were gathering sure E

For that last onset, when the king F

Be witnessed in his power. G



I willed my keepsakes, signed away H

What portion of me I D

Could make assignable,-and then I

There interposed a fly, D



With blue, uncertain, stumbling buzz, J

Between the light and me; K

And then the windows failed, and then I

I could not see to see. K