Question

question 3 of 21
which of the following poems most clearly uses its rhyme scheme to defy the reader’s expectations?

a. from my window i spy / a singing, perching magpie.

b. to gather some wood / would be oh so good / but i’m not in the mood.

c. roses are red, / violets are blue, / weekdays are long, / and weekends are few.

d. i see around you a corona of autumn leaves, / but then i think of death!

Explanation:

• Option A follows a simple AABB rhyme scheme (spy/magpie), matching expectations.
• Option B uses an AAB rhyme scheme (wood/good/mood), which is a common, expected pattern.
• Option C uses the familiar ABAB rhyme scheme (red/long, blue/few), which readers anticipate from the classic "Roses are red" structure.
• Option D sets up a descriptive, gentle first line with no rhyme, then shifts abruptly to a dark, unrhymed second line. This breaks the expectation of a consistent or predictable rhyme scheme, defying what readers expect from a paired-line poem.

Answer:

D. I see around you a corona of autumn leaves, / but then I think of death!