9 Best ABAB CDCD Poems

ABAB CDCD is a rhyme scheme made of alternating rhymes, often found in quatrains. The shifting rhyme sounds maintain interest and movement while still offering structure. This form balances predictability with variety and is common in lyrical and narrative poems, including sonnets and odes, for its flow and emotional pacing.

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If—

by Rudyard Kipling

Many people consider ‘If—’ to be one of the most inspirational poems ever written. It is certainly a poem that has garnered a great deal of attention in popular culture.

Each stanza uses an ABABCDCD pattern, introducing fresh rhymes midway to avoid monotony. This controlled yet evolving rhyming structure mirrors the poem’s central message: the importance of adaptability within discipline. The shifting rhymes to CDCD subtly separate ideas while maintaining unity throughout the poem, emphasizing the poem’s guidance on remaining composed as circumstances and emotional tones inevitably change.

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

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Night Shift

by Edward Dyson

‘Night Shift’ by Edward Dyson is a poem that examines the harsh living conditions of Australian miners in the nineteenth century.

This poem is a very good example of this kind of rhyming scheme. The poet uses this as a way to drive the story forward and give the poem a more upbeat feeling to it, despite the dreary and negative language and subject matter throughout the poem. This would have been a way to keep casual readers engaged when it was first published in a newspaper.

‘Hello! that's the whistle, be moving.

Wake up! don't lie muttering there.

What language! your style is improving -

It's pleasant to hear you at prayer.

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The Willing Mistress

by Aphra Behn

‘The Willing Mistress’ by Aphra Behn is an erotic poem wherein the speaker recounts her intimate moments with her lover in a grove.

The three octaves of the poem feature a consistent rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD consistently in each eight-line stanza. The rhyming lines create a consistent soft rhythm that complements the romantic setting and the gradually increasing intimacy between the lovers. The lines ending in 's' sounds of the rhymes in the first and second stanzas convey the softness of pulsating sensuality, while the dominance of the 'd' sound in the last stanza conveys the strengthened, consuming, and unbearable passion leading towards the climax.

Amyntas led me to a Grove,

Where all the Trees did shade us;

The Sun it self, though it had Strove,

It could not have betray’d us:

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A Christmas Childhood

by Patrick Kavanagh

‘A Christmas Childhood’ reflects on youth from an adult’s perspective, understanding the fading wonder of childhood and its revival during Christmas.

The rhyme scheme in the first section of the poem follows a clear ABAB CDCD pattern, where alternating lines rhyme. This creates a calm and steady rhythm that helps bring out the gentle mood of the speaker’s childhood memories. It is not overly strict or musical, but the pattern is clearly noticeable and adds structure. Since the poem is fairly well known and the pattern is consistent in the first part, this rhyme scheme deserves a strong rating.

My father played the melodion

Outside at our gate;

There were stars in the morning east;

And they danced to his music.

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A Psalm of Life

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

‘A Psalm of Life’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describes life’s purpose and struggles and the best way to confront them daily.

The poem follows a consistent ABAB CDCD rhyme scheme, which means the first and third lines rhyme, and the second and fourth lines rhyme in each stanza. Longfellow uses this structure all throughout the poem to keep a smooth, steady flow. This kind of pattern helps the message come across clearly while keeping the sound pleasing to read aloud. It makes the poem feel balanced and well-organized, without being too formal or stiff.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem.

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To My Sister

by William Wordsworth

‘To My Sister’ is a serene call to embrace nature’s joy with loved ones, setting aside life’s hustle for spiritual renewal.

The poem uses a clear and regular rhyme scheme that follows the ABAB CDCD pattern throughout. This alternating rhyme supports the steady pace of the poem, helping the lines flow smoothly and naturally. Although this pattern is not rare in poetry, it works well here because it matches the calm and thoughtful mood of the speaker. The structure is not groundbreaking, but it fits the tone of the poem in a soft and pleasing way.

It is the first mild day of March:

Each minute sweeter than before

The redbreast sings from the tall larch

That stands beside our door.

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Glory of Women

by Siegfried Sassoon

In ‘Glory of Women,’ Siegfried Sassoon attacks the role of women in wartime and makes them complicit in the deaths of the men they claim to “worship”.

In ‘Glory of Women,’ Sassoon uses the ABABCDCD rhyme scheme in the first eight lines, which is called the octave. This pattern gives the poem a steady rhythm and makes it sound like a traditional sonnet. In the last six lines, or the sestet, the rhyme scheme shifts a bit but still keeps a sense of order and flow. This structure helps hold the poem together, even as Sassoon’s words challenge the reader’s ideas.

You love us when we're heroes, home on leave,

Or wounded in a mentionable place.

You worship decorations; you believe

That chivalry redeems the war's disgrace.

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Dust of Snow

by Robert Frost

‘Dust of Snow’ by Robert Frost is a simple tale of how a speaker’s mood was changed by a snowfall. A love of nature is enough to elevate the speaker into a happier state of mind.

The poem follows an ABAB CDCD rhyme scheme. In the first stanza, the second and fourth lines rhyme with each other, and the first and third lines do as well. The same pattern continues in the second stanza with different rhyming sounds. This kind of rhyme makes the poem feel smooth and balanced. It also helps connect the two stanzas, even though they focus on different things—the first on the event, and the second on its effect.

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

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The Dead

by Rupert Brooke

‘The Dead’ by Rupert Brooke describes the lives and experiences of mankind and what one will experience after death in the “Unbroken glory” of God.

The poem uses two different rhyme schemes in its two stanzas. The first stanza follows ABABCDCD, which means the first and third lines rhyme, the second and fourth rhyme, and so on. The second stanza shifts to EEFGFG, with two lines rhyming back to back, then a new set that follows a different pattern. These rhyme schemes help the poem sound smooth and balanced, and they give it a calm rhythm that matches its thoughtful tone.

These hearts were woven of human joys and cares,

Washed marvellously with sorrow, swift to mirth.

The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs,

And sunset, and the colours of the earth.

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9 Best ABAB CDCD Poems

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9 Best ABAB CDCD Poems

by Rudyard Kipling

by Edward Dyson

by Aphra Behn

by Patrick Kavanagh

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

by William Wordsworth

by Siegfried Sassoon

by Robert Frost

by Rupert Brooke

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