Practice your poetry skills including rhyme patterns and meter by answering the questions below.
The following poems are from the book, Falling Up, by Shel Silverstein
THE BEAR, THE FIRE, AND THE SNOW
"I live in fear of the snow," said the bear.
"Whenever it's here, be sure I'll be there.
Oh, the pain and the cold,
When one's bearish and old.
I live in fear of the snow."
1. In the stanza you just read, what is the rhyme pattern?
a. aa b cc d
b. aa bb c
c. dd bb cc
2. How many syllables are in the first line?
a. 5
b. 10
c. 16
3. The words that are stressed in the last line of the poem are:
a. live, fear, snow
b. I, in of, the
4. In the following poem, which line should come next?
a. my mother is a pen
b. the bus boy was a hen
c. the waitress was a rooster
STRANGE RESTAURANT
I said, "I'll take the T-bone steak."
A soft voice mooed, "Oh, wow."
And I looked up and realized
The waitress was a cow.
I cried, "Mistake - forget the steak
I'll take the chicken then."
I heard a cluck - 'twas just my luck
5. How many stanzas are in the following poem?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 8
HAND HOLDING
Somebody said, "Let's all hold hands,"
So Lee held hands with Jean.
And Jean also held Helen's hand
While she held hands with Dean.
Dean's other hand held Sharma Joy's
While she held hands with Lee.
So tell me just how did I wind up
Holdin hands with me?
6. In the poem you just read, how many syllables are in the first line?
a. 12
b. 8
c. 6
7. In the poem, "Hand Holding", which words are stressed in the second
line?
a. Lee, Jean
b. so, hands
c. so, with
8. What is the rhyme scheme in the following poem?
ADVICE
William Tell, William Tell,
Take your arrow, grip it well,
There's the apple - aim for the middle -
Oh well...you missed by a little.
a. bc bc
b. aa bb
c. ab ab
9. How many syllables are in the the third line?
a. 10
b. 7
c. 9
10. Which words are stressed in the the second line of "Advice"?
a. take, grip
b. your, it
c. arrow, well
