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Envelope rhyme

Rhyme
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A rhyme scheme where the first and fourth lines rhyme and the second and third rhyme (ABBA)

Detailed Definition
Envelope rhyme is a quatrain rhyme scheme where the first and fourth lines rhyme and the second and third lines rhyme (ABBA), creating a “wrapped” or enclosed sonic structure; this pattern, common in Petrarchan sonnets’ octaves, fosters cohesion and introspective closure by nesting inner rhymes within outer ones.
Example
Example in poetry:
ABBA rhyme scheme: “The night was dark (A) / And full of fear (B) / But morning came (B) / And brought me clear (A)”; “She walked alone (A) / Through crowded streets (B) / With silent beats (B) / Of heart unknown (A)”; “Love fades fast (A) / Like summer rain (B) / But comes again (B) / To hold steadfast (A)”; “Walls close in (A) / On weary mind (B) / But peace I find (B) / Where hope begins (A)”
Additional Notes
Envelope rhyme (ABBA) encloses two lines within a rhyming pair—common in Petrarchan sonnets and quatrains; creates a sense of containment or resolution.
Also Known As
Enclosing rhyme envelope scheme framing rhyme ABBA pattern ABBA arrangement Bookend rhyme Crisscross rhyme
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