"Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Rhyme Scheme in "Fire and Ice"


The rhyme scheme of "Fire and Ice" is an ABAABCBCB style, with the words “fire” and “ice” being rhymed with themselves within the poem. This scheme means the poem falls soundly within the category of open form, in which Frost did not follow any typical poem formation in regards to his structuring of "Fire and Ice." The rhyme scheme works to effectively create the necessary connections between words in the poem. For instance, with "desire" being rhymed with "fire," the two words are then related on a level that is deeper than what is explicitly stated by Frost, a necessary level that works to enhance the symbolism of the poem. Also, the rhyming of "fire" and "ice" with themselves works to also create a sort of repetition, which in its own turn gives more attention to the imagery and concept of the physical "fire" and the physical "ice."