Poetry Response Worksheet - Free Printable

Let's solve each question based on Robert Frost’s poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and provide clear explanations.

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1. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? (You only need to do the 1st stanza)

Answer:
The rhyme scheme of the first stanza is AABA.

Explanation:
Let’s look at the first stanza:

> Whose woods these are I think I know. (A)
> His house is in the village though; (A)
> He will not see me stopping here (B)
> To watch his woods fill up with snow. (A)

- Line 1: "know" → ends with o
- Line 2: "though" → ends with ough (same sound as "know" — both rhyme)
- Line 3: "here" → different ending
- Line 4: "snow" → rhymes with "know" and "though"

So, the pattern is:
- A (know)
- A (though)
- B (here)
- A (snow)

Thus, the rhyme scheme is AABA.

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2. What is the setting of the poem?

Answer:
The setting is a snowy evening in the countryside, near a forest (woods) beside a frozen lake, during winter.

Explanation:
The poem describes:
- "Woods" covered in snow
- A "frozen lake"
- The "darkest evening of the year"
- A horse-drawn sleigh or carriage stopping between the woods and the lake

These details create a quiet, isolated, and cold rural winter scene.

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3. What sounds does the character hear?

Answer:
The speaker hears the sound of the horse’s harness bells shaking and the sweep of the easy wind and downy flake (snowflake).

Explanation:
In the third stanza:
> "He gives his harness bells a shake
> To ask if there is some mistake.
> The only other sound’s the sweep
> Of easy wind and downy flake."

This shows that the only noises are the horse’s bells and the soft rustling of wind and falling snow, emphasizing the silence and stillness of the night.

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4. What time is it during the poem? How do you know?

Answer:
It is evening, probably late in the day, close to nightfall.

Explanation:
We know this because:
- The poem mentions "the darkest evening of the year" — this suggests it's twilight or dusk.
- The woods are described as “dark and deep,” indicating low light.
- The speaker is watching the woods “fill up with snow,” which happens slowly as night falls.
- The horse seems confused about stopping so late without a farmhouse nearby, implying it's unusual to be out at this hour.

So, the time is dusk or early night, during winter when days are shortest.

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✔ Final Answers Summary:

1. Rhyme scheme (first stanza): AABA
2. Setting: A snowy, quiet forest near a frozen lake in the countryside during winter evening.
3. Sounds heard: The horse’s harness bells and the soft sweep of wind and falling snow.
4. Time: It is evening (dusk or late evening), as indicated by phrases like "darkest evening of the year" and the dark, quiet atmosphere.

Let me know if you'd like help analyzing deeper themes like loneliness, duty, or nature!