Lilith. The Legend Of The First Woman. Book Iv. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEFGGHHIIJJJK LLMMDDDDNNCC OOPPQQRRSSTTQQUVUWWL XYZA2NNCB2CCC2C2D2D2 FFE2E2F2F2G2G2SSH2H2 I2J2K2FFL2L2M2M2N2N2 O2P2HHQ2Q2L2L2SSSSR2 R2S2S2S2S2T2T2U2U2V2 V2W2W2R2R2W2OOX2X2R2 R2UUR2R2L2L2X2X2R2R2 R2R2R2R2R2UUR2R2R2R2 DDR2R2 X2X2Y2Y2R2R2X2X2Z2Z2 A3A3 R2R2F2F2X2X2R2R2A3A3 X2 SSSSHHX2X2B3B3X2X2C3 XXR2R2X2X2SSH2H2S X2X2R2L2L2X2X2D3D3SS F2F2E3E3CCX2X2F3F3SX 2X2SSSSG3G3C3C3R2R2X 2X2HHMMSC3C3S2S2 H3H3R2R2E2E2L2L2E2E2 R2R2S2S2I3I3S2R2S2R2 R2X2X2X2X2X2X2X2L2L2 X2X2SSJ3J3R2R2R2R2X2 X2X2X2X2R2R2 X2X2AAR2R2I3I3K3S2S2 SSSSL3L3X2X2X2X2 W2W2M3M3H3H3SSR2R2R2 X2X2E2E2N3O3X2K3X2X2 AAR2E2E2E2E2X2X2X2X2 XYX2X2X2SSX2X2R2R2F3 F3X2X2R2R2SSC3C3X2X2 P3X2X2X2L2L2E3E3SSI3 I3 X2X2SSX2X2X2X2X2X2E2 E2TTR2R2Q3J3Q3X2X2W2 W2SSR2R2X2X2W2 X2X2R3R2R3X2 R2R2R2X2R2X2X2SSX2X2 X2X2E2E2X2X2DE2E2X2X 2C3C3R2R2SSR2R2W2W2S SX2X2X2X2Q3Q3S I3I3X2X2QQHHSSHHSSR2 SSE2E2F2F2SSR2R2C3C3 C3C3H3H3X2X2X2SSX2X2 X2X2

To that fair Elf child other summers cameA
But Lilith walked heart hungered filled with shameA
Naught comforted And in that shadow landB
She sorrowing bore in after time a bandB
Of elfin babes that waked dim echoes longC
Forgotten there and ghastly bursts of songC
Then Lilith saddened more for that she knewD
The curse was fallen now And cried she throughD
Fast falling tears Oh me most desolateE
That shall not know in any time the fateF
Of happier mothers Nay nor cool touchG
Of baby hands Oh longed for loved so muchG
Alas my babes ere yet hour old ye flyH
Out spreading shining wings with jeering cryH
Afar from me Most hapless I from whomI
The crown of motherhood yet white with bloomI
Falls blighted Close in these empty arms fainJ
Would I clasp my babes My tender painJ
But once could ye not solace Nay 'tis vainJ
I shall not kiss their lips nor hear againK
As gladder mothers may low rippling sweetL
The laughter children bring about their feetL
Oh soulless ones can ye not wait awhileM
'Till on your loveless lips I wake one smileM
But merrily out laughed the phantom crewD
On shining pinions white swift seaward flewD
Or upward rose slow fading in the blueD
Or lured her trembling green morasses throughD
And 'mong the frothy waves they vanished fastN
Or shrieked with glee borne on the wintry blastN
And wilder raised their warlock songC
While fairer grew each day that elfin throngC
-
To pluck the mangoes brown fair Lilith spedO
One morn Quick throbbed her heart On mossy bedO
Lay all her babes With face like morning shoneP
One there and wide her yellow hair out blownP
As 'twere in play Red flushed her cheeks and deepQ
About her lips the baby smiles AsleepQ
Was one white gleaming pure as pearl unseenR
In sunless caves close shut And one did leanR
Against his fellow lithe sun flushed and brownS
With rings of jetty hair that low adownS
His bosom streamed And one there was whose dreamT
O'erflowed with laughter And one did seemT
Half waking One with dimpled arms in sleepQ
Thrust elbow deep in moss that sure did weepQ
Ere yet he slept and on his cheek scarce driedU
The wilful tearsV
Then low pale Lilith criedU
As near she drew down bending tender eyesW
And are ye here my babes and will ye riseW
If I but break your sleep His naked feetL
One faintly moved as low she leant and warmX
His slumbrous breath stirred 'gainst her circling armY
And slow aneath his closed lids slipped a waftZ
Of wind that loosed a trickling tear Its craftA2
The mother heart forgot thereat At lastN
Close to my breast my babes she cried and fastN
Laughing outstretched her eager hands and strongC
Then lay with empty armsB2
The elfin throngC
Breasted the pulsing air with mocking songC
Alas she said could ye not give one kissC2
One tender clasp of hands And must I missC2
Your throbbing hearts from my cold barren breastD2
Ye soulless ones that flout my lonely restD2
-
There prostrate long lay Lilith and there lateF
'Mid dew fall Eblis found his stricken mateF
O Eblis say o'er me what curse hangs bareE2
For now no more she said this realm seems fairE2
Its fruits grow bitter all its light falls chillF2
With thee my prince poor Lilith mates but illF2
Earth born with angel linked Alas is leftG2
No joy to me of my sweet ones bereftG2
Methinks soft baby lips might erewhile drainS
From Lilith's famished heart its wildest painS
Wherefore my Eblis it were wise to seekH2
Surcease of grief That Lilith is so weakH2
Who wedded thee and that she sinned knew notI2
Yet if we part mayhap may follow naughtJ2
Of other illsK2
Sweet love he laughed o'er lateF
Thou art so timorous At Eden's gateF
Not so what time the angel barred her wayL2
My Lilith stood Shelter within my arms Oh sayL2
Was not our young love sweet Hath it grown coldM2
With me thou sharest endless life nor oldM2
Nor shrivelled shalt thou be And not one traceN2
Of earth's decay sure doom of thy sad raceN2
Shall taint thy babes For lo I giveO2
Thy soulless ones immortal youth They liveP2
Without a pang And yet methinks the cryH
Of Earth adown the ages sounds when dieH
Its babes and mothers bend dumb lips aboveQ2
And fold still hands that answer not their loveQ2
Lilith doth not indeed my love outweighL2
Caresses missed from phantom babes AstrayL2
From Eden long here in this fair domainS
To bide and through long cycles fearless reignS
Methinks were joy In summer sheenS
Wide spreads thy land The marge of islets greenS
The palm trees skirt Soft shine the dusk lagoonsR2
And inland mountains Mirk the jungle's gloomsR2
And fair thy fertile plains Oh sweet the glowS2
When we together watch the day that lowS2
Among the winds lies still Shut lilies blowS2
While here we wait Come for they fain would showS2
Their golden hearts Or love with me to floatT2
Were it not sweet through flowery bays remoteT2
Past coves and peaks Or pierce yon ocean's vergeU2
And through wild tumbling waves our sails to urgeU2
Yea sweet is love she said and sweet to roamV2
By listless currents lulled or 'mid the foamV2
Low dip our feathery oars she sighed yet soreW2
Is still the mother heart that hears no moreW2
The lisping tongues And sad when baby smilesR2
Have left it desolate And baby wilesR2
Shall cheer it never moreW2
Yet Eblis saidO
Lilith no longer mourn For I have readO
Upon a scroll as samite glistening whiteX2
All coming fate close hid from human sightX2
Great peoples yet shall dwell in these dusk landsR2
Then shall thy children shadowy bandsR2
That fly thy fond caress with them abideU
In closest fellowship And though they hideU
Sometimes from human ken their better selvesR2
Still loved remain these tricksy elvesR2
Though yet indeed some quips and pranks they playL2
'Tis but a jest men know when far awayL2
The flickering marsh fires swift they lightX2
And children follow their false tapers brightX2
Among the spongy bogs The ship lad smilesR2
When distant 'mid the waves the phantom islesR2
Rise green 'Tis but a harmless jest that setsR2
On lonely plains domes mosques and minaretsR2
And o'er the desert sands mirage upliftsR2
When glimmering waves shine through deep riftsR2
Of crested palmsR2
Still dearer they when wideU
To undiscovered lands men boldly rideU
Across new seas and turn their venturous prowsR2
When tempests shriek and wet about their browsR2
The salt spray dashes fierce one watching criesR2
'Good mates no storm I fear for yonder riseR2
The Elf babes 'mid the foam Ye goblin crewD
That sail these unknown seas we follow youD
To harbor safe Ho ho With beckoning handsR2
Wind driven loud they cry My mates the landsR2
The golden lands we seek are ours '-
-
In Earth's brown bosom pent the hardy wightX2
Long in deep caverns dwells and hard doth smiteX2
The rocky caves Nor sees the golden spoilY2
Through weary days of wasted lonely toilY2
From his wild eyes far flying hides the prizeR2
Till desperate angered worn aloud he criesR2
'Vain vain The caves my labor answer notX2
Nor yellow threads that gleam in any grotX2
Hard cruel silent hills my strength ye mockZ2
And seal your treasures close in flinty rockZ2
So after toilsome years sweet wife I bringA3
To thee no sparkling love gift Nay nor anythingA3
To cheer our failing time '-
-
Then round him hearsR2
He sturdy blows and listening almost fearsR2
He dreams But swift the echoes rise and stillF2
More loudly roll and quick replies the hillF2
Reverberant through all the caverns roundX2
The uproar swells and fills the world with soundX2
Then lists he once again 'With lusty shocksR2
Your hammers ring against the hard ribbed rocksR2
Goblins ' he boldly shouts 'smite smite ye bringA3
My treasure forth dark beating goblin wingA3
Among the gleaming caves whose dusk veins holdX2
The gold At last At last the ruddy gold '-
-
And lone in stricken fields the husbandmanS
Sits pale with anxious eyes that hopeless scanS
The burning sky Hot lie the glimmering plainS
And uplands parched 'Behold the bending grainS
Fair in the springtide now is dead and dryH
The brooks If yet the rainfall fail we dieH
Of famine sore No bleating lambs I hear in foldX2
Safe shut nor lowing kine nor on the woldX2
The whir of mounting bird Nor thrives about meB3
Any living thing So seemeth end must beB3
Of striving Since all the land is cursedX2
What matter if by famine scorched or thirstX2
We die ' he saithC3
And thick the warlock swarmX
Above his head wide spreading dark wings warmX
Fast flitted by The waiting fields he standsR2
Among And laughing claps exultant handsR2
'Good speed ye Sprites that bring the welcome cloudX2
And pile the vapors thick ' he shouts aloudX2
Oh sweet shall bloom again the bending grainS
And clothe afresh the wide the wasted plainS
The clouds sweep black Ha ha Against my cheekH2
The big drops fall Merry the goblins shriekH2
Behold they mount they sink they rise againS
Ho friendly elves that bring the longed for rain '-
-
Thereat he smiling ceased And when soft creptX2
The listening stars across the sky they sleptX2
Untroubled 'neath the mango treesR2
But when midwayL2
The night was spent Prince Eblis waking layL2
Soft Lilith's breathing 'mong the droopt leaves stirredX2
And he sore troubled mused on every wordX2
That Lilith spake ere yet they slept In allD3
Foreseeing much of ill that might befallD3
Their love O queenly soul Of finer grainS
Thou art than angels are And more in brainS
Than man I hold thee Sooth yet taints thee stillF2
One touch of womankind And since so chillF2
She finds her babes must I forego my vowE3
For one flaw Hope's clear crystal break Oh howE3
Ally her cause with mine So doth she longC
For human love a baby hand is strongC
To hurl my empire down From her soft heartX2
Red baby lips can drain revenge and startX2
Unbidden tears And pity wakes to lifeF3
When 'mong dead embers she sits lone and strifeF3
Is doneS
Then at Regret's dull heels lo fastX2
Retrieving follows Happy days long pastX2
She will recall If so for love she yearnS
Back to her early home once more will turnS
Pardoning her wilful lord And he againS
Shall win the woman I so love and fainS
Would hold forever Lilith thou one balmG3
Of my lost soul in all this world Shall calmG3
My sufferings or love me any one save theeC3
When thou in Adam's arms forgettest meC3
My only love Nay then 'twere surely wiseR2
To shut these baby faces from her eyesR2
New seeds of wrath to sow her hate so feedX2
That all her rankling wounds afresh shall bleedX2
And in her ears 'Good Adam ' will I cryH
Lest she forget Eden she lost therebyH
Yea 'Adam ' I will laugh Till her red lips with guileM
O'erflow And she shall curse him loud With subtlest wileM
Safe won then shall she ever be mine ownS
Soul bound to me in hate more terrible than deathC3
In hate that long outlasts Love's puny breathC3
O cunning craft that with the self same blowS2
Forever wins my love and smites my foeS2
-
Last night when Lilith slept lest I might marH3
Her dreams from our green couch I rose and farH3
Passed silent Know I not the spell that drawsR2
My feet unwilling Edenward Its lawsR2
I may not brave to rend my foe Nor thereE2
The Angel pass unseen The night so fairE2
As prone among the glistening leaves I layL2
On Adam shone Not sad as on a dayL2
Erstwhile he seemed And I could almost swearE2
The sound of silvery laughter on the airE2
Fell soft And a fleet footfall 'mong the flowersR2
Scattered the dew Yet 'mid those silent bowersR2
Naught else I saw or heard save rippling flowS2
Of waters and the moonshine white Oh lowS2
Speak Eblis lest aloud the night may tellI3
Thy secret to the stars Yet it were wellI3
If lies the hidden cure for Lilith's woeS2
Close shut in ParadiseR2
All would we knowS2
If we close hid without those verdant wallsR2
Together watched What fate soe'er befallsR2
I care not if with me she bideX2
Down bentX2
He o'er her hair thick with the night dew sprentX2
Soft kissed it crying Love the morn shines brightX2
Waken my Lilith now Through lands of nightX2
Our happy course afar doth ever wendX2
Past smiling shores where mighty rivers bendX2
Past cove and cape and isle and winding bayL2
And still blue mists that hang athwart the dayL2
Thereat she rose and joyously they spedX2
By broad lagoons where musky odors shedX2
New blooms About them coiled long wreaths of vineS
And slim lianas drooped and marish lichens fineS
And fared they on o'er many a slanting beachJ3
And mountain crest past many an open reachJ3
And forest wild till over ParadiseR2
They saw the stars clear tender loving riseR2
Then 'neath the screen of those rose girdled wallsR2
They hid without listing the waterfallsR2
Or bird belated twittering to its nestX2
So still the spot the very grass to restX2
Seemed hushedX2
The garden close a clinging rose o'ercreptX2
Its lustrous stem without that drooping sweptX2
Thick set with buds as tintless as the snowsR2
On sunless hills when wild the north wind blowsR2
-
Lilith a tiptoe stood upreaching caughtX2
The swaying boughs Her eyes with longing fraughtX2
Close scanned her old deserted home Then cameA
Upon her spirit sadness as if blameA
Unuttered breathed through those remembered gladesR2
And touched the odors moist 'mong mirky shadesR2
With wistful gaze she traced each bosky dellI3
Each winding path And sweet youth's memories fellI3
About herK3
Then was she ware of Adam slowS2
Pacing the pleasance ways With ruddy glowS2
Fresh shone his cheeks and crisp his hair out blownS
By wanton winds His lips were mirthful grownS
Once he made pause hard by the coppice greenS
That hid the watcher Once the leafy screenS
So near he passed from the overhanging edgeL3
He brushed a rose The hindering hedgeL3
Quick through in sudden blessing slim white handX2
Fain had she reached O Eden mine Dear landX2
She sighed And springing warm the tender tideX2
Of teardrops gemmed the roses at her sideX2
-
So greets the weary wanderer once moreW2
His early home The lintels worn the doorW2
Age stained the iris clumps in sheltered nookM3
The mill wheel rotting o'er the shrunken brookM3
The sunny orchard sloping west and farH3
And cold above his mother's grave a starH3
Then quick unbidden tears the heart's warm rainS
O'erflow his soul and leave it pure againS
So Lilith backward turned to holier daysR2
Watching through misty tears where trod those waysR2
Her feet in other timesR2
Sudden and sweetX2
Came down those paths a glimpse of flying feetX2
A sound of girlish laughter smote the airE2
In jealous rage Lilith uprose to dareE2
The guarding Angel's wrath But silver clearN3
The mocking laugh of Eblis caught her earO3
Thou hast forgot he said this peaceful landX2
Living thou canst not enterK3
But her handX2
Grasped once again the roses' shining strandX2
And 'neath her guileful touch like scarlet flameA
The snowy flowers burned So first Earth's shameA
Around them set the spik d thornsR2
Long thereE2
Pale Lilith looked as coldly still and fairE2
As carven stone Then with a fierce despairE2
A sense of utter loss downbending thereE2
With fingers hot she tore the hedge apartX2
And laid thereto her face With sorer smartX2
She gazed again For now the twain at restX2
Were laid Pure as a dream Eve's sinless breastX2
A babe close pressed One pink foot small and warmX
Among the leaves was hid One dimpled armY
Aneath her headX2
Low Eblis sneered I wotX2
In young Eve's arms my Lilith is forgotX2
Oh soon he said these earth worms changeful turnS
From the oped rose when red the shut buds burnS
But wild eyes on the babe she fixed Oh blindX2
She cried was I Yea if the wanton windX2
Doth mock I will not chide Was it for thisR2
I wandered far and bartered Eden's blissR2
For this have lost the very bloom of lifeF3
So Adam comfort finds not knowing strifeF3
Look you that fragile thing at Adam's sideX2
I heed her not But Lilith is deniedX2
The treasure she so careless doth possessR2
See how the babe scarce waking doth caressR2
The mother Look Oh hear the mother croonS
Above her child Ah Eblis love I swoonS
I shall not know such joy Alas to meC3
No babe shall come Accurs d may she beC3
Cursed Adam too Thrice heavy on the headX2
Of this poor babe my wrong be visitedX2
So trembling she brake offP3
Fast fades the lightX2
Sweet love Once more to our dark realm of nightX2
Let us return he saidX2
As on fared theyL2
With merry jest Eblis gan cheer the wayL2
Nay otherwhiles mirth pleased she said Knowest thouE3
What name she bears who dwells in Eden nowE3
When Lilith went long tarried Adam loneS
She said Replied he All to me is knownS
Since that same hour you parted What befellI3
To thee as we wend onward I will tellI3
-
Calm morn in Eden streaked the skies with redX2
And flushed the waiting hills above the grassy bedX2
Where Adam joyless saw new rise the sunS
Unwinding golden webs night vapors spunS
Athwart low meads Slow droning murmurs sentX2
The waking bees with bloom and fragrance blentX2
Unheeded poured her music blithesome DayX2
The reedy brooks beside and shallows grayX2
For lone to Adam seemed the place and coldX2
The landscape dumb as one aneath the mouldX2
For Lilith's sake no more was Eden fairE2
Bloomless the days the nights bowed down with careE2
Oft pacing pathways dim he saw the gleamT
Of strange faced flowers beside the purling streamT
Or toyed with circling leaves or plucked the grassR2
And watched through rifted trees the clouds o'erpassR2
Wide roaming heard the waters idly breakQ3
Far 'gainst the curving beachJ3
And grieving spakeQ3
'Oh sweet with thee each hour each wilding wayX2
And sweet the memory of each gathered sprayX2
Could you not wait dear love Or come once moreW2
Yea 'till you come vain doth great Nature pourW2
Her richest gifts ' He paused and heard aloneS
Respondent fall the wood dove's plaintive moanS
And the spent winds among the scented gladesR2
Moss couched beneath the glinting forest shadesR2
He gazed when shadows o'er the hills crept lightX2
Quick vanishing like phantom fingers whiteX2
Until on mead and mere and sounding shoreW2
Eden found voice sad plaining 'Never more '-
Long time he pondered on blue peaks remoteX2
When slow as stranded ships that listless floatX2
Moved by the sunset clouds Or the white rackR3
Swept o'er the garden wallsR2
'Would I their trackR3
Might take ' he said 'Lilith so long you stayX2
Whom my soul follows sorrowing alway '-
Thus ever mourned he comfortless that soR2
In after days the Master in the glowR2
Of morning tide the mother of the raceR2
Gave for his solacementX2
Oh fair the faceR2
Young Eve bent o'er his sleep Ere down the gladeX2
The startled fawn leaps swift her glance dismayedX2
Questions the hunter mute Such eyes so brownS
So soft so winning shy that looked adownS
When Adam waked Like vagrant tendrils tossedX2
Dark hair about her brows And quaintly crossedX2
Her hands upon her breast Less red the dartX2
That deepest cleaves the folded rose's heartX2
Than her round cheeks Not hers the regal airE2
Of Lilith lost the white arms lissom bareE2
The slender throat the elbows dimpled deep wheretoX2
Might scarcely reach Eve's headX2
Yet soft as throughD
Some pleasant dream the summer's spicy airE2
Stirs odorous 'mong seaward gardens fairE2
In southland hid so gently Eve straightwayX2
To Adam's life unbidden came to stayX2
Forever there Sure entrance then made sheC3
Into that heart untenanted by theeC3
So to some olden house from whose shut doorsR2
One went erewhile another comes Its floorsR2
All empty sees The lowly threshold wornS
The moss grown roof the casements left forlornS
Amid the shadows round about him standsR2
Missing the footsteps passed to other landsR2
And whispers tenderly 'Since here no moreW2
The owner bides what harm if on the floorW2
I pass Good chance it were the clambering vineS
About the porch with fingers deft to twineS
To draw the curtains ope the door For whoX2
May know how soon these paths untended throughX2
He comes again with weary way worn feetX2
Who made aforetime other days so sweetX2
Wherefore I enter now For whose dear sakeQ3
These vacant rooms white fragrant clean I makeQ3
And when world wearied he returns we twainS
Perchance together bide Nor part again '-
So Eve found refuge Tender love the spellI3
Whereby she ruled Peaceful the pair did dwellI3
Fast fled the happy years till softly laidX2
In her glad arms the babe a winsome maidX2
He ended there Between them silence deepQ
Fell as they journeyed And the furthest steepQ
They crossed that o'er their shadow world rose highH
Then saw they level plains their home anighH
And now seeking her pleasance once againS
They came to their own land But all in vainS
His care Silent she was and oft did grieveH
Till Eblis wrathful cried Because this EveH
Adam holds dear art mourning Still dost yearnS
To mate his sordid soul Or wouldst thou turnS
From summer land to Eden wallsR2
The manS
Belike ne'er loved thee So is it young Eve canS
His pulses sway Is she not passing fairE2
Her fancies wild it is her daily careE2
To bend beneath his ever fickle willF2
Red lipped and soft she deftly rules him stillF2
Though he wist not Yet sweeter Lilith's frownS
Than archest smile she wears Great Soul The crownS
Thou bearest of fadeless life For fleeting dreamsR2
In Paradise beside the winding streamsR2
Wilt thou resign such boon Thou art in soothC3
Of mold too firm for Adam's love In truthC3
A prince though fallen consorts best with theeC3
Say which were wise with Eden's lord to beC3
Or shining high the purer soul the starH3
That fadeless burns and Eblis lights afarH3
Were it not grand through endless spaces hurledX2
With me to drive above a shrinking worldX2
Our chariot wideX2
For I foresee when dawnS
Dark days upon our foes and hope is goneS
Wherefore my Lilith now as seems thee goodX2
Make choice Thereat she turning where she stoodX2
With kisses hung about his neck and smiledX2
Crying Thine Eblis thine So were they reconciledX2

Ada Langworthy Collier



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