Fauconshawe Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCBD EFEFEF GHG G IJIJIJ KLK K EMEMEM NONONO NPNPN QRQRQR SNTNT USUSU NVNVNV NJNWNJ XYXYXZ A2FNFTF NPB2PTP C2UC2UC2U NNNNN D2ND2N N E2NE2NE2N NE2NE2N NLNLNL E2RE2RE2 F2VG2VH2V I2NJ2NJN VK2VK2VK2 L2M2L2M2L2M2 VNVNV N2O2P2O2NO2 Q2R2Q2S2Q2 PK2PQ2PK2A Ballad | A |
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To fetch clear water out of the spring | B |
The little maid Margaret ran | C |
From the stream to the castle's western wing | B |
It was but a bowshot span | C |
On the sedgy brink where the osiers cling | B |
Lay a dead man pallid and wan | D |
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The lady Mabel rose from her bed | E |
And walked in the castle hall | F |
Where the porch through the western turret led | E |
She met with her handmaid small | F |
'What aileth thee Margaret ' the lady said | E |
'Hast let thy pitcher fall | F |
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'Say what hast thou seen by the streamlet side | G |
A nymph or a water sprite | H |
That thou comest with eyes so wild and wide | G |
And with cheeks so ghostly white ' | - |
'Nor nymph nor sprite ' the maiden cried | G |
'But the corpse of a slaughtered knight ' | - |
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The lady Mabel summon'd straight | I |
To her presence Sir Hugh de Vere | J |
Of the guests who tarried within the gate | I |
Of Fauconshawe most dear | J |
Was he to that lady betrothed in state | I |
They had been since many a year | J |
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'Little Margaret sayeth a dead man lies | K |
By the western spring Sir Hugh | L |
I can scarce believe that the maiden lies | K |
Yet scarce can believe her true ' | - |
And the knight replies 'Till we test her eyes | K |
Let her words gain credence due ' | - |
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Down the rocky path knight and lady led | E |
While guests and retainers bold | M |
Followed in haste for like wildfire spread | E |
The news by the maiden told | M |
They found 'twas even as she had said | E |
The corpse had some while been cold | M |
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How the spirit had pass'd in the moments last | N |
There was little trace to reveal | O |
On the still calm face lay no imprint ghast | N |
Save the angel's solemn seal | O |
Yet the hands were clench'd in a death grip fast | N |
And the sods stamp'd down by the heel | O |
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Sir Hugh by the side of the dead man knelt | N |
Said 'Full well these features I know | P |
We have faced each other where blows were dealt | N |
And he was a stalwart foe | P |
I had rather met him hilt to hilt | N |
Than have found him lying low ' | - |
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He turned the body up on its face | Q |
And never a word was spoken | R |
While he ripp'd the doublet and tore the lace | Q |
And tugg'd by the self same token | R |
And strain'd till he wrench'd it out of its place | Q |
The dagger blade that was broken | R |
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Then he turned the body over again | S |
And said while he rose upright | N |
'May the brand of Cain with its withering stain | T |
On the murderer's forehead light | N |
For he never was slain on the open plain | T |
Nor yet in the open fight ' | - |
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Solemn and stern were the words he spoke | U |
And he look'd at his lady's men | S |
But his speech no answering echoes woke | U |
All were silent there and then | S |
Till a clear cold voice the silence broke | U |
Lady Mabel cried 'Amen ' | - |
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His glance met hers the twain stood hush'd | N |
With the dead between them there | V |
But the blood to her snowy temples rush'd | N |
Till it tinged the roots of her hair | V |
Then paled but a thin red streak still flush'd | N |
In the midst of her forehead fair | V |
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Four yeomen raised the corpse from the ground | N |
At a sign from Sir Hugh de Vere | J |
It was borne to the western turret round | N |
And laid on a knightly bier | W |
With never a sob nor a mourning sound | N |
No friend to the dead was near | J |
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Yet that night was neither revel nor dance | X |
In the halls of Fauconshawe | Y |
Men looked askance with a doubtful glance | X |
At Sir Hugh for they stood in awe | Y |
Of his prowess but he like one in a trance | X |
Regarded naught that he saw | Z |
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Night black and chill wind gathering still | A2 |
With its wail in the turret tall | F |
And its headlong blast like a catapult cast | N |
On the crest of the outer wall | F |
And its hail and rain on the crashing pane | T |
Till the glassy splinters fall | F |
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A moody knight by the fitful light | N |
Of the great hall fire below | P |
A corpse upstairs and a woman at prayers | B2 |
Will they profit her aye or no | P |
By'r lady fain an she comfort gain | T |
There is comfort for us also | P |
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The guests were gone save Sir Hugh alone | C2 |
And he watched the gleams that broke | U |
On the pale hearth stone and flickered and shone | C2 |
On the panels of polish'd oak | U |
He was 'ware of no presence except his own | C2 |
Till the voice of young Margaret spoke | U |
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'I've risen Sir Hugh at the mirk midnight | N |
I cannot sleep in my bed | N |
Now unless my tale can be told aright | N |
I wot it were best unsaid | N |
It lies the blood of yon northern knight | N |
On my lady's hand and head ' | - |
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'Oh the wild wind raves and rushes along | D2 |
But thy ravings seem more wild | N |
She never could do so foul a wrong | D2 |
Yet I blame thee not my child | N |
For the fever'd dreams on thy rest that throng ' | - |
He frown'd through his speech was mild | N |
- | |
'Let storm winds eddy and scream and hurl | E2 |
Their wrath they disturb me naught | N |
The daughter she of a high born earl | E2 |
No secret of hers I've sought | N |
I am but the child of a peasant churl | E2 |
Yet look to the proofs I've brought | N |
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'This dagger snapp'd so close to the hilt | N |
Dost remember thy token well | E2 |
Will it match with the broken blade that spilt | N |
His life in the western dell | E2 |
Nay read her handwriting an thou wilt | N |
From her paramour's breast it fell ' | - |
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The knight in silence the letter read | N |
Oh the characters well he knew | L |
And his face might have match'd the face of the dead | N |
So ashen white was its hue | L |
Then he tore the parchment shred by shred | N |
And the strips in the flames he threw | L |
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And he muttered 'Densely those shadows fall | E2 |
In the copse where the alders thicken | R |
There she bade him come to her once for all | E2 |
Now I well may shudder and sicken | R |
Gramercy that hand so white and small | E2 |
How strongly it must have stricken ' | - |
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At midnight hour in the western tower | F2 |
Alone with the dead man there | V |
Lady Mabel kneels nor heeds nor feels | G2 |
The shock of the rushing air | V |
Though the gusts that pass through the riven glass | H2 |
Have scattered her raven hair | V |
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Across the floor through the open door | I2 |
Where standeth a stately knight | N |
The lamplight streams and flickers and gleams | J2 |
On his features stern and white | N |
'Tis Sir Hugh de Vere and he cometh more near | J |
And the lady standeth upright | N |
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' 'Tis little ' he said 'that I know or care | V |
Of the guilt if guilt there be | K2 |
That lies 'twixt thee and yon dead man there | V |
Nor matters it now to me | K2 |
I thought thee pure thou art only fair | V |
And to morrow I cross the sea | K2 |
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'He perish'd I ask not why or how | L2 |
I come to recall my troth | M2 |
Take back my lady thy broken vow | L2 |
Give back my allegiance oath | M2 |
Let the past be buried between us now | L2 |
For ever 'tis best for both | M2 |
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'Yet Mabel I could ask dost thou dare | V |
Lay hand on that corpse's heart | N |
And call on thy Maker and boldly swear | V |
That thou hadst in his death no part | N |
I ask not while threescore proofs I share | V |
With one doubt uncondemn'd thou art ' | - |
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Oh cold and bleak upon Mabel's cheek | N2 |
Came the blast of the storm wind keen | O2 |
And her tresses black as the glossy back | P2 |
Of the raven glanced between | O2 |
Her fingers slight like the ivory white | N |
As she parted their sable sheen | O2 |
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Yet with steady lip and with fearless eye | Q2 |
And with cheek like the flush of dawn | R2 |
Unflinchingly she spoke in reply | Q2 |
'Go hence with the break of morn | S2 |
I will neither confess nor yet deny | Q2 |
I will return thee scorn for scorn ' | - |
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The knight bow'd low as he turn'd to go | P |
He travell'd by land and sea | K2 |
But naught of his future fate I know | P |
And naught of his fair ladye | Q2 |
My story is told as long ago | P |
My story was told to me | K2 |
Adam Lindsay Gordon
(1)
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