The Song Of The Surf Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDD EFGHHIIJK LLMNMFFOO PPKKFFQQ| White steeds of ocean that leap with a hollow and wearisome roar | A |
| On the bar of ironstone steep not a fathom's length from the shore | A |
| Is there never a seer nor sophist can interpret your wild refrain | B |
| When speech the harshest and roughest is seldom studied in vain | B |
| My ears are constantly smitten by that dreary monotone | C |
| In a hieroglyphic 'tis written 'tis spoken in a tongue unknown | C |
| Gathering growing and swelling and surging and shivering say | D |
| What is the tale you are telling What is the drift of your lay | D |
| - | |
| You come and your crests are hoary with the foam of your countless years | E |
| You break with a rainbow of glory | F |
| through the spray of your glittering tears | G |
| Is your song a song of gladness a paean of joyous might | H |
| Or a wail of discordant sadness for the wrongs you never can right | H |
| For the empty seat by the ingle for children 'reft of their sire | I |
| For the bride sitting sad and single and pale by the flickering fire | I |
| For your ravenous pools of suction for your shattering billow swell | J |
| For your ceaseless work of destruction for your hunger insatiable | K |
| - | |
| Not far from this very place on the sand and the shingle dry | L |
| He lay with his batter'd face upturned to the frowning sky | L |
| When your waters wash'd and swill'd high over his drowning head | M |
| When his nostrils and lungs were filled | N |
| when his feet and hands were as lead | M |
| When against the rock he was hurl'd and suck'd again to the sea | F |
| On the shores of another world on the brink of eternity | F |
| On the verge of annihilation did it come to that swimmer strong | O |
| The sudden interpretation of your mystical weird like song | O |
| - | |
| Mortal that which thou askest ask not thou of the waves | P |
| Fool thou foolishly taskest us we are only slaves | P |
| Might more mighty impels us we must our lot fulfil | K |
| He who gathers and swells us curbs us too at His will | K |
| Think'st thou the wave that shatters questioneth His decree | F |
| Little to us it matters and naught it matters to thee | F |
| Not thus murmuring idly we from our duty would swerve | Q |
| Over the world spread widely ever we labour and serve | Q |
Adam Lindsay Gordon
(2)
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