The Three Friends (from The French) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABAB CDCDCD EFEFGF HIHIHI JKJKLK MNMNMN OPOPOP DQDQDQ RQRQRQ OSOSSS TUTUTU VWVWVW SVSVSV XSXSXS ABABAB VVVVVV YZZZZZ VA2VA2VA2The sword slew one in deadly strife | A |
One perish'd by the bowl | B |
The third lies self slain by the knife | A |
For three the bells may toll | B |
I loved her better than my life | A |
And better than my soul | B |
- | |
Aye father hast thou come at last | C |
'Tis somewhat late to pray | D |
Life's crimson tides are ebbing fast | C |
They drain my soul away | D |
Mine eyes with film are overcast | C |
The lights are waning grey | D |
- | |
This curl from her bright head I shore | E |
And this her hands gave mine | F |
See one is stained with purple gore | E |
And one with poison'd wine | F |
Give these to her when all is o'er | G |
How serpent like they twine | F |
- | |
We three were brethren in arms | H |
And sworn companions we | I |
We held this motto Whoso harms | H |
The one shall harm the three | I |
Till matchless for her subtle charms | H |
Beloved of each was she | I |
- | |
These two were slain that I might kiss | J |
Her sweet mouth I did well | K |
I said There is no greater bliss | J |
For those in heaven that dwell | K |
I lost her then I said There is | L |
No fiercer pang in hell | K |
- | |
We have upheld each other's rights | M |
Shared purse and borrow'd blade | N |
Have stricken side by side in fights | M |
And side by side have prayed | N |
In churches We were Christian knights | M |
And she a Christian maid | N |
- | |
We met at sunrise he and I | O |
My comrade 'twas agreed | P |
The steel our quarrel first should try | O |
The poison should succeed | P |
For two of three were doom'd to die | O |
And one was doom'd to bleed | P |
- | |
We buckled to the doubtful fray | D |
At first with some remorse | Q |
But he who must be slain or slay | D |
Soon strikes with vengeful force | Q |
He fell I left him where he lay | D |
Among the trampled gorse | Q |
- | |
Did passion warp my heart and head | R |
To madness And if so | Q |
Can madness palliate bloodshed | R |
It may be I shall know | Q |
When God shall gather up the dead | R |
From where the four winds blow | Q |
- | |
We met at sunset he and I | O |
My second comrade true | S |
Two cups with wine were brimming high | O |
And one was drugg'd we knew | S |
Not which nor sought we to descry | S |
Our choice by lot we drew | S |
- | |
And there I sat with him to sup | T |
I heard him blithely speak | U |
Of by gone days the fatal cup | T |
Forgotten seem'd his cheek | U |
Was ruddy father raise me up | T |
My voice is waxing weak | U |
- | |
We drank his lips turned livid white | V |
His cheeks grew leaden ash | W |
He reel'd I heard his temples smite | V |
The threshold with a crash | W |
And from his hand in shivers bright | V |
I saw the goblet flash | W |
- | |
The morrow dawn'd with fragrance rare | S |
The May breeze from the west | V |
Just fann'd the sleepy olives where | S |
She heard and I confess'd | V |
My hair entangled with her hair | S |
Her breast strained to my breast | V |
- | |
On the dread verge of endless gloom | X |
My soul recalls that hour | S |
Skies languishing with balm of bloom | X |
And fields aflame with flower | S |
And slow caresses that consume | X |
And kisses that devour | S |
- | |
Ah now with storm the day seems rife | A |
My dull ears catch the roll | B |
Of thunder and the far sea strife | A |
On beach and bar and shoal | B |
I loved her better than my life | A |
And better than my soul | B |
- | |
She fled I cannot prove her guilt | V |
Nor would I an I could | V |
See life for life is fairly spilt | V |
And blood is shed for blood | V |
Her white hands neither touched the hilt | V |
Nor yet the potion brew'd | V |
- | |
Aye turn me from the sickly south | Y |
Towards the gusty north | Z |
The fruits of sin are dust and drouth | Z |
The end of crime is wrath | Z |
The lips that pressed her rose like mouth | Z |
Are choked with blood red froth | Z |
- | |
Then dig the grave pit deep and wide | V |
Three graves thrown into one | A2 |
And lay three corpses side by side | V |
And tell their tale to none | A2 |
But bring her back in all her pride | V |
To see what she hath done | A2 |
Adam Lindsay Gordon
(1)
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