The Scythians Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDED FBFB GHIH JBJB KLKL JMJN OPOP QRQR STST UPVP WPWP PXPX YZYZ A2B2C2B2 D2DD2D E2F2E2F2 PG2H2G2 ZCZI2| You are but millions Our unnumbered nations | A |
| Are as the sands upon the sounding shore | B |
| We are the Scythians We are the slit eyed Asians | A |
| Try to wage war with us you'll try no more | B |
| - | |
| You've had whole centuries We a single hour | C |
| Like serfs obedient to their feudal lord | D |
| We've held the shield between two hostile powers | E |
| Old Europe and the barbarous Mongol horde | D |
| - | |
| Your ancient forge has hammered down the ages | F |
| Drowning the distant avalanche's roar | B |
| Messina Lisbon these you thought were pages | F |
| In some strange book of legendary lore | B |
| - | |
| Full centuries long you've watched our Eastern lands | G |
| Fished for our pearls and bartered them for grain | H |
| Made mockery of us while you laid your plans | I |
| And oiled your cannon for the great campaign | H |
| - | |
| The hour has come Doom wheels on beating wing | J |
| Each day augments the old outrageous score | B |
| Soon not a trace of dead nor living thing | J |
| Shall stand where once your Paestums flowered before | B |
| - | |
| O Ancient World before your culture dies | K |
| Whilst failing life within you breathes and sinks | L |
| Pause and be wise as Oedipus was wise | K |
| And solve the age old riddle of the Sphinx | L |
| - | |
| - | |
| That Sphinx is Russia Grieving and exulting | J |
| And weeping black and bloody tears enough | M |
| She stares at you adoring and insulting | J |
| With love that turns to hate and hate to love | N |
| - | |
| - | |
| Yes love For you of Western lands and birth | O |
| No longer know the love our blood enjoys | P |
| You have forgoten there's a love on Earth | O |
| That burns like fire and like all fire destroys | P |
| - | |
| We love cold Science passionately pursued | Q |
| The visionary fire of inspiration | R |
| The salt of Gallic wit so subtly shrewd | Q |
| And the grim genius of th German nation | R |
| - | |
| - | |
| We know the hell of a Parisian street | S |
| And Venice cool in water and in stone | T |
| The scent of lemons in the southern heat | S |
| The fuming piles of soot begrimed Cologne | T |
| - | |
| We love raw flesh its color and its stench | U |
| We love to taste it in our hungry maws | P |
| Are we to blame then if your ribs should crunch | V |
| Fragile between our massive gentle paws | P |
| - | |
| We know just how to play the cruel game | W |
| Of breaking in the most rebellious steeds | P |
| And stubborn captive maids we also tame | W |
| And subjugate to gratify our needs | P |
| - | |
| Come join us then Leave war and war's alarms | P |
| And grasp the hand of peace and amity | X |
| While still there's time Comrades lay down your arms | P |
| Let us unite in true fraternity | X |
| - | |
| But if you spurn us then we shall not mourn | Y |
| We too can reckon perfidy no crime | Z |
| And countless generations yet unborn | Y |
| Shall curse your memory till the end of time | Z |
| - | |
| We shall abandon Europe and her charm | A2 |
| We shall resort to Scythian craft and guile | B2 |
| Swift to the woods and forests we shall swarm | C2 |
| And then look back and smile our slit eyed smile | B2 |
| - | |
| Away to the Urals all Quick leave the land | D2 |
| And clear the field for trial by blood and sword | D |
| Where steel machines that have no soul must stand | D2 |
| And face the fury of the Mongol horde | D |
| - | |
| But we ourselves henceforth we shall not serve | E2 |
| As henchmen holding up the trusty shield | F2 |
| We'll keep our distance and slit eyed observe | E2 |
| The deadly conflict raging on the field | F2 |
| - | |
| We shall not stir even though the frenzied Huns | P |
| Plunder the corpses of the slain in battle drive | G2 |
| Their cattle into shrines burn cities down | H2 |
| And roast their white skinned fellow men alive | G2 |
| - | |
| O ancient World arise For the last time | Z |
| We call you to the ritual feast and fire | C |
| Of peace and brotherhood For the last time | Z |
| O hear the summons of the barbarian lyre | I2 |
Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Blok
(1)
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