Early Sonnets Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B CDDCEFF GBHGBH A I JCCJKJJLMNONMM A JNNJJPJPIQRCQR S T CCCCCCCCUVQUVW S C XYYXYXXYFSZFSZ S C UCCUUCCUSCCSCC S CCCCCCCCZA2ZZA2Z S CCCCCCCCZSFSZF Z CSCSCSCSB2ZZB2ZZ Z SC2C2SD2VD2VSZE2ZF2S S C CSS CSS CG2CCG2

IA
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ToB
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As when with downcast eyes we muse and broodC
And ebb into a former life or seemD
To lapse far back in some confused dreamD
To states of mystical similitudeC
If one but speaks or hems or stirs his chairE
Ever the wonder waxeth more and moreF
So that we say 'All this hath been beforeF
All this hath been I know not when or where '-
So friend when first I look'd upon your faceG
Our thought gave answer each to each so trueB
Opposed mirrors each reflecting eachH
That tho' I knew not in what time or placeG
Methought that I had often met with youB
And either lived in either's heart and speechH
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IIA
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To J M KI
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My hope and heart is with thee thou wilt beJ
A latter Luther and a soldier priestC
To scare church harpies from the master's feastC
Our dusted velvets have much need of theeJ
Thou art no Sabbath drawler of old sawsK
Distill'd from some worm canker'd homilyJ
But spurr'd at heart with fieriest energyJ
To embattail and to wall about thy causeL
With iron worded proof hating to harkM
The humming of the drowsy pulpit droneN
Half God's good Sabbath while the worn out clerkO
Brow beats his desk below Thou from a throneN
Mounted in heaven wilt shoot into the darkM
Arrows of lightnings I will stand and markM
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IIIA
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Mine be the strength of spirit full and freeJ
Like some broad river rushing down aloneN
With the selfsame impulse wherewith he was thrownN
From his loud fount upon the echoing leaJ
Which with increasing might doth forward fleeJ
By town and tower and hill and cape and isleP
And in the middle of the green salt seaJ
Keeps his blue waters fresh for many a mileP
Mine be the power which ever to its swayI
Will win the wise at once and by degreesQ
May into uncongenial spirits flowR
Even as the warm gulf stream of FloridaC
Floats far away into the Northern seasQ
The lavish growths of southern MexicoR
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IVS
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ALEXANDERT
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Warrior of God whose strong right arm debasedC
The throne of Persia when her Satrap bledC
At Issus by the Syrian gates or fledC
Beyond the Memmian naphtha pits disgracedC
For ever thee thy pathway sand erasedC
Gliding with equal crowns two serpents ledC
Joyful to that palm planted fountain fedC
Ammonian Oasis in the wasteC
There in a silent shade of laurel brownU
Apart the Chamian Oracle divineV
Shelter'd his unapproached mysteriesQ
High things were spoken there unhanded downU
Only they saw thee from the secret shrineV
Returning with hot cheek and kindled eyesW
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VS
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BUONAPARTEC
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He thought to quell the stubborn hearts of oakX
Madman to chain with chains and bind with bandsY
That island queen who sways the floods and landsY
From Ind to Ind but in fair daylight wokeX
When from her wooden walls lit by sure handsY
With thunders and with lightnings and with smokeX
Peal after peal the British battle brokeX
Lulling the brine against the Coptic sandsY
We taught him lowlier moods when ElsinoreF
Heard the war moan along the distant seaS
Rocking with shatter'd spars with sudden firesZ
Flamed over at Trafalgar yet once moreF
We taught him late he learned humilityS
Perforce like those whom Gideon school'd with briersZ
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VIS
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POLANDC
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How long O God shall men be ridden downU
And trampled under by the last and leastC
Of men The heart of Poland hath not ceasedC
To quiver tho' her sacred blood doth drownU
The fields and out of every smouldering townU
Cries to Thee lest brute Power be increasedC
Till that o'ergrown Barbarian in the EastC
Transgress his ample bound to some new crownU
Cries to Thee 'Lord how long shall these things beS
How long this icy hearted MuscoviteC
Oppress the region ' Us O Just and GoodC
Forgive who smiled when she was torn in threeS
Us who stand now when we should aid the rightC
A matter to be wept with tears of bloodC
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VIIS
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Caress'd or chidden by the slender handC
And singing airy trifles this or thatC
Light Hope at Beauty's call would perch and standC
And run thro' every change of sharp and flatC
And Fancy came and at her pillow satC
When Sleep had bound her in his rosy bandC
And chased away the still recurring gnatC
And woke her with a lay from fairy landC
But now they live with Beauty less and lessZ
For Hope is other Hope and wanders farA2
Nor cares to lisp in love's delicious creedsZ
And Fancy watches in the wildernessZ
Poor Fancy sadder than a single starA2
That sets at twilight in a land of reedsZ
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VIIIS
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The form the form alone is eloquentC
A nobler yearning never broke her restC
Than but to dance and sing be gaily drestC
And win all eyes with all accomplishmentC
Yet in the whirling dances as we wentC
My fancy made me for a moment blestC
To find my heart so near the beauteous breastC
That once had power to rob it of contentC
A moment came the tenderness of tearsZ
The phantom of a wish that once could moveS
A ghost of passion that no smiles restoreF
For ah the slight coquette she cannot loveS
And if you kiss'd her feet a thousand yearsZ
She still would take the praise and care no moreF
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IXZ
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Wan Sculptor weepest thou to take the castC
Of those dead lineaments that near thee lieS
O sorrowest thou pale Painter for the pastC
In painting some dead friend from memoryS
Weep on beyond his object Love can lastC
His object lives more cause to weep have IS
My tears no tears of love are flowing fastC
No tears of love but tears that Love can dieS
I pledge her not in any cheerful cupB2
Nor care to sit beside her where she sitsZ
Ah pity hint it not in human tonesZ
But breathe it into earth and close it upB2
With secret death for ever in the pitsZ
Which some green Christmas crams with weary bonesZ
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XZ
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If I were loved as I desire to beS
What is there in the great sphere of the earthC2
And range of evil between death and birthC2
That I should fear if I were loved by theeS
All the inner all the outer world of painD2
Clear Love would pierce and cleave if thou wert mineV
As I have heard that somewhere in the mainD2
Fresh water springs come up through bitter brineV
'Twere joy not fear claspt hand in hand with theeS
To wait for death mute careless of all illsZ
Apart upon a mountain tho' the surgeE2
Of some new deluge from a thousand hillsZ
Flung leagues of roaring foam into the gorgeF2
Below us as far on as eye could seeS
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XIS
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THE BRIDESMAIDC
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O bridesmaid ere the happy knot was tiedC
Thine eyes so wept that they could hardly seeS
Thy sister smiled and said 'No tears for meS
A happy bridesmaid makes a happy bride '-
And then the couple standing side by sideC
Love lighted down between them full of gleeS
And over his left shoulder laugh'd at theeS
'O happy bridesmaid make a happy bride '-
And all at once a pleasant truth I learn'dC
For while the tender service made thee weepG2
I loved thee for the tear thou couldst not hideC
And prest thy hand and knew the press return'dC
And thought 'My life is sick of single sleepG2
O happy bridesmaid make a happy bride '-

Alfred Lord Tennyson



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