Gareth And Lynette Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDAEAEEFGHEAAIJEKL MNAFOPAQAIAR KAA AAA ECDASESEAAEPATUTA AA EIAVWXYAA AEZABA2IKWEWB2B2AEC2 EED2EDAED2EB AAEWBAE2ABEAWF2JXXOA BB AABBG2H2CI2WBJ2 XXGK2AI L2AM2XN2O2AIA AG H2WEEP2M2 M2AQAXE AWJDWF2E JGI

The last tall son of Lot and BellicentA
And tallest Gareth in a showerful springB
Stared at the spate A slender shafted PineC
Lost footing fell and so was whirled awayD
'How he went down ' said Gareth 'as a false knightA
Or evil king before my lance if lanceE
Were mine to use O senseless cataractA
Bearing all down in thy precipitancyE
And yet thou art but swollen with cold snowsE
And mine is living blood thou dost His willF
The Maker's and not knowest and I that knowG
Have strength and wit in my good mother's hallH
Linger with vacillating obedienceE
Prisoned and kept and coaxed and whistled toA
Since the good mother holds me still a childA
Good mother is bad mother unto meI
A worse were better yet no worse would IJ
Heaven yield her for it but in me put forceE
To weary her ears with one continuous prayerK
Until she let me fly discaged to sweepL
In ever highering eagle circles upM
To the great Sun of Glory and thence swoopN
Down upon all things base and dash them deadA
A knight of Arthur working out his willF
To cleanse the world Why Gawain when he cameO
With Modred hither in the summertimeP
Asked me to tilt with him the proven knightA
Modred for want of worthier was the judgeQ
Then I so shook him in the saddle he saidA
Thou hast half prevailed against me said so heI
Though Modred biting his thin lips was muteA
For he is alway sullen what care I 'R
-
And Gareth went and hovering round her chairK
Asked 'Mother though ye count me still the childA
Sweet mother do ye love the child ' She laughedA
'Thou art but a wild goose to question it '-
'Then mother an ye love the child ' he saidA
'Being a goose and rather tame than wildA
Hear the child's story ' 'Yea my well belovedA
An 'twere but of the goose and golden eggs '-
-
And Gareth answered her with kindling eyesE
'Nay nay good mother but this egg of mineC
Was finer gold than any goose can layD
For this an Eagle a royal Eagle laidA
Almost beyond eye reach on such a palmS
As glitters gilded in thy Book of HoursE
And there was ever haunting round the palmS
A lusty youth but poor who often sawE
The splendour sparkling from aloft and thoughtA
An I could climb and lay my hand upon itA
Then were I wealthier than a leash of kingsE
But ever when he reached a hand to climbP
One that had loved him from his childhood caughtA
And stayed him Climb not lest thou break thy neckT
I charge thee by my love and so the boyU
Sweet mother neither clomb nor brake his neckT
But brake his very heart in pining for itA
And past away '-
-
To whom the mother saidA
'True love sweet son had risked himself and climbedA
And handed down the golden treasure to him '-
-
And Gareth answered her with kindling eyesE
'Gold ' said I gold ay then why he or sheI
Or whosoe'er it was or half the worldA
Had ventured HAD the thing I spake of beenV
Mere gold but this was all of that true steelW
Whereof they forged the brand ExcaliburX
And lightnings played about it in the stormY
And all the little fowl were flurried at itA
And there were cries and clashings in the nestA
That sent him from his senses let me go '-
-
Then Bellicent bemoaned herself and saidA
'Hast thou no pity upon my lonelinessE
Lo where thy father Lot beside the hearthZ
Lies like a log and all but smouldered outA
For ever since when traitor to the KingB
He fought against him in the Barons' warA2
And Arthur gave him back his territoryI
His age hath slowly droopt and now lies thereK
A yet warm corpse and yet unburiableW
No more nor sees nor hears nor speaks nor knowsE
And both thy brethren are in Arthur's hallW
Albeit neither loved with that full loveB2
I feel for thee nor worthy such a loveB2
Stay therefore thou red berries charm the birdA
And thee mine innocent the jousts the warsE
Who never knewest finger ache nor pangC2
Of wrenched or broken limb an often chanceE
In those brain stunning shocks and tourney fallsE
Frights to my heart but stay follow the deerD2
By these tall firs and our fast falling burnsE
So make thy manhood mightier day by dayD
Sweet is the chase and I will seek thee outA
Some comfortable bride and fair to graceE
Thy climbing life and cherish my prone yearD2
Till falling into Lot's forgetfulnessE
I know not thee myself nor anythingB
Stay my best son ye are yet more boy than man '-
-
Then Gareth 'An ye hold me yet for childA
Hear yet once more the story of the childA
For mother there was once a King like oursE
The prince his heir when tall and marriageableW
Asked for a bride and thereupon the KingB
Set two before him One was fair strong armedA
But to be won by force and many menE2
Desired her one good lack no man desiredA
And these were the conditions of the KingB
That save he won the first by force he needsE
Must wed that other whom no man desiredA
A red faced bride who knew herself so vileW
That evermore she longed to hide herselfF2
Nor fronted man or woman eye to eyeJ
Yea some she cleaved to but they died of herX
And one they called her Fame and one O MotherX
How can ye keep me tethered to you ShameO
Man am I grown a man's work must I doA
Follow the deer follow the Christ the KingB
Live pure speak true right wrong follow the KingB
Else wherefore born '-
-
To whom the mother saidA
'Sweet son for there be many who deem him notA
Or will not deem him wholly proven KingB
Albeit in mine own heart I knew him KingB
When I was frequent with him in my youthG2
And heard him Kingly speak and doubted himH2
No more than he himself but felt him mineC
Of closest kin to me yet wilt thou leaveI2
Thine easeful biding here and risk thine allW
Life limbs for one that is not proven KingB
Stay till the cloud that settles round his birthJ2
Hath lifted but a little Stay sweet son '-
-
And Gareth answered quickly 'Not an hourX
So that ye yield me I will walk through fireX
Mother to gain it your full leave to goG
Not proven who swept the dust of ruined RomeK2
From off the threshold of the realm and crushedA
The Idolaters and made the people freeI
Who should be King save him who makes us free '-
-
So when the Queen who long had sought in vainL2
To break him from the intent to which he grewA
Found her son's will unwaveringly oneM2
She answered craftily 'Will ye walk through fireX
Who walks through fire will hardly heed the smokeN2
Ay go then an ye must only one proofO2
Before thou ask the King to make thee knightA
Of thine obedience and thy love to meI
Thy mother I demandA
-
And Gareth criedA
'A hard one or a hundred so I goG
Nay quick the proof to prove me to the quick '-
-
But slowly spake the mother looking at himH2
'Prince thou shalt go disguised to Arthur's hallW
And hire thyself to serve for meats and drinksE
Among the scullions and the kitchen knavesE
And those that hand the dish across the barP2
Nor shalt thou tell thy name to anyoneM2
And thou shalt serve a twelvemonth and a day '-
-
For so the Queen believed that when her sonM2
Beheld his only way to glory leadA
Low down through villain kitchen vassalageQ
Her own true Gareth was too princely proudA
To pass thereby so should he rest with herX
Closed in her castle from the sound of armsE
-
Silent awhile was Gareth then repliedA
'The thrall in person may be free in soulW
And I shall see the jousts Thy son am IJ
And since thou art my mother must obeyD
I therefore yield me freely to thy willW
For hence will I disguised and hire myselfF2
To serve with scullions and with kitchen knavesE
Nor tell my name to any no not the King '-
-
Gareth awhile lingered The mother's eyeJ
Full of the wistful fear that he would goG
And turning toward him wheresoe'er heI

Alfred Lord Tennyson



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Gareth And Lynette poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 25 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets