Lancelot And Elaine Poem Rhyme Scheme

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 2154 times,

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

This poem was voted by 4 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

A Simple Gift Of Clarity
by Michael Mcguire
Ring Of Fire
by N. Khanyile
A Disturbing Dream
by Marlon Pitter
Crab Lice
by Marlon Pitter
Biography Of The Anonymous
by Gilbert Sordebabari
Lost In Search Of A Saved Child
by Michael Mcguire
Dark Lens
by Gilbert Sordebabari
The Ship
by Pieter Sanders
Rose Bush
by Aubrie J Chellman
Between Condemning Bad Acts And Doing Bad Things, Which One Is Worse?
by Marlon Pitter

Popular Poets

1. Emily Dickinson(2415 poems)
2. Madison Julius Cawein(1231 poems)
3. Ella Wheeler Wilcox(1136 poems)
4. William Wordsworth(1016 poems)
5. Robert Burns(986 poems)
6. Edgar Albert Guest(945 poems)
7. Thomas Moore(849 poems)
8. Robert Service(831 poems)

Elaine the fair Elaine the loveable	A
Elaine the lily maid of Astolat	B
High in her chamber up a tower to the east	B
Guarded the sacred shield of Lancelot	B
Which first she placed where the morning's earliest ray	C
Might strike it and awake her with the gleam	D
Then fearing rust or soilure fashioned for it	B
A case of silk and braided thereupon	E
All the devices blazoned on the shield	B
In their own tinct and added of her wit	B
A border fantasy of branch and flower	F
And yellow throated nestling in the nest	B
Nor rested thus content but day by day	C
Leaving her household and good father climbed	B
That eastern tower and entering barred her door	G
Stript off the case and read the naked shield	B
Now guessed a hidden meaning in his arms	H
Now made a pretty history to herself	I
Of every dint a sword had beaten in it	B
And every scratch a lance had made upon it	B
Conjecturing when and where this cut is fresh	J
That ten years back this dealt him at Caerlyle	A
That at Caerleon this at Camelot	B
And ah God's mercy what a stroke was there	K
And here a thrust that might have killed but God	B
Broke the strong lance and rolled his enemy down	L
And saved him so she lived in fantasy	M
	-
How came the lily maid by that good shield	B
Of Lancelot she that knew not even his name	N
He left it with her when he rode to tilt	B
For the great diamond in the diamond jousts	M
Which Arthur had ordained and by that name	N
Had named them since a diamond was the prize	M
	-
For Arthur long before they crowned him King	O
Roving the trackless realms of Lyonnesse	M
Had found a glen gray boulder and black tarn	L
A horror lived about the tarn and clave	I
Like its own mists to all the mountain side	B
For here two brothers one a king had met	B
And fought together but their names were lost	B
And each had slain his brother at a blow	A
And down they fell and made the glen abhorred	B
And there they lay till all their bones were bleached	B
And lichened into colour with the crags	M
And he that once was king had on a crown	L
Of diamonds one in front and four aside	B
And Arthur came and labouring up the pass	M
All in a misty moonshine unawares	M
Had trodden that crowned skeleton and the skull	A
Brake from the nape and from the skull the crown	L
Rolled into light and turning on its rims	M
Fled like a glittering rivulet to the tarn	L
And down the shingly scaur he plunged and caught	B
And set it on his head and in his heart	B
Heard murmurs 'Lo thou likewise shalt be King '	-
	-
Thereafter when a King he had the gems	M
Plucked from the crown and showed them to his knights	M
Saying 'These jewels whereupon I chanced	B
Divinely are the kingdom's not the King's	M
For public use henceforward let there be	M
Once every year a joust for one of these	M
For so by nine years' proof we needs must learn	L
Which is our mightiest and ourselves shall grow	A
In use of arms and manhood till we drive	I
The heathen who some say shall rule the land	B
Hereafter which God hinder ' Thus he spoke	P
And eight years past eight jousts had been and still	A
Had Lancelot won the diamond of the year	Q
With purpose to present them to the Queen	L
When all were won but meaning all at once	M
To snare her royal fancy with a boon	L
Worth half her realm had never spoken word	B
	-
Now for the central diamond and the last	B
And largest Arthur holding then his court	B
Hard on the river nigh the place which now	L
Is this world's hugest let proclaim a joust	B
At Camelot and when the time drew nigh	I
Spake for she had been sick to Guinevere	Q
'Are you so sick my Queen you cannot move	I
To these fair jousts ' 'Yea lord ' she said 'ye know it '	-
'Then will ye miss ' he answered 'the great deeds	M
Of Lancelot and his prowess in the lists	M
A sight ye love to look on ' And the Queen	L
Lifted her eyes and they dwelt languidly	A
On Lancelot where he stood beside the King	O
He thinking that he read her meaning there	Q
'Stay with me I am sick my love is more	Q
Than many diamonds ' yielded and a heart	B
Love loyal to the least wish of the Queen	L
However much he yearned to make complete	B
The tale of diamonds for his destined boon	L
Urged him to speak against the truth and say	M
'Sir King mine ancient wound is hardly whole	A
And lets me from the saddle ' and the King	O
Glanced first at him then her and went his way	M
No sooner gone than suddenly she began	L
	-
'To blame my lord Sir Lancelot much to blame	N
Why go ye not to these fair jousts the knights	M
Are half of them our enemies and the crowd	B
Will murmur Lo the shameless ones who take	R
Their pastime now the trustful King is gone '	-
Then Lancelot vext at having lied in vain	L
'Are ye so wise ye were not once so wise	M
My Queen that summer when ye loved me first	B
Then of the crowd ye took no more account	B
Than of the myriad cricket of the mead	B
When its own voice clings to each blade of grass	M
And every voice is nothing As to knights	M
Them surely can I silence with all ease	M
But now my loyal worship is allowed	B
Of all men many a bard without offence	M
Has linked our names together in his lay	M
Lancelot the flower of bravery Guinevere	Q
The pearl of beauty and our knights at feast	B
Have pledged us in this union while the King	O
Would listen smiling How then is there more	Q
Has Arthur spoken aught or would yourself	I
Now weary of my service and devoir	Q
Henceforth be truer to your faultless lord '	-
	-
She broke into a little scornful laugh	I
'Arthur my lord Arthur the faultless King	O
That passionate perfection my good lord	B
But who can gaze upon the Sun in heaven	L
He never spake word of reproach to me	M
He never had a glimpse of mine untruth	S
He cares not for me only here today	M
There gleamed a vague suspicion in his eyes	M
Some meddling rogue has tampered with him else	M
Rapt in this fancy of his Table Round	B
And swearing men to vows impossible	A
To make them like himself but friend to me	M
He is all fault who hath no fault at all	A
For who loves me must have a touch of earth	T
The low sun makes the colour I am yours	M
Not Arthur's as ye know save by the bond	B
And therefore hear my words go to the jousts	M
The tiny trumpeting gnat can break our dream	D
When sweetest and the vermin voices here	Q
May buzz so loud we scorn them but they sting '	-
	-
Then answered Lancelot the chief of knights	M
'And with what face after my pretext made	B
Shall I appear O Queen at Camelot I	I
Before a King who honours his own word	B
As if it were his God's '	-
	-
'Yea ' said the Queen	L
'A moral child without the craft to rule	A
Else had he not lost me but listen to me	M
If I must find you wit we hear it said	B
That men go down before your spear at a touch	U
But knowing you are Lancelot your great name	N
This conquers hide it therefore go unknown	L
Win by this kiss you will and our true King	O
Will then allow your pretext O my knight	B
As all for glory for to speak him true	Q
Ye know right well how meek soe'er he seem	D
No keener hunter after glory breathes	M
He loves it in his knights more than himself	I
They prove to him his work win and return '	-
	-
Then got Sir Lancelot suddenly to horse	M
Wroth at himself Not willing to be known	L
He left the barren beaten thoroughfare	Q
Chose the green path that showed the rarer foot	B
And there among the solitary downs	M
Full often lost in fancy lost his way	M
Till as he traced a faintly shadowed track	V
That all in loops and links among the dales	M
Ran to the Castle of Astolat he saw	M
Fired from the west far on a hill the towers	M
Thither he made and blew the gateway horn	L
Then came an old dumb myriad wrinkled man	L
Who let him into lodging and disarmed	B
And Lancelot marvelled at the wordless man	L
And issuing found the Lord of Astolat	B
With two strong sons Sir Torre and Sir Lavaine	L
Moving to meet him in the castle court	B
And close behind them stept the lily maid	B
Elaine his daughter mother of the house	M
There was not some light jest among them	W

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Lancelot And Elaine Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

About Lancelot And Elaine

Write your comment about Lancelot And Elaine poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Recent Interactions*

New Poems

Popular Poets