Morte D'arthur Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Alfred Lord Tennyson

Morte D'arthur Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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So all day long the noise of battle roll'd	A
Among the mountains by the winter sea	B
Until King Arthur's table man by man	C
Had fallen in Lyonnesse about their Lord	D
King Arthur then because his wound was deep	E
The bold Sir Bedivere uplifted him	F
Sir Bedivere the last of all his knights	G
And bore him to a chapel nigh the field	H
A broken chancel with a broken cross	I
That stood on a dark strait of barren land	J
On one side lay the ocean and on one	K
Lay a great water and the moon was full	L
	-
Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere	M
The sequel of to day unsolders all	N
The goodliest fellowship of famous knights	G
Whereof this world holds record Such a sleep	E
They sleep the men I loved I think that we	B
Shall never more at any future time	O
Delight our souls with talk of knightly deeds	P
Walking about the gardens and the halls	Q
Of Camelot as in the days that were	M
I perish by this people which I made	R
Tho' Merlin sware that I should come again	S
To rule once more but let what will be be	B
I am so deeply smitten thro' the helm	T
That without help I cannot last till morn	U
Thou therefore take my brand Excalibur	M
Which was my pride for thou rememberest how	V
In those old days one summer noon an arm	W
Rose up from out the bosom of the lake	X
Clothed in white samite mystic wonderful	Y
Holding the sword and how I row'd across	I
And took it and have worn it like a king	Z
And wheresoever I am sung or told	A
In aftertime this also shall be known	A2
But now delay not take Excalibur	M
And fling him far into the middle mere	M
Watch what thou se euml st and lightly bring me word	B2
	-
To him replied the bold Sir Bedivere	M
It is not meet Sir King to leave thee thus	C2
Aidless alone and smitten thro' the helm	T
A little thing may harm a wounded man	C
Yet I thy hest will all perform at full	L
Watch what I see and lightly bring thee word	B2
	-
So saying from the ruin'd shrine he stept	B2
And in the moon athwart the place of tombs	D2
Where lay the mighty bones of ancient men	S
Old knights and over them the sea wind sang	E2
Shrill chill with flakes of foam He stepping down	F2
By zigzag paths and juts of pointed rock	G2
Came on the shining levels of the lake	X
	-
There drew he forth the brand Excalibur	M
And o'er him drawing it the winter moon	H2
Brightening the skirts of a long cloud ran forth	I2
And sparkled keen with frost against the hilt	B2
For all the haft twinkled with diamond sparks	J2
Myriads of topaz lights and jacinth work	K2
Of subtlest jewellery He gazed so long	L2
That both his eyes were dazzled as he stood	B2
This way and that dividing the swift mind	B2
In act to throw but at the last it seem'd	B2
Better to leave Excalibur conceal'd	B2
There in the many knotted water flags	M2
That whistled stiff and dry about the marge	N2
So strode he back slow to the wounded King	Z
	-
Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere	M
Hast thou perform'd my mission which I gave	O2
What is it thou hast seen or what hast heard	B2
	-
And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere	M
I heard the ripple washing in the reeds	P
And the wild water lapping on the crag	Z
	-
To whom replied King Arthur faint and pale	P2
Thou hast betray'd thy nature and thy name	Q2
Not rendering true answer as beseem'd	B2
Thy fealty nor like a noble knight	B2
For surer sign had follow'd either hand	B2
Or voice or else a motion of the mere	M
This is a shameful thing for men to lie	R2
Yet now I charge thee quickly go again	S
As thou art lief and dear and do the thing	Z
I bade thee watch and lightly bring me word	B2
	-
Then went Sir Bedivere the second time	O
Across the ridge and paced beside the mere	M
Counting the dewy pebbles fixed in thought	B2
But when he saw the wonder of the hilt	B2
How curiously and strangely chased he smote	B2
His palms together and he cried aloud	B2
	-
And if indeed I cast the brand away	S2
Surely a precious thing one worthy note	B2
Should thus be lost forever from the earth	T2
Which might have pleased the eyes of many men	S
What good should follow this if this were done	K
What harm undone deep harm to disobey	S2
Seeing obedience is the bond of rule	U2
Were it well to obey then if a king demand	B2
An act unprofitable against himself	V2
The King is sick and knows not what he does	W2
What record or what relic of my lord	B2
Should be to aftertime but empty breath	X2
And rumours of a doubt but were this kept	B2
Stored in some treasure house of mighty kings	Y2
Some one might show it at a joust of arms	Z2
Saying 'King Arthur's sword Excalibur	M
Wrought by the lonely maiden of the Lake	Z
Nine years she wrought it sitting in the deeps	Z2
Upon the hidden bases of the hills '	-
So might some old man speak in the aftertime	O
To all the people winning reverence	Z2
But now much honour and much fame were lost	B2
	-
So spake he clouded with his own conceit	B2
And hid Excalibur the second time	O
And so strode back slow to the wounded King	Z
	-
Then spoke King Arthur breathing heavily	B
What is it thou hast seen or what hast heard	B2
	-
And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere	M
I heard the water lapping on the crag	Z
And the long ripple washing in the reeds	Z2
	-
To whom replied King Arthur much in wrath	A3
Ah miserable and unkind untrue	M
Unknightly traitor hearted Woe is me	B
Authority forgets a dying king	Z
Laid widow'd of the power in his eye	R2
That bow'd the will I see thee what thou art	B2
For thou the latest left of all my knights	Z2
In whom should meet the offices of all	N
Thou wouldst betray me for the precious hilt	B2
Either from lust of gold or like a girl	B3
Valuing the giddy pleasure of the eyes	Z2
Yet for a man may fail in duty twice	Z2
And the third time may prosper get thee hence	Z2
But if thou spare to fling Excalibur	M
I will arise and slay thee with my hands	Z2
	-
Then quickly rose Sir Bedivere and ran	C
And leaping down the ridges lightly plunged	B2
Among the bulrush beds and clutch'd the sword	B2
And strongly wheel'd and threw it The great brand	B2
Made lightnings in the splendour of the moon	H2
And flashing round and round and whirl'd in an arch	C3
Shot like a streamer of the northern morn	U
Seen where the moving isles of winter shock	Z
By night with noises of the northern sea	B
So flash'd and fell the brand Excalibur	M
But ere he dipt the surface rose an arm	O
Clothed in white samite mystic wonderful	Y
And caught him by the hilt and brandish'd him	O
Three times and drew him under in the mere	M
And lightly went the other to the King	Z
	-
Then spoke King Arthur drawing thicker breath	X2
Now see I by thine eyes that this is done	K
Speak out what is it thou hast heard or seen	D3
	-
And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere	M
Sir King I closed mine eyelids lest the gems	Z2
Should blind my purpose for I never saw	Z2
Nor shall see here or elsewhere till I die	R2
Not tho' I live three lives of mortal men	S
So great a miracle as yonder hilt	B2
Then with both hands I flung him wheeling him	O
But when I look'd again behold an arm	O
Clothed in white samite mystic wonderful	Y
That caught him by the hilt and brandish'd him	O
Three times and drew him under in the mere	M
	-
And answer made King Arthur breathing hard	B2
My end draws nigh 't is time that I were gone	E3
Make broad thy shoulders to receive my weight	B2
And bear me to the margin yet I fear	M
My wound hath taken cold and I shall die	R2
	-
So saying from the pavement he half rose	Z2
Slowly with pain reclining on his arm	O
And looking wistfully with wide blue eyes	Z2
As in a picture Him Sir Bedivere	M
Remorsefully regarded thro' his tears	Z2
And would have spoken but he found not words	Z2
Then took with care and kneeling on one knee	B
O'er both his shoulders drew the languid hands	Z2
And rising bore him thro' the place of tombs	Z2
	-
But as he walk'd King Arthur panted hard	B2
Like one that feels a nightmare on his bed	B2
When all the house is mute So sigh'd the King	Z
Muttering and murmuring at his ear Quick quick	Z
I fear it is too late and I shall die	R2
But the other swiftly strode from ridge to ridge	F3
Clothed with his breath and looking as he walk'd	B2
Larger than human on the frozen hills	Z2
He heard the deep behind him and a cry	R2
Before His own thought drove him like a goad	B2
Dry clash'd his harness in the icy caves	Z2
And barren chasms and all to left and right	B2
The bare black cliff clang'd round him as he based	B2
His feet on juts of slippery crag that rang	Z
Sharp smitten with the dint of armed heels	Z2
And on a sudden lo the level lake	Z
And the long glories of the winter moon	H2
	-
Then saw they how there hove a dusky barge	N2
Dark as a funeral scarf from stem to stern	G3
Beneath them and descending they were ware	M
That all the decks were dense with stately forms	Z2
Black stoled black hooded like a dream by these	Z2
Three Queens with crowns of gold and from them rose	Z2
A cry that shiver'd to the tingling stars	Z2
And as it were one voice an agony	B
Of lamentation like a wind that shrills	Z2
All night in a waste land where no one comes	Z2
Or hath come since the making of the world	B2
	-
Then murmur'd Arthur Place me in the barge	N2
And to the barge they came There those three Queens	Z2
Put forth their hands and took the King and wept	B2
But she that rose the tallest of them all	N
And fairest laid his head upon her lap	H3
And loosed the shatter'd casque and chafed his hands	Z2
And call'd him by his name complaining loud	B2
And dropping bitter tears against his brow	M
Striped with dark blood for all his face was white	B2
And colourless and like the wither'd moon	H2
Smote by the fresh beam of the springing east	B2
And all his greaves and cuisses dash'd with drops	Z2
Of onset and the light and lustrous curls	Z2
That made his forehead like a rising sun	K
High from the da iuml s throne were parch'd with dust	B2
Or clotted into points and hanging loose	Z2
Mix'd with the knightly growth that fringed his lips	Z2
So like a shatter'd column lay the King	Z
Not like that Arthur who with lance in rest	B2
From spur to plume a star of tournament	B2
Shot thro' the lists at Camelot and charged	B2
Before the eyes of ladies and of kings	Z2
	-
Then loudly cried the bold Sir Bedivere	M
Ah my Lord Arthur whither shall I go	Z
Where shall I hide my forehead and my eyes	Z2
For now I see the true old times are dead	B2
When every morning brought a noble chance	Z2
And every chance brought out a noble knight	B2
Such times have been not since the light that led	B2
The holy Elders with the gift of myrrh	M
But now the whole ROUND TABLE is dissolved	B2
Which was an image of the mighty world	B2
And I the last go forth companionless	Z2
And the days darken round me and the years	Z2
Among new men strange faces other minds	Z2
	-
And slowly answer'd Arthur from the barge	N2
The old order changeth yielding place to new	M
And God fulfils Himself in many ways	Z2
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world	B2
Comfort thyself what comfort is in me	B
I have lived my life and that which I have done	K
May He within Himself make pure but thou	M
If thou shouldst never see my face again	S
Pray for my soul More things are wrought by prayer	M
Than this world dreams of Wherefore let thy voice	Z2
Rise like a fountain for me night and day	S2
For what are men better than sheep or goats	Z2
That nourish a blind life within the brain	I3
If knowing God they lift not hands of prayer	M
Both for themselves and those who call them friend	B2
For so the whole round earth is every way	S2
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God	B2
But now farewell I am going a long way	S2
With these thou se euml st if indeed I go	Z
For all my mind is clouded with a doubt	B2
To the island valley of Avilion	I3
Where falls not hail or rain or any snow	I3
Nor ever wind blows loudly but it lies	Z2
Deep meadow'd happy fair with orchard lawns	Z2
And bowery hollows crown'd with summer sea	B
Where I will heal me of my grievous wound	B2
	-
So said he and the barge with oar and sail	P2
Moved from the brink like some full breasted swan	I3
That fluting a wild carol ere her death	X2
Ruffles her pure cold plume and takes the flood	B2
With swarthy webs Long stood Sir Bedivere	M
Revolving many memories till the hull	Y
Look'd one black dot against the verge of dawn	I3
And on the mere the wailing died away	S2