Oenone Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIIJKLI M NIOPDQR STUIVWIXYZA2 STIIB2C2ID2IE2F2 STIG2DITV TTTIAH2AIITI2 TJ2TTK2T H2 L2H2H2TII TH2TIH2TM2ITK2N2H2TI TTII2AAL2IH2H2IA TTTTO2IITL2TL2H2AL2P 2L2I TAL2TITIH2H2ATIII TTATIATTQ2T L2AR2L2ATI TIIS2T T TAAITIIAL2L2T2 T ITI TTL2ITATTU2IT TITIIAV2ITAH2T TAITTL2IITTII TIW2H2TX2H2TATTTI TIIAI2L2TTTH2 TIL2H2IIITTY2Z2A2TH2 T TIAAIIATIII TH2IA3YAB3ITH2AT

There lies a vale in Ida lovelierA
Than all the valleys of Ionian hillsB
The swimming vapour slopes athwart the glenC
Puts forth an arm and creeps from pine to pineD
And loiters slowly drawn On either handE
The lawns and meadow ledges midway downF
Hang rich in flowers and far below them roarsG
The long brook falling thro' the clov'n ravineH
In cataract after cataract to the seaI
Behind the valley topmost GargarusI
Stands up and takes the morning but in frontJ
The gorges opening wide apart revealK
Troas and Ilion's column'd citadelL
The crown of TroasI
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Hither came at noonM
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Mournful OEnone wandering forlornN
Of Paris once her playmate on the hillsI
Her cheek had lost the rose and round her neckO
Floated her hair or seem'd to float in restP
She leaning on a fragment twined with vineD
Sang to the stillness till the mountain shadeQ
Sloped downward to her seat from the upper cliffR
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'O mother Ida many fountain'd IdaS
Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
For now the noonday quiet holds the hillU
The grasshopper is silent in the grassI
The lizard with his shadow on the stoneV
Rests like a shadow and the winds are deadW
The purple flower droops the golden beeI
Is lily cradled I alone awakeX
My eyes are full of tears my heart of loveY
My heart is breaking and my eyes are dimZ
And I am all aweary of my lifeA2
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'O mother Ida many fountain'd IdaS
Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
Hear me O Earth hear me O Hills O CavesI
That house the cold crown'd snake O mountain brooksI
I am the daughter of a River GodB2
Hear me for I will speak and build up allC2
My sorrow with my song as yonder wallsI
Rose slowly to a music slowly breathedD2
A cloud that gather'd shape for it may beI
That while I speak of it a little whileE2
My heart may wander from its deeper woeF2
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'O mother Ida many fountain'd IdaS
Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
I waited underneath the dawning hillsI
Aloft the mountain lawn was dewy darkG2
And dewy dark aloft the mountain pineD
Beautiful Paris evil hearted ParisI
Leading a jet black goat white horn'd white hoovedT
Came up from reedy Simois all aloneV
-
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'O mother Ida harken ere I dieT
Far off the torrent call'd me from the cleftT
Far up the solitary morning smoteT
The streaks of virgin snow With down dropt eyesI
I sat alone white breasted like a starA
Fronting the dawn he moved a leopard skinH2
Droop'd from his shoulder but his sunny hairA
Cluster'd about his temples like a God'sI
And his cheek brighten'd as the foam bow brightensI
When the wind blows the foam and all my heartT
Went forth to embrace him coming ere he cameI2
-
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'Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
He smiled and opening out his milk white palmJ2
Disclosed a fruit of pure Hesperian goldT
That smelt ambrosially and while I look'dT
And listen'd the full flowing river of speechK2
Came down upon my heartT
-
My own OEnoneH2
-
Beautiful brow'd OEnone my own soulL2
Behold this fruit whose gleaming rind ingrav'nH2
'For the most fair ' would seem to award it thineH2
As lovelier than whatever Oread hauntT
The knolls of Ida loveliest in all graceI
Of movement and the charm of married browsI
-
-
'Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
He prest the blossom of his lips to mineH2
And added This was cast upon the boardT
When all the full faced presence of the GodsI
Ranged in the halls of Peleus whereuponH2
Rose feud with question unto whom 'twere dueT
But light foot Iris brought it yester eveM2
Delivering that to me by common voiceI
Elected umpire Her comes to dayT
Pallas and Aphrodit claiming eachK2
This meed of fairest Thou within the caveN2
Behind yon whispering tuft of oldest pineH2
Mayst well behold them unbeheld unheardT
Hear all and see thy Paris judge of GodsI
-
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'Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
It was the deep midnoon one silvery cloudT
Had lost his way between the piney sidesI
Of this long glen Then to the bower they cameI2
Naked they came to that smooth swarded bowerA
And at their feet the crocus brake like fireA
Violet amaracus and asphodelL2
Lotos and lilies and a wind aroseI
And overhead the wandering ivy and vineH2
This way and that in many a wild festoonH2
Ran riot garlanding the gnarled boughsI
With bunch and berry and flower thro' and thro'A
-
-
'O mother Ida harken ere I dieT
On the tree tops a crested peacock litT
And o'er him flow'd a golden cloud and lean'dT
Upon him slowly dropping fragrant dewT
Then first I heard the voice of her to whomO2
Coming thro' Heaven like a light that growsI
Larger and clearer with one mind the GodsI
Rise up for reverence She to Paris madeT
Proffer of royal power ample ruleL2
Unquestion'd overflowing revenueT
Wherewith to embellish state from many a valeL2
And river sunder'd champaign clothed with cornH2
Or labour'd mine undrainable of oreA
Honour she said and homage tax and tollL2
From many an inland town and haven largeP2
Mast throng'd beneath her shadowing citadelL2
In glassy bays among her tallest towersI
-
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'O mother Ida harken ere I dieT
Still she spake on and still she spake of powerA
Which in all action is the end of allL2
Power fitted to the season wisdom bredT
And throned of wisdom from all neighbour crownsI
Alliance and allegiance till thy handT
Fail from the sceptre staff Such boon from meI
From me Heaven's Queen Paris to thee king bornH2
A shepherd all thy life but yet king bornH2
Should come most welcome seeing men in powerA
Only are likest Gods who have attain'dT
Rest in a happy place and quiet seatsI
Above the thunder with undying blissI
In knowledge of their own supremacyI
-
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'Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
She ceased and Paris held the costly fruitT
Out at arm's length so much the thought of powerA
Flatter'd his spirit but Pallas where she stoodT
Somewhat apart her clear and bared limbsI
O'erthwarted with the brazen headed spearA
Upon her pearly shoulder leaning coldT
The while above her full and earnest eyeT
Over her snow cold breast and angry cheekQ2
Kept watch waiting decision made replyT
-
-
' Self reverence self knowledge self controlL2
These three alone lead life to sovereign powerA
Yet not for power power of herselfR2
Would come uncall'd for but to live by lawL2
Acting the law we live by without fearA
And because right is right to follow rightT
Were wisdom in the scorn of consequenceI
-
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'Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
Again she said I woo thee not with giftsI
Sequel of guerdon could not alter meI
To fairer Judge thou me by what I amS2
So shalt thou find me fairestT
-
Yet indeedT
-
If gazing on divinity disrobedT
Thy mortal eyes are frail to judge of fairA
Unbias'd by self profit oh rest thee sureA
That I shall love thee well and cleave to theeI
So that my vigour wedded to thy bloodT
Shall strike within thy pulses like a God'sI
To push thee forward thro' a life of shocksI
Dangers and deeds until endurance growA
Sinew'd with action and the full grown willL2
Circled thro' all experiences pure lawL2
Commeasure perfect freedomT2
-
'Here she ceas'dT
-
And Paris ponder'd and I cried O ParisI
Give it to Pallas but he heard me notT
Or hearing would not hear me woe is meI
-
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'O mother Ida many fountain'd IdaT
Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
Idalian Aphrodit beautifulL2
Fresh as the foam new bathed in Paphian wellsI
With rosy slender fingers backward drewT
From her warm brows and bosom her deep hairA
Ambrosial golden round her lucid throatT
And shoulder from the violets her light footT
Shone rosy white and o'er her rounded formU2
Between the shadows of the vine bunchesI
Floated the glowing sunlights as she movedT
-
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'Dear mother Ida harken ere I dieT
She with a subtle smile in her mild eyesI
The herald of her triumph drawing nighT
Half whisper'd in his ear I promise theeI
The fairest and most loving wife in GreeceI
She spoke and laugh'd I shut my sight for fearA
But when I look'd Paris had raised his armV2
And I beheld great Her 's angry eyesI
As she withdrew into the golden cloudT
And I was left alone within the bowerA
And from that time to this I am aloneH2
And I shall be alone until I dieT
-
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'Yet mother Ida harken ere I dieT
Fairest why fairest wife am I not fairA
My love hath told me so a thousand timesI
Methinks I must be fair for yesterdayT
When I past by a wild and wanton pardT
Eyed like the evening star with playful tailL2
Crouch'd fawning in the weed Most loving is sheI
Ah me my mountain shepherd that my armsI
Were wound about thee and my hot lips prestT
Close close to thine in that quick falling dewT
Of fruitful kisses thick as Autumn rainsI
Flash in the pools of whirling SimoisI
-
-
'O mother hear me yet before I dieT
They came they cut away my tallest pinesI
My tall dark pines that plumed the craggy ledgeW2
High over the blue gorge and all betweenH2
The snowy peak and snow white cataractT
Foster'd the callow eaglet from beneathX2
Whose thick mysterious boughs in the dark mornH2
The panther's roar came muffled while I satT
Low in the valley Never never moreA
Shall lone OEnone see the morning mistT
Sweep thro' them never see them overlaidT
With narrow moon lit slips of silver cloudT
Between the loud stream and the trembling starsI
-
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'O mother hear me yet before I dieT
I wish that somewhere in the ruin'd foldsI
Among the fragments tumbled from the glensI
Or the dry thickets I could meet with herA
The Abominable that uninvited cameI2
Into the fair Pele an banquet hallL2
And cast the golden fruit upon the boardT
And bred this change that I might speak my mindT
And tell her to her face how much I hateT
Her presence hated both of Gods and menH2
-
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'O mother hear me yet before I dieT
Hath he not sworn his love a thousand timesI
In this green valley under this green hillL2
Ev'n on this hand and sitting on this stoneH2
Seal'd it with kisses water'd it with tearsI
O happy tears and how unlike to theseI
O happy Heaven how canst thou see my faceI
O happy earth how canst thou bear my weightT
O death death death thou ever floating cloudT
There are enough unhappy on this earthY2
Pass by the happy souls that love to liveZ2
I pray thee pass before my light of lifeA2
And shadow all my soul that I may dieT
Thou weighest heavy on the heart withinH2
Weigh heavy on my eyelids let me dieT
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'O mother hear me yet before I dieT
I will not die alone for fiery thoughtsI
Do shape themselves within me more and moreA
Whereof I catch the issue as I hearA
Dead sounds at night come from the inmost hillsI
Like footsteps upon wool I dimly seeI
My far off doubtful purpose as a motherA
Conjectures of the features of her childT
Ere it is born her child a shudder comesI
Across me never child be born of meI
Unblest to vex me with his father's eyesI
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'O mother hear me yet before I dieT
Hear me O earth I will not die aloneH2
Lest their shrill happy laughter come to meI
Walking the cold and starless road of DeathA3
Uncomforted leaving my ancient loveY
With the Greek woman I will rise and goA
Down into Troy and ere the stars come forthB3
Talk with the wild Cassandra for she saysI
A fire dances before her and a soundT
Rings ever in her ears of armed menH2
What this may be I know not but I knowA
That wheresoe'er I am by night and dayT
All earth and air seem only burning fire '-

Alfred Lord Tennyson



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