Pelleas And Ettarre Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEF G GHIJIGK LMNOPJQRSTUVTWXYZA2B 2C2D2E2F2G2H2I2H2IH2 J2K2RL2H2D2UD2D2XD2D 2 M2D2D2H2D2N2XO2 D2 P2Q2D2R2S2T2D2U2XD2D 2D2V2FXW2X2LY2N D2O2O2Z2O2D2H2D2 A3B3V O2P2C3X D2HD3HD2XD2E3HD2O2FD 2HFO2 D2O2D2O2H D2 D2H2HH2 H D2HH2XHHD2HO2 HD2O2HD2D2F3D2H2D2 H D2HG3O2HJ2D2HXD2HD2 D2XHF3F J2D2D2

King Arthur made new knights to fill the gapA
Left by the Holy Quest and as he satB
In hall at old Caerleon the high doorsC
Were softly sundered and through these a youthD
Pelleas and the sweet smell of the fieldsE
Past and the sunshine came along with himF
-
Make me thy knight because I know Sir KingG
All that belongs to knighthood and I love '-
Such was his cry for having heard the KingG
Had let proclaim a tournament the prizeH
A golden circlet and a knightly swordI
Full fain had Pelleas for his lady wonJ
The golden circlet for himself the swordI
And there were those who knew him near the KingG
And promised for him and Arthur made him knightK
-
And this new knight Sir Pelleas of the islesL
But lately come to his inheritanceM
And lord of many a barren isle was heN
Riding at noon a day or twain beforeO
Across the forest called of Dean to findP
Caerleon and the King had felt the sunJ
Beat like a strong knight on his helm and reeledQ
Almost to falling from his horse but sawR
Near him a mound of even sloping sideS
Whereon a hundred stately beeches grewT
And here and there great hollies under themU
But for a mile all round was open spaceV
And fern and heath and slowly Pelleas drewT
To that dim day then binding his good horseW
To a tree cast himself down and as he layX
At random looking over the brown earthY
Through that green glooming twilight of the groveZ
It seemed to Pelleas that the fern withoutA2
Burnt as a living fire of emeraldsB2
So that his eyes were dazzled looking at itC2
Then o'er it crost the dimness of a cloudD2
Floating and once the shadow of a birdE2
Flying and then a fawn and his eyes closedF2
And since he loved all maidens but no maidG2
In special half awake he whispered WhereH2
O where I love thee though I know thee notI2
For fair thou art and pure as GuinevereH2
And I will make thee with my spear and swordI
As famous O my Queen my GuinevereH2
For I will be thine Arthur when we meet '-
-
Suddenly wakened with a sound of talkJ2
And laughter at the limit of the woodK2
And glancing through the hoary boles he sawR
Strange as to some old prophet might have seemedL2
A vision hovering on a sea of fireH2
Damsels in divers colours like the cloudD2
Of sunset and sunrise and all of themU
On horses and the horses richly traptD2
Breast high in that bright line of bracken stoodD2
And all the damsels talked confusedlyX
And one was pointing this way and one thatD2
Because the way was lostD2
-
And Pelleas roseM2
And loosed his horse and led him to the lightD2
There she that seemed the chief among them saidD2
In happy time behold our pilot starH2
Youth we are damsels errant and we rideD2
Armed as ye see to tilt against the knightsN2
There at Caerleon but have lost our wayX
To right to left straight forward back againO2
Which tell us quickly '-
-
Pelleas gazing thoughtD2
Is Guinevere herself so beautiful '-
For large her violet eyes looked and her bloomP2
A rosy dawn kindled in stainless heavensQ2
And round her limbs mature in womanhoodD2
And slender was her hand and small her shapeR2
And but for those large eyes the haunts of scornS2
She might have seemed a toy to trifle withT2
And pass and care no more But while he gazedD2
The beauty of her flesh abashed the boyU2
As though it were the beauty of her soulX
For as the base man judging of the goodD2
Puts his own baseness in him by defaultD2
Of will and nature so did Pelleas lendD2
All the young beauty of his own soul to hersV2
Believing her and when she spake to himF
Stammered and could not make her a replyX
For out of the waste islands had he comeW2
Where saving his own sisters he had knownX2
Scarce any but the women of his islesL
Rough wives that laughed and screamed against the gullsY2
Makers of nets and living from the seaN
-
Then with a slow smile turned the lady roundD2
And looked upon her people and as whenO2
A stone is flung into some sleeping tarnO2
The circle widens till it lip the margeZ2
Spread the slow smile through all her companyO2
Three knights were thereamong and they too smiledD2
Scorning him for the lady was EttarreH2
And she was a great lady in her landD2
-
Again she said O wild and of the woodsA3
Knowest thou not the fashion of our speechB3
Or have the Heavens but given thee a fair faceV
Lacking a tongue '-
-
O damsel ' answered heO2
I woke from dreams and coming out of gloomP2
Was dazzled by the sudden light and craveC3
Pardon but will ye to Caerleon IX
Go likewise shall I lead you to the King '-
-
Lead then ' she said and through the woods they wentD2
And while they rode the meaning in his eyesH
His tenderness of manner and chaste aweD3
His broken utterances and bashfulnessH
Were all a burthen to her and in her heartD2
She muttered I have lighted on a foolX
Raw yet so stale ' But since her mind was bentD2
On hearing after trumpet blown her nameE3
And title Queen of Beauty ' in the listsH
Cried and beholding him so strong she thoughtD2
That peradventure he will fight for meO2
And win the circlet therefore flattered himF
Being so gracious that he wellnigh deemedD2
His wish by hers was echoed and her knightsH
And all her damsels too were gracious to himF
For she was a great ladyO2
-
And when they reachedD2
Caerleon ere they past to lodging sheO2
Taking his hand O the strong hand ' she saidD2
See look at mine but wilt thou fight for meO2
And win me this fine circlet PelleasH
That I may love thee '-
-
Then his helpless heartD2
Leapt and he cried Ay wilt thou if I win '-
Ay that will I ' she answered and she laughedD2
And straitly nipt the hand and flung it from herH2
Then glanced askew at those three knights of hersH
Till all her ladies laughed along with herH2
-
O happy world ' thought Pelleas all meseemsH
Are happy I the happiest of them all '-
Nor slept that night for pleasure in his bloodD2
And green wood ways and eyes among the leavesH
Then being on the morrow knighted swareH2
To love one only And as he came awayX
The men who met him rounded on their heelsH
And wondered after him because his faceH
Shone like the countenance of a priest of oldD2
Against the flame about a sacrificeH
Kindled by fire from heaven so glad was heO2
-
Then Arthur made vast banquets and strange knightsH
From the four winds came in and each one satD2
Though served with choice from air land stream and seaO2
Oft in mid banquet measuring with his eyesH
His neighbour's make and might and Pelleas lookedD2
Noble among the noble for he dreamedD2
His lady loved him and he knew himselfF3
Loved of the King and him his new made knightD2
Worshipt whose lightest whisper moved him moreH2
Than all the rangd reasons of the worldD2
-
Then blushed and brake the morning of the joustsH
And this was called The Tournament of Youth '-
For Arthur loving his young knight withheldD2
His older and his mightier from the listsH
That Pelleas might obtain his lady's loveG3
According to her promise and remainO2
Lord of the tourney And Arthur had the joustsH
Down in the flat field by the shore of UskJ2
Holden the gilded parapets were crownedD2
With faces and the great tower filled with eyesH
Up to the summit and the trumpets blewX
There all day long Sir Pelleas kept the fieldD2
With honour so by that strong hand of hisH
The sword and golden circlet were achievedD2
-
Then rang the shout his lady loved the heatD2
Of pride and glory fired her face her eyeX
Sparkled she caught the circlet from his lanceH
And there before the people crowned herselfF3
So for the last time she was gracious to himF
-
Then at Caerleon for a space her lookJ2
Bright for all others cloudier on her knightD2
Lingered Ettarre andD2

Alfred Lord Tennyson



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