Old Japan Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABBCBC ABACBCBC CDCBBCBC CBCBBCBC CBCBBCBC CBCBBCBC CDCDBCBC CDCBBCBC EBCBBCBC CDCDBCBC CBCCBCBC| In old Japan by creek and bay | A |
| The blue plum blossoms blow | B |
| Where birds with sea blue plumage gay | A |
| Through sea blue branches go | B |
| Dragons are coiling down below | B |
| Like dragons on a fan | C |
| And pig tailed sailors lurching slow | B |
| Through streets of old Japan | C |
| - | |
| There in the dim blue death of day | A |
| Where white tea roses grow | B |
| Petals and scents are strewn astray | A |
| Till night be sweet enow | C |
| Then lovers wander whispering low | B |
| As lovers only can | C |
| Where rosy paper lanterns glow | B |
| Through streets of old Japan | C |
| - | |
| From Wonderland to Yea or Nay | C |
| The junks with painted prow | D |
| Dream on the purple water way | C |
| Nor ever meet a foe | B |
| Though still with stiff mustachio | B |
| And crooked ataghan | C |
| Their pirates guard with pomp and show | B |
| The ships of old Japan | C |
| - | |
| How far beyond the dawning day | C |
| The glories ebb and flow | B |
| Where still the wonder children play | C |
| The witches mop and mow | B |
| How far how far no chart may show | B |
| The heart of mortal man | C |
| The light the splendour and the glow | B |
| That once were old Japan | C |
| - | |
| That land is very far away | C |
| We lost it long ago | B |
| In old Japan the grass is grey | C |
| The trees are white with snow | B |
| The sea blue bird became a crow | B |
| The lizards leapt and ran | C |
| No dragon mourned that overthrow | B |
| The dream of old Japan | C |
| - | |
| In old Japan at windows grey | C |
| Where scents of opium flow | B |
| Strange smiling faces white as clay | C |
| Nod idly to and fro | B |
| There life and death may come and go | B |
| With blessing or with ban | C |
| And still no better gift bestow | B |
| Than this in old Japan | C |
| - | |
| And now the wistful years delay | C |
| To wonder why and how | D |
| The blue fantastic twisted day | C |
| When Emperor Hwang or Chow | D |
| Dreamed in the colour and the glow | B |
| That light the heart of man | C |
| Could e er such hours of flowers bestrow | B |
| Through streets of old Japan | C |
| - | |
| In old Japan they used to play | C |
| A game forgotten now | D |
| They filled a nacre coloured tray | C |
| With perfumes in a row | B |
| Breathing of all the flowers that blow | B |
| Where dark blue rivers ran | C |
| Like those upon the plates you know | B |
| Through fields of old Japan | C |
| - | |
| Then with silver spatula | E |
| The mandarins would go | B |
| To test the scented dust and say | C |
| With many a hum and ho | B |
| What flower of all the flowers that grow | B |
| For joy of maid or man | C |
| Conceived the scents that puzzled so | B |
| The brains of old Japan | C |
| - | |
| In old Japan where poets pray | C |
| With white uplifted brow | D |
| What mystic floating scents delay | C |
| Below the purple bough | D |
| O er plains no scythe of death may mow | B |
| Nor power of reason scan | C |
| What mandarin musicians know | B |
| The flower of old Japan | C |
| - | |
| There in the dim blue death of day | C |
| Where white tea roses grow | B |
| Petals and scents are strewn astray | C |
| Till night be sweet enow | C |
| Then lovers wander whispering low | B |
| As lovers only can | C |
| Where rosy paper lanterns glow | B |
| Through streets of old Japan | C |
Alfred Noyes
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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