Old Japan Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABBCBC ABACBCBC CDCBBCBC CBCBBCBC CBCBBCBC CBCBBCBC CDCDBCBC CDCBBCBC EBCBBCBC CDCDBCBC CBCCBCBCIn 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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