A Midsummer Holiday:- Ix. On The Verge Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABBCCDCDABABBCCDCD ABABBCCDDDDDDDD| Here begins the sea that ends not till the world's end Where we stand | A |
| Could we know the next high sea mark set beyond these waves that gleam | B |
| We should know what never man hath known nor eye of man hath scanned | A |
| Nought beyond these coiling clouds that melt like fume of shrines that steam | B |
| Breaks or stays the strength of waters till they pass our bounds of dream | B |
| Where the waste Land's End leans westward all the seas it watches roll | C |
| Find their border fixed beyond them and a worldwide shore's control | C |
| These whereby we stand no shore beyond us limits these are free | D |
| Gazing hence we see the water that grows iron round the Pole | C |
| From the shore that hath no shore beyond it set in all the sea | D |
| Sail on sail along the sea line fades and flashes here on land | A |
| Flash and fade the wheeling wings on wings of mews that plunge and scream | B |
| Hour on hour along the line of life and time's evasive strand | A |
| Shines and darkens wanes and waxes slays and dies and scarce they seem | B |
| More than motes that thronged and trembled in the brief noon's breath and beam | B |
| Some with crying and wailing some with notes like sound of bells that toll | C |
| Some with sighing and laughing some with words that blessed and made us whole | C |
| Passed and left us and we know not what they were nor what were we | D |
| Would we know being mortal Never breath of answering whisper stole | C |
| From the shore that hath no shore beyond it set in all the sea | D |
| Shadows would we question darkness Ere our eyes and brows be fanned | A |
| Round with airs of twilight washed with dews from sleep's eternal stream | B |
| Would we know sleep's guarded secret Ere the fire consume the brand | A |
| Would it know if yet its ashes may requicken yet we deem | B |
| Surely man may know or ever night unyoke her starry team | B |
| What the dawn shall be or if the dawn shall be not yea the scroll | C |
| Would we read of sleep's dark scripture pledge of peace or doom of dole | C |
| Ah but here man's heart leaps yearning toward the gloom with venturous glee | D |
| Though his pilot eye behold nor bay nor harbour rock nor shoal | D |
| From the shore that hath no shore beyond it set in all the sea | D |
| Friend who knows if death indeed have life or life have death for goal | D |
| Day nor night can tell us nor may seas declare nor skies unroll | D |
| What has been from everlasting or if aught shall always be | D |
| Silence answering only strikes response reverberate on the soul | D |
| From the shore that hath no shore beyond it set in all the sea | D |
Algernon Charles Swinburne
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