Intercession Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BAABBAABAAACAC ADDAADDADEDAEA FAAFFAAFAGADHD IAAIIAAIAAAAAA| Ave Caesar Imperator moriturum te saluto | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| O Death a little more and then the worm | B |
| A little longer O Death a little yet | A |
| Before the grave gape and the grave worm fret | A |
| Before the sanguine spotted hand infirm | B |
| Be rottenness and that foul brain the germ | B |
| Of all ill things and thoughts be stopped and set | A |
| A little while O Death ere he forget | A |
| A small space more of life a little term | B |
| A little longer ere he and thou be met | A |
| Ere in that hand that fed thee to thy mind | A |
| The poison cup of life be overset | A |
| A little respite of disastrous breath | C |
| Till the soul lift up her lost eyes and find | A |
| Nor God nor help nor hope but thee O Death | C |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| Shall a man die before his dying day | A |
| Death and for him though the utter day be nigh | D |
| Not yet not yet we give him leave to die | D |
| We give him grace not yet that men should say | A |
| He is dead wiped out perished and past away | A |
| Till the last bitterness of life go by | D |
| Thou shalt not slay him till those last dregs run dry | D |
| O thou last lord of life thou shalt not slay | A |
| Let the lips live a little while and lie | D |
| The hand a little and falter and fail of strength | E |
| And the soul shudder and sicken at the sky | D |
| Yea let him live though God nor man would let | A |
| Save for the curse' sake then at bitter length | E |
| Lord will we yield him to thee but not yet | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| Hath he not deeds to do and days to see | F |
| Yet ere the day that is to see him dead | A |
| Beats there no brain yet in the poisonous head | A |
| Throbs there no treason if no such thing there be | F |
| If no such thought surely this is not he | F |
| Look to the hands then are the hands not red | A |
| What are the shadows about this man's bed | A |
| Death was not this the cupbearer to thee | F |
| Nay let him live then till in this life's stead | A |
| Even he shall pray for that thou hast to give | G |
| Till seeing his hopes and not his memories fled | A |
| Even he shall cry upon thee a bitter cry | D |
| That life is worse than death then let him live | H |
| Till death seem worse than life then let him die | D |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| O watcher at the guardless gate of kings | I |
| O doorkeeper that serving at their feast | A |
| Hast in thine hand their doomsday drink and seest | A |
| With eyeless sight the soul of unseen things | I |
| Thou in whose ear the dumb time coming sings | I |
| Death priest and king that makest of king and priest | A |
| A name a dream a less thing than the least | A |
| Hover awhile above him with closed wings | I |
| Till the coiled soul an evil snake shaped beast | A |
| Eat its base bodily lair of flesh away | A |
| If haply or ever its cursed life have ceased | A |
| Or ever thy cold hands cover his head | A |
| From sight of France and freedom and broad day | A |
| He may see these and wither and be dead | A |
Algernon Charles Swinburne
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Intercession poem by Algernon Charles Swinburne
Best Poems of Algernon Charles Swinburne