Prologue To The Duchess Of Malfy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ GGKLMMNNOOPPQQRR| When Shakespeare soared from life to death above | A |
| All praise all adoration save of love | A |
| As here on earth above all men he stood | B |
| That were or are or shall be great and good | B |
| Past thank or thought of England or of man | C |
| Light from the sunset quickened as it ran | C |
| His word who sang as never man may sing | D |
| And spake as never voice of man may ring | D |
| Not fruitless fell as seed on sterile ways | E |
| But brought forth increase even to Shakespeare's praise | E |
| Our skies were thrilled and filled from sea to sea | F |
| With stars outshining all their suns to be | F |
| No later light of tragic song they knew | G |
| Like his whose lightning clove the sunset through | G |
| Half Shakespeare's glory when his hand sublime | H |
| Bade all the change of tragic life and time | H |
| Live and outlive all date of quick and dead | I |
| Fell rested and shall rest on Webster's head | I |
| Round him the shadows cast on earth by light | J |
| Rose changed and shone transfiguring death and night | J |
| Where evil only crawled and hissed and slew | G |
| On ways where nought save shame and bloodshed grew | G |
| He bade the loyal light of honour live | K |
| And love when stricken through the heart forgive | L |
| Deep down the midnight of the soul of sin | M |
| He lit the star of mercy throned therein | M |
| High up the darkness of sublime despair | N |
| He set the sun of love to triumph there | N |
| Things foul or frail his touch made strong and pure | O |
| And bade things transient like to stars endure | O |
| Terror on wings whose flight made night in heaven | P |
| Pity with hands whence life took love for leaven | P |
| Breathed round him music whence his mortal breath | Q |
| Drew life that bade forgetfulness and death | Q |
| Die life that bids his light of fiery fame | R |
| Endure with England's yea with Shakespeare's name | R |
Algernon Charles Swinburne
(1)
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