Metempsychosis Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCDE F G GHIGJKILMNIGOPQIIRGS G G FGFG G GTEUVWXFKY F I G ZIIIIA2B2GC2 F D2E2G G W F F2G2KG G A F GGH2I2GJ2K2GGL2GM2N2 O2 G P2WN2Q2R2GZS2T2 GGG FU2 V2 G W2G H2 GW2GW2X2GWG Y2 Z2A3O2W2GKGGB3PL2GKC 3GGW2B3SG Y2T2 G RGGGE2 W2 D3E3 A3GF3L2W2 L2 W2W2W2W2GW2GW2GGW2GL 2W2 W2G W2 L2L2W2 W2 GGW2 G GGGG GGW2 GH2GH2 E2GE2G

DRAMATIS PERSONAEA
-
ST JOHN a Presidential CandidateB
MCDONALD a Defeated AspirantC
MRS HAYES an Ex PresidentD
PITTS STEVENS a Water NymphE
-
Scene A Small Lake in the Alleghany MountainsF
-
ST JOHNG
-
Hours I've immersed my muzzle in this tarnG
And quaffing copious potations triedH
To suck it dry but ever as I pumpedI
Its waters into my distended skinG
The labor of my zeal extruded themJ
In perspiration from my pores and soK
Rilling the marginal declivityI
They fell again into their source Ah meL
Could I but find within these ancient hillsM
Some long extinct volcano by the rainsN
Of countless ages in its crater brimmedI
Like a full goblet I would lay me downG
Prone on the outer slope and o'er its edgeO
Arching my neck I'd siphon out its storeP
And flood the valleys with my sweat for ayeQ
So should I be accounted as a godI
Even as Father Nilus is What's thatI
Methought I heard some sawyer draw his fileR
With jarring stridulous cacophanyG
Across his notchy blade to set its teethS
And mine on edge Ha there it goes againG
-
Song withinG
-
Cold water's the milk of the mountainsF
And Nature's our wet nurse O thenG
Glue thou thy blue lips to her fountainsF
Forever and ever amenG
-
ST JOHNG
-
Why surely there's congenial companyG
Aloof the spirit I suppose that guardsT
This sacred spot perchance some water nymphE
Who laving in the crystal flood her limbsU
Has taken cold and so with raucous voiceV
Afflicts the sensitive membrane of mine earW
The while she sings my sentimentsX
Enter Pitts StevensF
HelloK
What fiend is thisY
-
PITTS STEVENSF
-
'Tis I be not afraidI
-
ST JOHNG
-
And who thou antiquated crone art thouZ
I ne'er forget a face but names I can'tI
So well remember I have seen thee oftI
When in the middle season of the nightI
Curved with a cucumber or knotted hardI
With an eclectic pie I've striven to keepA2
My head and heels asunder thou has comeB2
With sociable familiarityG
Into my dream but not alas to blessC2
-
PITTS STEVENSF
-
My name's Pitts Stevens age just seventeen yearsD2
Talking teetotaler professionalE2
BeautyG
-
ST JOHNG
-
What dost them hereW
-
PITTS STEVENSF
-
I'm come fair sirF2
With paint and brush to blazon on these rocksG2
The merits of my master's nostrum soK
Paints rapidlyG
'McDonald's Vinegar Bitters '-
-
ST JOHNG
-
What are theyA
-
PITTS STEVENSF
-
A woman suffering from widowhoodG
Took a full bottle and was cured A manG
There was a murderer the doctors allH2
Had given him up he'd but an hour to liveI2
He swallowed half a glassful He is deadG
But not of Vinegar Bitters A wee babeJ2
Lay sick and cried for it The mother gaveK2
That innocent a spoonful and it smoothedG
Its pathway to the tomb 'Tis warrantedG
To cause a boy to strike his father makeL2
A pig squeal start the hair upon a stoneG
Or play the fiddle for a country danceM2
Enter McDonald reading a Sunday school bookN2
Good morrow sir I trust you're wellO2
-
MCDONALDG
-
H'lo PittsP2
Observe good friends I have a volume hereW
Myself am author of a noble bookN2
To train the infant mind delightful taskQ2
It tells how one Samantha Brown age sixR2
A gutter bunking slave to rum was savedG
By Vinegar Bitters went to church and nowZ
Has an account at the Pacific BankS2
I'll read the whole work to youT2
-
ST JOHNG
Heaven forbidG
I've elsewhere an engagementG
-
PITTS STEVENSF
I am deafU2
-
MCDONALD reading regardlessV2
-
'Once on a time there lived'G
-
Enter Mrs HayesW2
Behold our queenG
-
ALLH2
-
Her eyes upon the groundG
Before her feet she low'rsW2
Walking in thought profoundG
As 'twere upon all foursW2
Her visage is austereX2
Her gait a high paradeG
At every step you hearW
The sloshing lemonadeG
-
MRS HAYES to herselfY2
-
Once sitting in the White House hard at workZ2
Signing State papers Rutherford was thereA3
Knitting some hose a sudden glory fellO2
Upon my paper I looked up and sawW2
An angel holding in his hand a rodG
Wherewith he struck me Smarting with the blowK
I rose and cuffing Rutherford inquiredG
'Wherefore this chastisement ' The angel saidG
'Four years you have been President and stillB3
There's rum ' then flew to Heaven Contrite I sworeP
Such oath as lady Methodist might takeL2
My second term should medicine my firstG
The people would not have it that way soK
I seek some candidate who'll take my soulC3
My spirit of reform fresh from my breastG
And give me his instead and thus equippedG
With my imperious and fiery essenceW2
Drive the Drink Demon from the land and fillB3
The people up with water till their teethS
Are all afloatG
-
St John discovers himselfY2
What youT2
-
ST JOHNG
-
Aye Madam I'llR
Swap souls with you and lead the cold sea greenG
Amphibians of Prohibition onG
Pallid of nose and webbed of foot swim bladderedG
Gifted with gills invincibleE2
-
MRS HAYESW2
-
EnoughD3
Stand forth and consummate the interchangeE3
-
While McDonald and Pitts Stevens modestly turn theirA3
backs the latter blushing a delicate shrimp pink St John andG
Mrs Hayes effect an exchange of immortal parts When theF3
transfer is complete McDonald turns and advances uncorkingL2
a bottle of Vinegar BittersW2
-
MCDONALD chantingL2
-
Nectar compounded of simplesW2
Cocted in Stygian shadesW2
Acids of wrinkles and pimplesW2
From faces of ancient maidsW2
Acrid precipitates sunkenG
From tempers of scolding wivesW2
Whose husbands uncommonly drunkenG
Are commonly found in divesW2
With this I baptize and appoint theeG
to St JohnG
To marshal the vinophobe ranksW2
In the name of Dambosh I anoint theeG
pours the liquid down St John's backL2
As King of aquatical cranksW2
-
The liquid blisters the royal back and His Majesty startsW2
on a dead run energetically exclaiming Exit St JohnG
-
MRS HAYESW2
-
My soul My soul I'll never get it backL2
Unless I follow nimbly on his trackL2
Exit Mrs HayesW2
-
PITTS STEVENSW2
-
O my he's such a beautiful young manG
I'll follow too and catch him if I canG
Exit Pitts StevensW2
-
MCDONALDG
-
He scarce is visible his dust so greatG
Methinks for so obscure a candidateG
He runs quite well But as for ProhibitionG
I mean myself to hold the first positionG
-
Produces a pocket flask topes a cruel quantity of double distilledG
thunder and lightning out of it smiles so grimly as toG
darken all the stage and singsW2
-
Though fortunes vary let all be merryG
And then if e'er a disaster befallH2
At Styx's ferry is Charon's wherryG
In easy callH2
-
Upon a ripple of golden tippleE2
That tipsy ship'll convey you bestG
To king and cripple the bottle's the nippleE2
Of Nature's breastG

Ambrose Bierce



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Metempsychosis poem by Ambrose Bierce


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 2 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets