The Paper Windmill Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACDEAA FAGHIAIIDJ AAKG GBB LACADMAAND ABCAAFAOBCDD PQRPDNSS ACSDDDCAIAIT TAAALRT CA RIOHAI ARThe little boy pressed his face against the window pane and looked out | A |
at the bright sunshiny morning The cobble stones of the square | B |
glistened like mica In the trees a breeze danced and pranced | A |
and shook drops of sunlight like falling golden coins into the brown water | C |
of the canal Down stream slowly drifted a long string of galliots | D |
piled with crimson cheeses The little boy thought they looked as if | E |
they were roc's eggs blocks of big ruby eggs He said 'Oh ' with delight | A |
and pressed against the window with all his might | A |
- | |
- | |
The golden cock on the top of the Stadhuis' gleamed His beak was open | F |
like a pair of scissors and a narrow piece of blue sky was wedged in it | A |
'Cock a doodle do ' cried the little boy 'Can't you hear me | G |
through the window Gold Cocky Cock a doodle do You should crow | H |
when you see the eggs of your cousin the great roc ' But the golden cock | I |
stood stock still with his fine tail blowing in the wind | A |
He could not understand the little boy for he said 'Cocorico' | I |
when he said anything But he was hung in the air to swing not to sing | I |
His eyes glittered to the bright West wind and the crimson cheeses | D |
drifted away down the canal | J |
- | |
- | |
It was very dull there in the big room Outside in the square the wind | A |
was playing tag with some fallen leaves A man passed with a dogcart | A |
beside him full of smart new milkcans They rattled out a gay tune | K |
'Tiddity tum ti ti Have some milk for your tea Cream for your coffee | G |
to drink to night thick and smooth and sweet and white ' | - |
and the man's sabots beat an accompaniment 'Plop trop milk for your tea | G |
Plop trop drink it to night ' It was very pleasant out there | B |
but it was lonely here in the big room The little boy gulped at a tear | B |
- | |
- | |
It was queer how dull all his toys were They were so still | L |
Nothing was still in the square If he took his eyes away a moment | A |
it had changed The milkman had disappeared round the corner | C |
there was only an old woman with a basket of green stuff on her head | A |
picking her way over the shiny stones But the wind pulled the leaves | D |
in the basket this way and that and displayed them to beautiful advantage | M |
The sun patted them condescendingly on their flat surfaces and they seemed | A |
sprinkled with silver The little boy sighed as he looked at his disordered | A |
toys on the floor They were motionless and their colours were dull | N |
The dark wainscoting absorbed the sun There was none left for toys | D |
- | |
- | |
The square was quite empty now Only the wind ran round and round it | A |
spinning Away over in the corner where a street opened into the square | B |
the wind had stopped Stopped running that is for it never | C |
stopped spinning It whirred and whirled and gyrated and turned | A |
It burned like a great coloured sun It hummed and buzzed and sparked | A |
and darted There were flashes of blue and long smearing lines of saffron | F |
and quick jabs of green And over it all was a sheen like a myriad | A |
cut diamonds Round and round it went the huge wind wheel | O |
and the little boy's head reeled with watching it The whole square | B |
was filled with its rays blazing and leaping round after one another | C |
faster and faster The little boy could not speak he could only gaze | D |
staring in amaze | D |
- | |
- | |
The wind wheel was coming down the square Nearer and nearer it came | P |
a great disk of spinning flame It was opposite the window now | Q |
and the little boy could see it plainly but it was something more | R |
than the wind which he saw A man was carrying a huge fan shaped frame | P |
on his shoulder and stuck in it were many little painted paper windmills | D |
each one scurrying round in the breeze They were bright and beautiful | N |
and the sight was one to please anybody and how much more a little boy | S |
who had only stupid motionless toys to enjoy | S |
- | |
- | |
The little boy clapped his hands and his eyes danced and whizzed | A |
for the circling windmills made him dizzy Closer and closer | C |
came the windmill man and held up his big fan to the little boy | S |
in the window of the Ambassador's house Only a pane of glass | D |
between the boy and the windmills They slid round before his eyes | D |
in rapidly revolving splendour There were wheels and wheels of colours | D |
big little thick thin all one clear perfect spin The windmill vendor | C |
dipped and raised them again and the little boy's face was glued | A |
to the window pane Oh What a glorious wonderful plaything | I |
Rings and rings of windy colour always moving How had any one ever preferred | A |
those other toys which never stirred 'Nursie come quickly Look | I |
I want a windmill See It is never still You will buy me one won't you | T |
I want that silver one with the big ring of blue ' | - |
- | |
- | |
So a servant was sent to buy that one silver ringed with blue | T |
and smartly it twirled about in the servant's hands as he stood a moment | A |
to pay the vendor Then he entered the house and in another minute | A |
he was standing in the nursery door with some crumpled paper on the end | A |
of a stick which he held out to the little boy 'But I wanted a windmill | L |
which went round ' cried the little boy 'That is the one you asked for | R |
Master Charles ' Nursie was a bit impatient she had mending to do | T |
'See it is silver and here is the blue ' 'But it is only a blue streak ' | - |
sobbed the little boy 'I wanted a blue ring and this silver | C |
doesn't sparkle ' 'Well Master Charles that is what you wanted | A |
now run away and play with it for I am very busy ' | - |
- | |
- | |
The little boy hid his tears against the friendly window pane On the floor | R |
lay the motionless crumpled bit of paper on the end of its stick | I |
But far away across the square was the windmill vendor with his big wheel | O |
of whirring splendour It spun round in a blaze like a whirling rainbow | H |
and the sun gleamed upon it and the wind whipped it until it seemed | A |
a maze of spattering diamonds 'Cocorico ' crowed the golden cock | I |
on the top of the Stadhuis' 'That is something worth crowing for ' | - |
But the little boy did not hear him he was sobbing over the crumpled | A |
bit of paper on the floor | R |
Amy Lowell
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about The Paper Windmill poem by Amy Lowell
Best Poems of Amy Lowell