Pearl Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABABABBCBC DEDEDEDEECEC FGFGFGFGGCGC HIHIHIHIIHIH HHHHHHHHHHHH JKJKJKJKKHLH HMHMHMHMMHMH BNBOBNBNNHNH HHHHHHHHHHHH PHPHPHPHHHHH QIQIQIQIIBIB RHRHRHRHHBHB BHBHBHBHHBHB SHSHJHJHHBHB HHHHHHHHHBHB TNTNTNTNNHNH HHHHHHHHHHB

Pearl of delight that a prince doth pleaseA
To grace in gold enclosed so clearB
I vow that from over orient seasA
Never proved I any in price her peerB
So round so radiant ranged by theseA
So fine so smooth did her sides appearB
That ever in judging gems that pleaseA
Her only alone I deemed as dearB
Alas I lost her in garden nearB
Through grass to the ground from me it shotC
I pine now oppressed by love wound drearB
For that pearl mine own without a spotC
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Since in that spot it sped from meD
I have looked and longed for that precious thingE
That me once was wont from woe to freeD
To uplift my lot and healing bringE
But my heart doth hurt now cruellyD
My breast with burning torment stingE
Yet in secret hour came soft to meD
The sweetest song I e'er heard singE
Yea many a thought in mind did springE
To think that her radiance in clay should rotC
O mould Thou marrest a lovely thingE
My pearl mine own without a spotC
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In that spot must needs be spices spreadF
Where away such wealth to waste hath runG
Blossoms pale and blue and redF
There shimmer shining in the sunG
No flower nor fruit their hue may shedF
Where it down into darkling earth was doneG
For all grass must grow from grains that are deadF
No wheat would else to barn be wonG
From good all good is ever begunG
And fail so fair a seed could notC
So that sprang and sprouted spices noneG
From that precious pearl without a spotC
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That spot whereof I speak I foundH
When I entered in that garden greenI
As August's season high came roundH
When corn is cut with sickles keenI
There where that pearl rolled down a moundH
With herbs was shadowed fair and sheenI
With gillyflower ginger and gromwell crownedH
And peonies powdered all betweenI
If sweet was all that there was seenI
Fair too a fragrance flowed I wotH
Where dwells that dearest as I weenI
My precious pearl without a spotH
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By that spot my hands I wrung dismayedH
For care full cold that had me caughtH
A hopeless grief on my heart was laidH
Though reason to reconcile me soughtH
For my pearl there prisoned a plaint I madeH
In fierce debate unmoved I foughtH
Be comforted Christ Himself me badeH
But in woe my will ever strove distraughtH
On the flowery plot I fell methoughtH
Such odour through my senses shotH
I slipped and to sudden sleep was broughtH
O'er that precious pearl without a spotH
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From that spot my spirit sprang apaceJ
On the turf my body abode in tranceK
My would was gone by God's own graceJ
Adventuring where marvels chanceK
I knew not where in the world was that placeJ
Save by cloven cliffs was set my stanceK
And towards a forest I turned my faceJ
Where rocks in splendour met my glanceK
From them did a glittering glory lanceK
None could believe the light they lentH
Never webs were woven in mortal hauntsL
Of half such wealth and wondermentH
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Wondrous was made each mountain sideH
With crystal cliffs so clear of hueM
About them woodlands bright lay wideH
As Indian dye their boles were blueM
The leaves did as burnished silver slideH
That thick upon twigs were trembling grewM
When glades let light upon them glideH
They shone with a shimmer of dazzling hueM
The gravel on ground that I trod with shoeM
Was of precious pearls of OrientH
Sunbeams are blear and dark to viewM
Compared with that fair wondermentH
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In wonder at those fells so fairB
My soul all grief forgot let fallN
Odours so fresh of fruits there wereB
I was fed as by food celestialO
In the woods the birds did wing and pairB
Of flaming hues both great and smallN
But cithern string and gittern playerB
Their merry mirth could ne'er recallN
For when the beat their pinions allN
In harmony their voices bentH
No delight more lovely could men enthrallN
Than behold and hear that wondermentH
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Thus arrayed was all in wondermentH
That forest where forth my fortune ledH
No man its splendour to presentH
With tongue could worthy words have saidH
I walked ever onward well contentH
No hill was so tall that it stayed my treadH
More fair the further afield I wentH
Were plants and fruits and spices spreadH
Through hedge and mead lush waters ledH
As in strands of gold there steeply pentH
A river I reached in cloven bedH
O Lord the wealth of its wondermentH
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The adornments of that wondrous deepP
Were beauteous banks of beryl brightH
Swirling sweetly its waters sweepP
Ever rippling on in murmurous flightH
In the depths stood dazzling stones aheapP
As a glitter through glass that glowed with lightH
As streaming stars when on earth men sleepP
Stare in the welkin in winter nightH
For emerald sapphire or jewel brightH
Was every pebble in pool there pentH
And the water was lit with rays of lightH
Such wealth was in its wondermentH
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The wonderous wealth of down and dalesQ
of wood and water and lordly plainI
My mirth makes mount my mourning failsQ
My care is quelled and cured my painI
Then down a stream that strongly sailsQ
I blissful turn with teeming brainI
The further I follow those flowing valesQ
The more strength of joy my heart doth strainI
As fortune fares where she doth deignI
Whether gladness she gives or grieving soreB
So he who may her graces gainI
His hap is to have ever more and moreB
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There more was of such marvels thriceR
Than I could tell though I long delayedH
For earthly heart could not sufficeR
For a tithe of the joyful joys displayedH
Therefore I thought that ParadiseR
Across those banks was yonder laidH
I weened that the water by deviceR
As bounds between pleasances was madeH
Beyond that stream by steep or sladeH
That city's walls I weened must soarB
But the water was deep I dared not wadeH
And ever I longed to more and moreB
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More and more and yet still moreB
I fain beyond the stream had scannedH
For fair as was this hither shoreB
Far lovelier was the further landH
To find a ford I did then exploreB
And round about did stare and standH
But perils pressed in sooth more soreB
The further I strode along the strandH
I should not I thought by fear be bannedH
From delights so lovely that lay in storeB
But a happening new then came to handH
That moved my mind ever more and moreB
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A marvel more did my mind amazeS
I saw beyond that border brightH
From a crystal cliff the lucent raysS
And beams in splendour lift their lightH
A child abode there at its baseJ
She wore a gown of glistening whiteH
A gentle maid of courtly graceJ
Erewhile I had known her well by sightH
As shredded gold that glistered brightH
She shone in beauty upon the shoreB
Long did my glance on her alightH
And the longer I looked I knew her moreB
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The more I that face so fair surveyedH
When upon her gracious form I gazedH
Such gladdening glory upon me playedH
As my wont was seldom to see upraisedH
Desire to call her then me swayedH
But dumb surprise my mind amazedH
In place so strange I saw that maidH
The blow might well my wits have crazedH
Her forehead fair then up she raisedH
That hue of polished ivory woreB
It smote my heart distraught and dazedH
And ever the longer the more and moreB
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More than I would my dread did riseT
I stood there still and dared not callN
With closed mouth and open eyesT
I stood as tame as hawk in hallN
A ghost was present I did surmiseT
And feared for what might then befallN
Lest she should flee before mine eyesT
Ere I to tryst could her recallN
So smooth so seemly slight and smallN
That flawless fair and mirthful maidH
Arose in robes majesticalN
A precious gem in pearls arrayedH
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There pearls arrayed and royally dightH
Might one have seen by fortune gracedH
When fresh as flower de luces brightH
She down to the water swiftly pacedH
In linen robe of glistening whiteH
With open sides that seams enlacedH
With the merriest margery pearls my sightH
Ever before I vow had tracedH
Her sleeves hung long below her waistH
Adorned with pearls in double braidH
Her kirB

Anonymous Olde English



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