The Old Women Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEBFFGGHIJK JLLMMNNOOPOOOQQRRSST TU OOOOOOVWOO| They pass upon their old tremulous feet | A |
| Creeping with little satchels down the street | A |
| And they remember many years ago | B |
| Passing that way in silks They wander slow | B |
| And solitary through the city ways | C |
| And they alone remember those old days | C |
| Men have forgotten In their shaking heads | D |
| A dancer of old carnivals yet treads | D |
| The measure of past waltzes and they see | E |
| The candles lit again the patchouli | B |
| Sweeten the air and the warm cloud of musk | F |
| Enchant the passing of the passionate dusk | F |
| Then you will see a light begin to creep | G |
| Under the earthen eyelids dimmed with sleep | G |
| And a new tremor happy and uncouth | H |
| Jerking about the corners of the mouth | I |
| Then the old head drops down again and shakes | J |
| Muttering | K |
| - | |
| Sometimes when the swift gaslight wakes | J |
| The dreams and fever of the sleepless town | L |
| A shaking huddled thing in a black gown | L |
| Will steal at midnight carrying with her | M |
| Violet bags of lavender | M |
| Into the taproom full of noisy light | N |
| Or at the crowded earlier hour of night | N |
| Sidle with matches up to some who stand | O |
| About a stage door and with furtive hand | O |
| Appealing quot I too was a dancer when | P |
| Your fathers would have been young gentlemen quot | O |
| And sometimes out of some lean ancient throat | O |
| A broken voice with here and there a note | O |
| Of unspoiled crystal suddenly will arise | Q |
| Into the night while a cracked fiddle cries | Q |
| Pantingly after and you know she sings | R |
| The passing of light famous passing things | R |
| And sometimes in the hours past midnight reels | S |
| Out of an alley upon staggering heels | S |
| Or into the dark keeping of the stones | T |
| About a doorway a vague thing of bones | T |
| And draggled hair | U |
| - | |
| And all these have been loved | O |
| And not one ruinous body has not moved | O |
| The heart of man's desire nor has not seemed | O |
| Immortal in the eyes of one who dreamed | O |
| The dream that men call love This is the end | O |
| Of much fair flesh it is for this you tend | O |
| Your delicate bodies many careful years | V |
| To be this thing of laughter and of tears | W |
| To be this living judgment of the dead | O |
| An old gray woman with a shaking head | O |
Arthur Symons
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Previous Poem
At Toledo Poem>>
About The Old Women
The Old Women is a poem by Arthur Symons. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
Write your comment about The Old Women poem by Arthur Symons
Best Poems of Arthur Symons