Concepcion De Arguello Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCC DD EE FF GG HH II JJ KK HH LL HH MM MM LNL LL LML MM OO MM HH PP Q PP RR LL LL LL LL LL LLL LSS TT MM EE LL LL UU EE MM LVV LL LL| Presidio De San Francisco | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| I | - |
| - | |
| Looking seaward o'er the sand hills stands the fortress old and | B |
| quaint | C |
| By the San Francisco friars lifted to their patron saint | C |
| - | |
| Sponsor to that wondrous city now apostate to the creed | D |
| On whose youthful walls the Padre saw the angel's golden reed | D |
| - | |
| All its trophies long since scattered all its blazon brushed away | E |
| And the flag that flies above it but a triumph of to day | E |
| - | |
| Never scar of siege or battle challenges the wandering eye | - |
| Never breach of warlike onset holds the curious passer by | - |
| - | |
| Only one sweet human fancy interweaves its threads of gold | F |
| With the plain and homespun present and a love that ne'er grows old | F |
| - | |
| Only one thing holds its crumbling walls above the meaner dust | G |
| Listen to the simple story of a woman's love and trust | G |
| - | |
| II | - |
| - | |
| Count von Resanoff the Russian envoy of the mighty Czar | H |
| Stood beside the deep embrasures where the brazen cannon are | H |
| - | |
| He with grave provincial magnates long had held serene debate | I |
| On the Treaty of Alliance and the high affairs of state | I |
| - | |
| He from grave provincial magnates oft had turned to talk apart | J |
| With the Commandante's daughter on the questions of the heart | J |
| - | |
| Until points of gravest import yielded slowly one by one | K |
| And by Love was consummated what Diplomacy begun | K |
| - | |
| Till beside the deep embrasures where the brazen cannon are | H |
| He received the twofold contract for approval of the Czar | H |
| - | |
| Till beside the brazen cannon the betrothed bade adieu | L |
| And from sallyport and gateway north the Russian eagles flew | L |
| - | |
| III | - |
| - | |
| Long beside the deep embrasures where the brazen cannon are | H |
| Did they wait the promised bridegroom and the answer of the Czar | H |
| - | |
| Day by day on wall and bastion beat the hollow empty breeze | M |
| Day by day the sunlight glittered on the vacant smiling seas | M |
| - | |
| Week by week the near hills whitened in their dusty leather cloaks | M |
| Week by week the far hills darkened from the fringing plain of oaks | M |
| - | |
| Till the rains came and far breaking on the fierce southwester tost | L |
| Dashed the whole long coast with color and then vanished and were | N |
| lost | L |
| - | |
| So each year the seasons shifted wet and warm and drear and dry | - |
| Half a year of clouds and flowers half a year of dust and sky | - |
| - | |
| Still it brought no ship nor message brought no tidings ill or meet | L |
| For the statesmanlike Commander for the daughter fair and sweet | L |
| - | |
| Yet she heard the varying message voiceless to all ears beside | L |
| He will come the flowers whispered Come no more the dry hills | M |
| sighed | L |
| - | |
| Still she found him with the waters lifted by the morning breeze | M |
| Still she lost him with the folding of the great white tented seas | M |
| - | |
| Until hollows chased the dimples from her cheeks of olive brown | O |
| And at times a swift shy moisture dragged the long sweet lashes down | O |
| - | |
| Or the small mouth curved and quivered as for some denied caress | M |
| And the fair young brow was knitted in an infantine distress | M |
| - | |
| Then the grim Commander pacing where the brazen cannon are | H |
| Comforted the maid with proverbs wisdom gathered from afar | H |
| - | |
| Bits of ancient observation by his fathers garnered each | P |
| As a pebble worn and polished in the current of his speech | P |
| - | |
| 'Those who wait the coming rider travel twice as far as he ' | - |
| 'Tired wench and coming butter never did in time agree ' | - |
| - | |
| 'He that getteth himself honey though a clown he shall have flies ' | - |
| 'In the end God grinds the miller ' 'In the dark the mole has eyes ' | - |
| - | |
| 'He whose father is Alcalde of his trial hath no fear ' | - |
| And be sure the Count has reasons that will make his conduct clear | Q |
| - | |
| Then the voice sententious faltered and the wisdom it would teach | P |
| Lost itself in fondest trifles of his soft Castilian speech | P |
| - | |
| And on Concha Conchitita and Conchita he would dwell | R |
| With the fond reiteration which the Spaniard knows so well | R |
| - | |
| So with proverbs and caresses half in faith and half in doubt | L |
| Every day some hope was kindled flickered faded and went out | L |
| - | |
| IV | - |
| - | |
| Yearly down the hillside sweeping came the stately cavalcade | L |
| Bringing revel to vaquero joy and comfort to each maid | L |
| - | |
| Bringing days of formal visit social feast and rustic sport | L |
| Of bull baiting on the plaza of love making in the court | L |
| - | |
| Vainly then at Concha's lattice vainly as the idle wind | L |
| Rose the thin high Spanish tenor that bespoke the youth too kind | L |
| - | |
| Vainly leaning from their saddles caballeros bold and fleet | L |
| Plucked for her the buried chicken from beneath their mustang's feet | L |
| - | |
| So in vain the barren hillsides with their gay serapes blazed | L |
| Blazed and vanished in the dust cloud that their flying hoofs had | L |
| raised | L |
| - | |
| Then the drum called from the rampart and once more with patient | L |
| mien | S |
| The Commander and his daughter each took up the dull routine | S |
| - | |
| Each took up the petty duties of a life apart and lone | T |
| Till the slow years wrought a music in its dreary monotone | T |
| - | |
| V | - |
| - | |
| Forty years on wall and bastion swept the hollow idle breeze | M |
| Since the Russian eagle fluttered from the California seas | M |
| - | |
| Forty years on wall and bastion wrought its slow but sure decay | E |
| And St George's cross was lifted in the port of Monterey | E |
| - | |
| And the citadel was lighted and the hall was gayly drest | L |
| All to honor Sir George Simpson famous traveler and guest | L |
| - | |
| Far and near the people gathered to the costly banquet set | L |
| And exchanged congratulations with the English baronet | L |
| - | |
| Till the formal speeches ended and amidst the laugh and wine | U |
| Some one spoke of Concha's lover heedless of the warning sign | U |
| - | |
| Quickly then cried Sir George Simpson Speak no ill of him I pray | E |
| He is dead He died poor fellow forty years ago this day | E |
| - | |
| Died while speeding home to Russia falling from a fractious horse | M |
| Left a sweetheart too they tell me Married I suppose of course | M |
| - | |
| Lives she yet A deathlike silence fell on banquet guests and | L |
| hall | V |
| And a trembling figure rising fixed the awestruck gaze of all | V |
| - | |
| Two black eyes in darkened orbits gleamed beneath the nun's white hood | L |
| Black serge hid the wasted figure bowed and stricken where it stood | L |
| - | |
| Lives she yet Sir George repeated All were hushed as Concha drew | L |
| Closer yet her nun's attire Senor pardon she died too | L |
Bret Harte
(1)
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