To The Reader Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBA CDDC EFFE GHHG IJJI KLLK BEEB MNNO PFFQ ARRAFolly depravity greed mortal sin | A |
Invade our souls and rack our flesh we feed | B |
Our gentle guilt gracious regrets that breed | B |
Like vermin glutting on foul beggars' skin | A |
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Our sins are stubborn our repentance faint | C |
We take a handsome price for our confession | D |
Happy once more to wallow in transgression | D |
Thinking vile tears will cleanse us of all taint | C |
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On evil's cushion poised His Majesty | E |
Satan Thrice Great lulls our charmed soul until | F |
He turns to vapor what was once our will | F |
Rich ore transmuted by his alchemy | E |
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He holds the strings that move us limb by limb | G |
We yield enthralled to things repugnant base | H |
Each day towards Hell with slow unhurried pace | H |
We sink uncowed through shadows stinking grim | G |
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Like some lewd rake with his old worn out whore | I |
Nibbling her suffering teats we seize our sly | J |
delight that like an orange withered dry | J |
We squeeze and press for juice that is no more | I |
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Our brains teem with a race of Fiends who frolic | K |
thick as a million gut worms with each breath | L |
Our lungs drink deep suck down a stream of Death | L |
Dim lit to low moaned whimpers melancholic | K |
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If poison fire blade rape do not succeed | B |
In sewing on that dull embroidery | E |
Of our pathetic lives their artistry | E |
It's that our soul alas shrinks from the deed | B |
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And yet among the beasts and creatures all | M |
Panther snake scorpion jackal ape hound hawk | N |
Monsters that crawl and shriek and grunt and squawk | N |
In our vice filled menagerie's caterwaul | O |
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One worse is there fit to heap scorn upon | P |
More ugly rank Though noiseless calm and still | F |
yet would he turn the earth to scraps and swill | F |
swallow it whole in one great gaping yawn | Q |
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Ennui That monster frail With eye wherein | A |
A chance tear gleams he dreams of gibbets while | R |
Smoking his hookah with a dainty smile | R |
You know him reader hypocrite my twin | A |
Charles Baudelaire
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