To The Reader Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBA CDDC EFFE GHHG IJJI KLLK BEEB MNNO PFFQ ARRA| Folly 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| 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
(1)
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About To The Reader
To The Reader is a poem by Charles Baudelaire. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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