Lycidas. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCCBBDEBDEFGHIJJKLM MNOOPQRQSSTUUTVVWMXM MMMYZYHZFA2ZA2B2B2C2 C2MAMD2AD2AHE2ZZE2HZ GZGZZZZF2F2ZZB2G2G2G 2ZG2ZZZZMZHHZG2MG2H2 H2MI2J2J2I2J2I2K2MMK 2MK2G2K2G2G2G2G2ZG2Z HG2HG2HG2HHG2ZG2ZZZZ ZZZZMG2G2MG2ZG2ZZZZZ G2ZG2G2G2G2G2G2L2L2H G2HG2G2HK2K2ZK2ZK2B2 B2ZB2ZHHG2G2ZHZHZHDD Z K2B2ZB2M2ZI2G2HM2ZM2 ZM2ZK2ZM2ZDG2G2M2M2M 2HM2DZZHDZG2DG2HZM2Z I2I2DZZDZZM2G2ZG2DZZ G2B2G2G2B2HZK2G2M2HM 2ZHG2ZM2M2ZM2ZHZG2G2 ZM2ZB2ZHDZM2DHK2G2G2 DZDZM2DZZM2DZM2M2DDD ZDZZZZM2DDZZDM2M2DZZ M2DB2DZDDDDDDZDM2DM2 DZM2ZZM2ZZK2ZDZZK2M2 DDM2N2M2K2M2ZZM2M2DM 2B2DZZK2DDZZDZM2M2DYet once more O ye laurels and once more | A |
Ye myrtles brown with ivy never sere | B |
I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude | C |
And with forced fingers rude | C |
Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year | B |
Bitter constraint and sad occasion dear | B |
Compels me to disturb your season due | D |
For Lycidas is dead dead ere his prime | E |
Young Lycidas and hath not left his peer | B |
Who would not sing for Lycidas He knew | D |
Himself to sing and build the lofty rhyme | E |
He must not float upon his watery bier | F |
Unwept and welter to the parching wind | G |
Without the meed of some melodious tear | H |
Begin then sisters of the sacred well | I |
That from beneath the seat of Jove doth spring | J |
Begin and somewhat loudly sweep the string | J |
Hence with denial vain and coy excuse | K |
So may some gentle muse | L |
With lucky words favour my destined urn | M |
And as he passes turn | M |
And bid fair peace be to my sable shroud | N |
For we were nursed upon the self same hill | O |
Fed the same flock by fountain shade and rill | O |
Together both ere the high lawns appeared | P |
Under the opening eyelids of the morn | Q |
We drove afield and both together heard | R |
What time the gray fly winds her sultry horn | Q |
Battening our flocks with the fresh dews of night | S |
Oft till the star that rose at evening bright | S |
Toward Heaven's descent had sloped his westering wheel | T |
Meanwhile the rural ditties were not mute | U |
Tempered to the oaten flute | U |
Rough satyrs danced and fauns with cloven heel | T |
From the glad sound would not be absent long | V |
And old Damaetas loved to hear our song | V |
But oh the heavy change now thou art gone | W |
Now thou art gone and never must return | M |
Thee shepherd thee the woods and desert caves | X |
With wild thyme and the gadding vine o'ergrown | M |
And all their echoes mourn | M |
The willows and the hazel copses green | M |
Shall now no more be seen | M |
Fanning their joyous leaves to thy soft lays | Y |
As killing as the canker to the rose | Z |
Or taint worm to the weanling herds that graze | Y |
Or frost to flowers that their gay wardrobe wear | H |
When first the white thorn blows | Z |
Such Lycidas thy loss to shepherd's ear | F |
Where were ye nymphs when the remorseless deep | A2 |
Closed o'er the head of your loved Lycidas | Z |
For neither were ye playing on the steep | A2 |
Where your old bards the famous Druids lie | B2 |
Nor on the shaggy top of Mona high | B2 |
Nor yet where Deva spreads her wizard stream | C2 |
Ay me I fondly dream | C2 |
Had ye been there for what could that have done | M |
What could the muse herself that Orpheus bore | A |
The muse herself for her enchanting son | M |
Whom universal nature did lament | D2 |
When by the rout that made the hideous roar | A |
His gory visage down the stream was sent | D2 |
Down the swift Hebrus to the Lesbian shore | A |
Alas what boots it with incessant care | H |
To tend the homely slighted shepherd's trade | E2 |
And strictly meditate the thankless muse | Z |
Were it not better done as others use | Z |
To sport with Amaryllis in the shade | E2 |
Or with the tangles of Neaera's hair | H |
Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise | Z |
That last infirmity of noble mind | G |
To scorn delights and live laborious days | Z |
But the fair guerdon when we hope to find | G |
And think to burst out into sudden blaze | Z |
Comes the blind fury with the abhorred shears | Z |
And slits the thin spun life But not the praise | Z |
Phoebus replied and touched my trembling ears | Z |
Fame is no plant that grows on mortal soil | F2 |
Nor in the glistering foil | F2 |
Set off to the world nor in broad rumour lies | Z |
But lives and spreads aloft by those pure eyes | Z |
And perfect witness of all judging Jove | B2 |
As he pronounces lastly on each deed | G2 |
Of so much fame in Heaven expect thy meed | G2 |
O fountain Arethuse and thou honoured flood | G2 |
Smooth sliding Mincius crowned with vocal reeds | Z |
That strain I heard was of a higher mood | G2 |
But now my oat proceeds | Z |
And listens to the herald of the sea | Z |
That came in Neptune's plea | Z |
He asked the waves and asked the felon winds | Z |
What hard mishap had doomed this gentle swain | M |
And questioned every gust of rugged wings | Z |
That blows from off each beaked promontory | H |
They knew not of his story | H |
And sage Hippotades their answer brings | Z |
That not a blast was from his dungeon strayed | G2 |
The air was calm and on the level brine | M |
Sleek Panope with all her sisters played | G2 |
It was that fatal and perfidious bark | H2 |
Built in the eclipse and rigged with curses dark | H2 |
That sunk so low that sacred head of thine | M |
Next Camus reverend sire went footing slow | I2 |
His mantle hairy and his bonnet sedge | J2 |
Inwrought with figures dim and on the edge | J2 |
Like to that sanguine flower inscribed with woe | I2 |
Ah who hath reft quoth he my dearest pledge | J2 |
Last came and last did go | I2 |
The pilot of the Galilean lake | K2 |
Two massy keys he bore of metals twain | M |
The golden opes the iron shuts amain | M |
He shook his mitred locks and stern bespake | K2 |
How well could I have spared for thee young swain | M |
Enow of such as for their bellies' sake | K2 |
Creep and intrude and climb into the fold | G2 |
Of other care they little reckoning make | K2 |
Than how to scramble at the shearer's feast | G2 |
And shove away the worthy bidden guest | G2 |
Blind mouths that scarce themselves know how to hold | G2 |
A sheep hook or have learned aught else the least | G2 |
That to the faithful herdsman's art belongs | Z |
What reeks it them What need they They are sped | G2 |
And when they list their lean and flashy songs | Z |
Grate on their scrannel pipes of wretched straw | H |
The hungry sheep look up and are not fed | G2 |
But swollen with wind and the rank mist they draw | H |
Rot inwardly and foul contagion spread | G2 |
Besides what the grim wolf with privy paw | H |
Daily devours apace and nothing said | G2 |
But that two handed engine at the door | H |
Stands ready to smite once and smite no more | H |
Return Alpheus the dread voice is past | G2 |
That shrunk thy streams return Sicilian muse | Z |
And call the vales and bid them hither cast | G2 |
Their bells and flowerets of a thousand hues | Z |
Ye valleys low where the mild whispers use | Z |
Of shades and wanton winds and gushing brooks | Z |
On whose fresh lap the swart star sparely looks | Z |
Throw hither all your quaint enamelled eyes | Z |
That on the green turf suck the honeyed showers | Z |
And purple all the ground with vernal flowers | Z |
Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies | Z |
The tufted crow toe and pale jessamine | M |
The white pink and the pansy freaked with jet | G2 |
The glowing violet | G2 |
The musk rose and the well attired woodbine | M |
With cowslips wan that hang the pensive head | G2 |
And every flower that sad embroidery wears | Z |
Bid amaranthus all his beauty shed | G2 |
And daffodillies fill their cups with tears | Z |
To strow the laureate hearse where Lycid lies | Z |
For so to interpose a little ease | Z |
Let our frail thoughts dally with false surmise | Z |
Ay me whilst thee the shores and sounding seas | Z |
Wash far away where ere thy bones are hurled | G2 |
Whether beyond the stormy Hebrides | Z |
Where thou perhaps under the whelming tide | G2 |
Visit'st the bottom of the monstrous world | G2 |
Or whether thou to our moist vows denied | G2 |
Sleep'st by the fable of Bellerus old | G2 |
Where the great vision of the guarded mount | G2 |
Looks toward Namancos and Bayona's hold | G2 |
Look homeward angel now and melt with ruth | L2 |
And O ye dolphins waft the hapless youth | L2 |
Weep no more woeful shepherds weep no more | H |
For Lycidas your sorrow is not dead | G2 |
Sunk though he be beneath the watery floor | H |
So sinks the day star in the ocean bed | G2 |
And yet anon repairs his drooping head | G2 |
And tricks his beams and with new spangled ore | H |
Flames in the forehead of the morning sky | K2 |
So Lycidas sunk low but mounted high | K2 |
Through the dear might of him that walked the waves | Z |
Where other groves and other streams along | K2 |
With nectar pure his oozy locks he laves | Z |
And hears the unexpressive nuptial song | K2 |
In the blest kingdoms meek of joy and love | B2 |
There entertain him all the saints above | B2 |
In solemn troops and sweet societies | Z |
That sing and singing in their glory move | B2 |
And wipe the tears for ever from his eyes | Z |
Now Lycidas the shepherds weep no more | H |
Henceforth thou art the genius of the shore | H |
In thy large recompense and shalt be good | G2 |
To all that wander in that perilous flood | G2 |
Thus sang the uncouth swain to the oaks and rills | Z |
While the still morn went out with sandals gray | H |
He touched the tender stops of various quills | Z |
With eager thought warbling his Doric lay | H |
And now the sun had stretched out all the hills | Z |
And now was dropped into the western bay | H |
At last he rose and twitched his mantle blue | D |
Tomorrow to fresh woods and pastures new | D |
- | |
- | |
- | |
LYCIDAS | Z |
- | |
- | |
- | |
En iterum laurus iterum salvete myricae | K2 |
Pallentes nullique hederae quae ceditis aevo | B2 |
Has venio baccas quanquam sapor asper acerbis | Z |
Decerptum quassumque manu folia ipsa proterva | B2 |
Maturescentem praevortens improbus annum | M2 |
Causa gravis pia cansa subest et amara deum lex | Z |
Nec jam sponte mea vobis rata tempora turbo | I2 |
Nam periit Lycidas periit superante juventa | G2 |
Imberbis Lycidas quo non praestantior alter | H |
Quis cantare super Lycida neget Ipse quoque artem | M2 |
Norat Apollineam versumque imponere versu | Z |
Non nullo vitreum fas innatet ille feretrum | M2 |
Flente voluteturque arentes corpus ad auras | Z |
Indotatum adeo et lacrymae vocalis egenum | M2 |
Quare agite o sacri fontis queis cura sorores | Z |
Cui sub inaccessi sella Jovis exit origo | K2 |
Incipite et sonitu graviore impellite chordas | Z |
Lingua procul male prompta loqui suasorque morarum | M2 |
Sit pudor alloquiis ut mollior una secundis | Z |
Pieridum faveat cui mox ego destiner urnae | D |
Et gressus praetergrediens convertat et Esto | G2 |
Dicat amoena quies atra tibi veste latenti | G2 |
Uno namque jugo duo nutribamur eosdem | M2 |
Pavit uterque greges ad fontem et rivulum et umbram | M2 |
Tempore nos illo nemorum convexa priusquam | M2 |
Aurora reserante oculos caepere videri | H |
Urgebamus equos ad pascua novimus horam | M2 |
Aridus audiri solitus qua clangor asili | D |
Rore recentes greges passi pinguescere noctis | Z |
Saepius albuerat donec quod vespere sidus | Z |
Hesperios axes prono inclinasset Olympo | H |
At pastorales non cessavere camoenae | D |
Fistula disparibus quas temperat apta cicutis | Z |
Saltabant Satyri informes nec murmure laeto | G2 |
Capripedes potuere diu se avertere Fauni | D |
Damaetasque modos nostros longaevus amabat | G2 |
Jamque relicta tibi quantum mutata videntur | H |
Rura relicta tibi cui non spes ulla regressus | Z |
Te sylvae teque antra puer deserta ferarum | M2 |
Incultis obducta thymis ac vite sequaci | Z |
Decessisse gemunt gemitusque reverberat Echo | I2 |
Non salices non glauca ergo coryleta videbo | I2 |
Molles ad numeros laetum motare cacumen | D |
Quale rosis scabies quam formidabile vermis | Z |
Depulso jam lacte gregi dum tondet agellos | Z |
Sive quod indutis verna jam veste pruinae | D |
Floribus albet ubi primum paliurus in agris | Z |
Tale fuit nostris Lycidam periisse bubulcis | Z |
Qua Nymphae latuistis ubi crudele profundum | M2 |
Delicias Lycidam vestras sub vortice torsit | G2 |
Nam neque vos scopulis tum ludebatis in illis | Z |
Quos veteres Druidae Vates illustria servant | G2 |
Nomina nec celsae setoso in culmine Monae | D |
Nec quos Deva locos magicis amplectitur undis | Z |
Vae mihi delusos exercent somnia sensus | Z |
Venissetis enim numquid venisse juvaret | G2 |
Numquid Pieris ipsa parens interfuit Orphei | B2 |
Pieris ipsa suae sobolis qui carmine rexit | G2 |
Corda virum quem terra olim quam magna dolebat | G2 |
Tempore quo dirum auditu strepitante caterva | B2 |
Ora secundo amni missa ac foedata cruore | H |
Lesbia praecipitans ad litora detulit Hebrus | Z |
Eheu quid prodest noctes instare diesque | K2 |
Pastorum curas spretas humilesque tuendo | G2 |
Nilque relaturam meditari rite Camoenam | M2 |
Nonne fuit satius lusus agitare sub umbra | H |
Ut mos est aliis Amaryllida sive Neaeram | M2 |
Sectanti ac tortis digitum impediisse capillis | Z |
Scilcet ingenuum cor Fama novissimus error | H |
Illa animi majoris uti calcaribus urget | G2 |
Spernere delicias ac dedi rebus agendis | Z |
Quanquam exoptatam jam spes attingere dotem | M2 |
Jam nec opinata remur splendescere flamma | M2 |
Caeca sed invisa cum forfice venit Erinnys | Z |
Quae resecet tenui haerentem subtemine vitam | M2 |
At Famam non illa refert tangitque trementes | Z |
Phoebus Apollo aures Fama haud vulgaris ad instar | H |
Floris amat terrestre solum fictosque nitores | Z |
Queis inhiat populus nec cum Rumore patescit | G2 |
Vivere dant illi dant increbrescere late | G2 |
Puri oculi ac vox summa Jovis cui sola Potestas | Z |
Fecerit ille semel de facto quoque virorum | M2 |
Arbitrium tantum famae manet aethera nactis | Z |
Fons Arethusa sacro placidus qui laberis alveo | B2 |
Frontem vocali praetextus arundine Minci | Z |
Sensi equidem gravius carmen Nunc cetera pastor | H |
Exsequor Adstat enim missus pro rege marino | D |
Seque rogasse refert fluctus ventosque rapaces | Z |
Quae sors dura nimis tenerum rapuisset agrestem | M2 |
Compellasse refert alarum quicquid ab omni | D |
Spirat acerba sonans scopulo qui cuspidis instar | H |
Prominet in pelagus fama haud pervenerat illuc | K2 |
Haec ultro pater Hippotades responsa ferebat | G2 |
Nulli sunt nostro palati carcere venti | G2 |
Straverat aequor aquas et sub Jove compta sereno | D |
Lusum exercebat Panope nymphaeque sorores | Z |
Quam Furiae struxere per interlunia leto | D |
Fetam ac fraude ratem malos velarat Erinnys | Z |
Credas in mala tanta caput mersisse sacratum | M2 |
Proximus huic tardum senior se Camus agebat | D |
Cui setosa chlamys cui pileus ulva figuris | Z |
Idem intertextus dubiis erat utque cruentos | Z |
Quos perhibent flores inscriptus margine luctum | M2 |
Nam quis ait praedulce meum me pignus ademit | D |
Post hos qui Galilaea regit per stagna carinas | Z |
Post hos venit iturus habet manus utraque clavim | M2 |
Queis aperit clauditque auro ferrove gravatam | M2 |
Mitra tegit crines quassis quibus acriter infit | D |
Scilicet optassem pro te dare corpora leto | D |
Sat multa o juvenis quot serpunt ventribus acti | D |
Vi quot iter faciunt spretis in ovilia muris | Z |
Hic labor hoc opus est pecus ut tondente magistro | D |
Praeripiant epulas trudatur dignior hospes | Z |
Capti oculis non ore pedum tractare nec ipsi | Z |
Norunt quotve bonis sunt upilionibus artes | Z |
Sed quid enim refert quove eat opus omnia nactis | Z |
Fert ubi mens tenue ac deductum carmen avenam | M2 |
Radit stridentem stipulis Pastore negato | D |
Suspicit aegra pecus vento gravis ac lue tracta | D |
Tabescit mox foeda capit contagia vulgus | Z |
Quid dicam stabulis ut clandestinus oberrans | Z |
Expleat ingluviem tristis lupus indice nullo | D |
Illa tamen bimanus custodit machina portam | M2 |
Stricta paratque malis plagam non amplius unam | M2 |
En Alphee redi Quibus ima cohorruit unda | D |
Voces praeteriere redux quoque Sicelis omnes | Z |
Musa voca valles huc pendentes hyacinthos | Z |
Fac jaciant teneros huc flores mille colorum | M2 |
O nemorum depressa sonant ubi crebra susurri | D |
Umbrarum et salientis aquae Zephyrique protervi | B2 |
Queisque virens gremium penetrare Canicula parcit | D |
Picturata modis jacite huc mihi lumina miris | Z |
Mellitos imbres queis per viridantia rura | D |
Mos haurire novo quo tellus vere rubescat | D |
Huc ranunculus ipse arbos pallorque ligustri | D |
Quaeque relicta perit vixdum matura feratur | D |
Pnimula quique ebeno distinctus caetera flavet | D |
Flos et qui specie nomen detrectat eburna | D |
Ardenti violae rosa proxima fundat odores | Z |
Serpyllumque placens et acerbo flexile vultu | D |
Verbascum ac tristem si quid sibi legit amictum | M2 |
Quicquid habes pulcri fundas amarante coronent | D |
Narcissi lacrymis calices sternantque feretrum | M2 |
Tectus ubi lauro Lycidas jacet adsit ut oti | D |
Saltem aliquid ficta ludantur imagine mentes | Z |
Me miserum Tua nam litus pelagusque sonorum | M2 |
Ossa ferunt queiscunque procul jacteris in oris | Z |
Sive procellosas ultra Symplegadas ingens | Z |
Jam subter mare visis alit quae monstra profundum | M2 |
Sive negavit enim precibus te Jupiter udis | Z |
Cum sene Bellero veterum qui fabula dormis | Z |
Qua custoditi montis praegrandis imago | K2 |
Namancum atque arces longe prospectat Iberas | Z |
Verte retro te verte deum mollire precando | D |
Et vos infaustum juvenem delphines agatis | Z |
Ponite jam lacrymas sat enim flevistis agrestes | Z |
Non periit Lycidas vestri moeroris origo | K2 |
Marmorei quanquam fluctus hausere cadentem | M2 |
Sic et in aequoreum se condere saepe cubile | D |
Luciferum videas nec longum tempus et effert | D |
Demissum caput igne novo vestitus et aurum | M2 |
Ceu rutilans in fronte poli splendescit Eoi | N2 |
Sic obiit Lycidas sic assurrexit in altum | M2 |
Illo quem peditem mare sustulit usus amico | K2 |
Nunc campos alios alia errans stagna secundum | M2 |
Rorantesque lavans integro nectare crines | Z |
Audit inauditos nobis cantari Hymenaeos | Z |
Fortunatorum sedes ubi mitis amorem | M2 |
Laetitiamque affert Hic illum quotquot Olympum | M2 |
Praedulces habitant turbae venerabilis ordo | D |
Circumstant aliaeque canunt interque canendum | M2 |
Majestate sua veniunt abeuntque catervae | B2 |
Omnes ex oculis lacrymas arcere paratae | D |
Ergo non Lycidam jam lamentantur agrestes | Z |
Divus eris ripae puer hoc ex tempore nobis | Z |
Grande nec immerito veniens in munus opemque | K2 |
Poscent usque tuam dubiis quot in aestubus errant | D |
Haec incultus aquis puer ilicibusque canebat | D |
Processit dum mane silens talaribus albis | Z |
Multa manu teneris discrimina tentat avenis | Z |
Dorica non studio modulatus carmina segni | D |
Et jam sol abiens colles extenderat omnes | Z |
Jamque sub Hesperium se praecipitaverat alveum | M2 |
Surrexit tandem glaucumque retraxit amictum | M2 |
Cras lucos reor ille novos nova pascua quaeret | D |
Charles Stuart Calverley
(1)
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