Maiden-song Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFEA GHIHJHHKLKA MHMH ENEBE OBDBNDDDPDPDA QHQHQBRBA DSTSUEHEA VHTHWEXEA YKIKZUA2UB2UQUA UC2D2C2E2MF2MG2M H2I2J2I2J2IRILI K2L2RL2UZRZM2ZA N2O2O2O2L2O2P2O2DRQ2 RA ZR2S2R2O2HO2HMH ET2O2T2DDO2DO2 NN2U2 EV2H2 HV2YV2W2V2O2 O2HDHDK2IK2BK2O2 O2YX2YY2Z2Y2Z2O2 IHX2HDHA3B3O2B3O2 S2C3D3C3E3EO2EF3EO2 NZG3ZH3I3HRO2 J3A2K3A2EL3DL3DL3O2

Long ago and long agoA
And long ago stillB
There dwelt three merry maidensC
Upon a distant hillB
One was tall MegganD
And one was dainty MayE
But one was fair MargaretF
More fair than I can sayE
Long ago and long agoA
-
When Meggan plucked the thorny roseG
And when May pulled the brierH
Half the birds would swoop to seeI
Half the beasts draw nigherH
Half the fishes of the streamsJ
Would dart up to admireH
But when Margaret plucked a flag flowerH
Or poppy hot aflameK
All the beasts and all the birdsL
And all the fishes cameK
To her hand more soft than snowA
-
Strawberry leaves and May dewM
In brisk morning airH
Strawberry leaves and May dewM
Make maidens fairH
'I go for strawberry leaves '-
Meggan said one dayE
'Fair Margaret can bide at homeN
But you come with me MayE
Up the hill and down the hillB
Along the winding wayE
You and I are used to go '-
-
So these two fair sistersO
Went with innocent willB
Up the hill and down againD
And round the homestead hillB
While the fairest sat at homeN
Margaret like a queenD
Like a blush rose like the moonD
In her heavenly sheenD
Fragrant breathed as milky cowP
Or field of blossoming beanD
Graceful as an ivy boughP
Born to cling and leanD
Thus she sat to sing and sewA
-
When she raised her lustrous eyesQ
A beast peeped at the doorH
When she downward cast her eyesQ
A fish gasped on the floorH
When she turned away her eyesQ
A bird perched on the sillB
Warbling out its heart of loveR
Warbling warbling stillB
With pathetic pleadings lowA
-
Light foot May with MegganD
Sought the choicest spotS
Clothed with thyme alternate grassT
Then while day waxed hotS
Sat at ease to play and restU
A gracious rest and playE
The loveliest maidens near or farH
When Margaret was awayE
Who sat at home to sing and sewA
-
Sun glow flushed their comely cheeksV
Wind play tossed their hairH
Creeping things among the grassT
Stroked them here and thereH
Meggan piped a merry noteW
A fitful wayward layE
While shrill as bird on topmost twigX
Piped merry MayE
Honey smooth the double flowA
-
Sped a herdsman from the valeY
Mounting like a flameK
All on fire to hear and seeI
With floating locks he cameK
Looked neither north nor southZ
Neither east nor westU
But sat him down at Meggan's feetA2
As love bird on his nestU
And wooed her with a silent aweB2
With trouble not expressedU
She sang the tears into his eyesQ
The heart out of his breastU
So he loved her listening soA
-
She sang the heart out of his breastU
The words out of his tongueC2
Hand and foot and pulse he pausedD2
Till her song was sungC2
Then he spoke up from his placeE2
Simple words and trueM
'Scanty goods have I to giveF2
Scanty skill to wooM
But I have a will to workG2
And a heart for youM
Bid me stay or bid me go '-
-
Then Meggan mused within herselfH2
'Better be first with himI2
Than dwell where fairer Margaret sitsJ2
Who shines my brightness dimI2
For ever second where she sitsJ2
However fair I beI
I will be lady of his loveR
And he shall worship meI
I will be lady of his herdsL
And stoop to his degreeI
At home where kids and fatlings grow '-
-
Sped a shepherd from the heightK2
Headlong down to lookL2
White lambs followed lured by loveR
Of their shepherd's crookL2
He turned neither east nor westU
Neither north nor southZ
But knelt right down to May for loveR
Of her sweet singing mouthZ
Forgot his flocks his panting flocksM2
In parching hill side drouthZ
Forgot himself for weal or woeA
-
Trilled her song and swelled her songN2
With maiden coy capriceO2
In a labyrinth of throbsO2
Pauses cadencesO2
Clear noted as a dropping brookL2
Soft noted like the beesO2
Wild noted as the shivering windP2
Forlorn through forest treesO2
Love noted like the wood pigeonD
Who hides herself for loveR
Yet cannot keep her secret safeQ2
But coos and coos thereofR
Thus the notes rang loud or lowA
-
He hung breathless on her breathZ
Speechless who listened wellR2
Could not speak or think or wishS2
Till silence broke the spellR2
Then he spoke and spread his handsO2
Pointing here and thereH
'See my sheep and see the lambsO2
Twin lambs which they bareH
All myself I offer youM
All my flocks and careH
Your sweet song hath moved me so '-
-
In her fluttered heart young MayE
Mused a dubious whileT2
'If he loves me as he says'O2
Her lips curved with a smileT2
'Where Margaret shines like the sunD
I shine but like a moonD
If sister Meggan makes her choiceO2
I can make mine as soonD
At cockcrow we were sister maidsO2
We may be brides at noon '-
Said Meggan 'Yes ' May said not 'No '-
-
Fair Margaret stayed alone at homeN
Awhile she sang her songN2
Awhile sat silent then she thoughtU2
'My sisters loiter long '-
That sultry noon had waned awayE
Shadows had waxen greatV2
'Surely ' she thought within herselfH2
'My sisters loiter late '-
She rose and peered out at the doorH
With patient heart to waitV2
And heard a distant nightingaleY
Complaining of its mateV2
Then down the garden slope she walkedW2
Down to the garden gateV2
Leaned on the rail and waited soO2
-
The slope was lightened by her eyesO2
Like summer lightning fairH
Like rising of the haloed moonD
Lightened her glimmering hairH
While her face lightened like the sunD
Whose dawn is rosy whiteK2
Thus crowned with maiden majestyI
She peered into the nightK2
Looked up the hill and down the hillB
To left hand and to rightK2
Flashing like fire flies to and froO2
-
Waiting thus in wearinessO2
She marked the nightingaleY
Telling if any one would heedX2
Its old complaining taleY
Then lifted she her voice and sangY2
Answering the birdZ2
Then lifted she her voice and sangY2
Such notes were never heardZ2
From any bird when Spring's in blowO2
-
The king of all that countryI
Coursing far coursing nearH
Curbed his amber bitted steedX2
Coursed amain to hearH
All his princes in his trainD
Squire and knight and peerH
With his crown upon his headA3
His sceptre in his handB3
Down he fell at Margaret's kneesO2
Lord king of all that landB3
To her highness bending lowO2
-
Every beast and bird and fishS2
Came mustering to the soundC3
Every man and every maidD3
From miles of country roundC3
Meggan on her herdsman's armE3
With her shepherd MayE
Flocks and herds trooped at their heelsO2
Along the hill side wayE
No foot too feeble for the ascentF3
Not any head too greyE
Some were swift and none were slowO2
-
So Margaret sang her sisters homeN
In their marriage mirthZ
Sang free birds out of the skyG3
Beasts along the earthZ
Sang up fishes of the deepH3
All breathing things that moveI3
Sang from far and sang from nearH
To her lovely loveR
Sang together friend and foeO2
-
Sang a golden bearded kingJ3
Straightway to her feetA2
Sang him silent where he kneltK3
In eager anguish sweetA2
But when the clear voice died awayE
When longest echoes diedL3
He stood up like a royal manD
And claimed her for his brideL3
So three maids were wooed and wonD
In a brief May tideL3
Long ago and long agoO2

Christina Georgina Rossetti



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