Maiden-song Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFEA GHIHJHHKLKA MHMHNEOEBEA PBDBODDDQDQDA RHRHRBSBA DTUTVEHEA WHUHXEYEA ZKIKA2VB2VC2VRVA VD2E2D2F2MG2MH2MA I2J2K2J2K2ISILIA L2M2SM2VA2SA2N2A2A O2P2P2P2M2P2Q2P2DSR2 SA A2S2T2S2P2HP2HMHA EU2P2U2DDP2DP2DA OO2V2O2EW2I2W2HW2ZW2 X2W2A P2HDHDL2IL2BL2A P2ZY2ZZ2A3Z2A3A IHY2HDHB3C3P2C3A T2D3E3D3F3EP2EG3EA OA2H3A2I3J3HSA K3B2L3B2EM3DM3DM3A

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 leavesN
Meggan said one dayE
Fair Margaret can bide at homeO
But you come with me MayE
Up the hill and down the hillB
Along the winding wayE
You and I are used to goA
-
So these two fair sistersP
Went with innocent willB
Up the hill and down againD
And round the homestead hillB
While the fairest sat at homeO
Margaret like a queenD
Like a blush rose like the moonD
In her heavenly sheenD
Fragrant breathed as milky cowQ
Or field of blossoming beanD
Graceful as an ivy boughQ
Born to cling and leanD
Thus she sat to sing and sewA
-
When she raised her lustrous eyesR
A beast peeped at the doorH
When she downward cast her eyesR
A fish gasped on the floorH
When she turned away her eyesR
A bird perched on the sillB
Warbling out its heart of loveS
Warbling warbling stillB
With pathetic pleadings lowA
-
Light foot May with MegganD
Sought the choicest spotT
Clothed with thyme alternate grassU
Then while day waxed hotT
Sat at ease to play and restV
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 cheeksW
Wind play tossed their hairH
Creeping things among the grassU
Stroked them here and thereH
Meggan piped a merry noteX
A fitful wayward layE
While shrill as bird on topmost twigY
Piped merry MayE
Honey smooth the double flowA
-
Sped a herdsman from the valeZ
Mounting like a flameK
All on fire to hear and seeI
With floating locks he cameK
Looked neither north nor southA2
Neither east nor westV
But sat him down at Meggan's feetB2
As love bird on his nestV
And wooed her with a silent aweC2
With trouble not expressedV
She sang the tears into his eyesR
The heart out of his breastV
So he loved her listening soA
-
She sang the heart out of his breastV
The words out of his tongueD2
Hand and foot and pulse he pausedE2
Till her song was sungD2
Then he spoke up from his placeF2
Simple words and trueM
Scanty goods have I to giveG2
Scanty skill to wooM
But I have a will to workH2
And a heart for youM
Bid me stay or bid me goA
-
Then Meggan mused within herselfI2
Better be first with himJ2
Than dwell where fairer Margaret sitsK2
Who shines my brightness dimJ2
Forever second where she sitsK2
However fair I beI
I will be lady of his loveS
And he shall worship meI
I will be lady of his herdsL
And stoop to his degreeI
At home where kids and fatlings growA
-
Sped a shepherd from the heightL2
Headlong down to lookM2
White lambs followed lured by loveS
Of their shepherd's crookM2
He turned neither east nor westV
Neither north nor southA2
But knelt right down to May for loveS
Of her sweet singing mouthA2
Forgot his flocks his panting flocksN2
In parching hillside drouthA2
Forgot himself for weal or woeA
-
Trilled her song and swelled her songO2
With maiden coy capriceP2
In a labyrinth of throbsP2
Pauses cadencesP2
Clear noted as a dropping brookM2
Soft noted like the beesP2
Wild noted as the shivering windQ2
Forlorn through forest treesP2
Love noted like the wood pigeonD
Who hides herself for loveS
Yet cannot keep her secret safeR2
But cooes and cooes thereofS
Thus the notes rang loud or lowA
-
He hung breathless on her breathA2
Speechless who listened wellS2
Could not speak or think or wishT2
Till silence broke the spellS2
Then he spoke and spread his handsP2
Pointing here and thereH
See my sheep and see the lambsP2
Twin lambs which they bareH
All myself I offer youM
All my flocks and careH
Your sweet song hath moved me soA
-
In her fluttered heart young MayE
Mused a dubious whileU2
If he loves me as he saysP2
Her lips curved with a smileU2
Where Margaret shines like the sunD
I shine but like a moonD
If sister Meggan makes her choiceP2
I can make mine as soonD
At cockcrow we were sister maidsP2
We may be brides at noonD
Said Meggan Yes May said not NoA
-
Fair Margaret stayed alone at homeO
Awhile she sang her songO2
Awhile sat silent then she thoughtV2
My sisters loiter longO2
That sultry noon had waned awayE
Shadows had waxen greatW2
Surely she thought within herselfI2
My sisters loiter lateW2
She rose and peered out at the doorH
With patient heart to waitW2
And heard a distant nightingaleZ
Complaining of its mateW2
Then down the garden slope she walkedX2
Down to the garden gateW2
Leaned on the rail and waited soA
-
The slope was lightened by her eyesP2
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 whiteL2
Thus crowned with maiden majestyI
She peered into the nightL2
Looked up the hill and down the hillB
To left hand and to rightL2
Flashing like fire flies to and froA
-
Waiting thus in wearinessP2
She marked the nightingaleZ
Telling if any one would heedY2
Its old complaining taleZ
Then lifted she her voice and sangZ2
Answering the birdA3
Then lifted she her voice and sangZ2
Such notes were never heardA3
From any bird when Spring's in blowA
-
The king of all that countryI
Coursing far coursing nearH
Curbed his amber bitted steedY2
Coursed amain to hearH
All his princes in his trainD
Squire and knight and peerH
With his crown upon his headB3
His sceptre in his handC3
Down he fell at Margaret's kneesP2
Lord king of all that landC3
To her highness bending lowA
-
Every beast and bird and fishT2
Came mustering to the soundD3
Every man and every maidE3
From miles of country roundD3
Meggan on her herdsman's armF3
With her shepherd MayE
Flocks and herds trooped at their heelsP2
Along the hillside wayE
No foot too feeble for the ascentG3
Not any head too grayE
Some were swift and none were slowA
-
So Margaret sang her sisters homeO
In their marriage mirthA2
Sang free birds out of the skyH3
Beasts along the earthA2
Sang up fishes of the deepI3
All breathing things that moveJ3
Sang from far and sang from nearH
To her lovely loveS
Sang together friend and foeA
-
Sang a golden bearded kingK3
Straightway to her feetB2
Sang him silent where he kneltL3
In eager anguish sweetB2
But when the clear voice died awayE
When longest echoes diedM3
He stood up like a royal manD
And claimed her for his brideM3
So three maids were wooed and wonD
In a brief May tideM3
Long ago and long agoA

Christina Rossetti



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