The Convent Threshold Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCADCBEFEDDGDGD HIIIHJKLHLMML NOPONQQP RSSTUTJRVVVWT XYXYXXZZA2B2 C2D2D2C2NYYNE2XAXF2A C2G2XH2XF2H2I2G2J2 WK2K2G2G2J2I2WWL2WLL 2M2G2G2 XG2XN2O2N2O2P2P2 WWDDQ2R2R2Q2Q2P2Q2XQ 2S2S2X NP2XO2Q2NG2G2VP2V VAD2E2C2VD2AAT2T2AThere's blood between us love my love | A |
There's father's blood there's brother's blood | B |
And blood's a bar I cannot pass | C |
I choose the stairs that mount above | A |
Stair after golden sky ward stair | D |
To city and to sea of glass | C |
My lily feet are soiled with mud | B |
With scarlet mud which tells a tale | E |
Of hope that was of guilt that was | F |
Of love that shall not yet avail | E |
Alas my heart if I could bare | D |
My heart this selfsame stain is there | D |
I seek the sea of glass and fire | G |
To wash the spot to burn the snare | D |
Lo stairs are meant to lift us higher | G |
Mount with me mount the kindled stair | D |
- | |
Your eyes look earthward mine look up | H |
I see the far off city grand | I |
Beyond the hills a watered land | I |
Beyond the gulf a gleaming strand | I |
Of mansions where the righteous sup | H |
Who sleep at ease among their trees | J |
Or wake to sing a cadenced hymn | K |
With Cherubim and Seraphim | L |
They bore the Cross they drained the cup | H |
Racked roasted crushed wrenched limb from limb | L |
They the offscouring of the world | M |
The heaven of starry heavens unfurled | M |
The sun before their face is dim | L |
- | |
You looking earthward what see you | N |
Milk white wine flushed among the vines | O |
Up and down leaping to and fro | P |
Most glad most full made strong with wines | O |
Blooming as peaches pearled with dew | N |
Their golden windy hair afloat | Q |
Love music warbling in their throat | Q |
Young men and women come and go | P |
- | |
You linger yet the time is short | R |
Flee for your life gird up your strength | S |
To flee the shadows stretched at length | S |
Show that day wanes that night draws nigh | T |
Flee to the mountain tarry not | U |
Is this a time for smile and sigh | T |
For songs among the secret trees | J |
Where sudden blue birds nest and sport | R |
The time is short and yet you stay | V |
To day while it is called to day | V |
Kneel wrestle knock do violence pray | V |
To day is short to morrow night | W |
Why will you die why will you die | T |
- | |
You sinned with me a pleasant sin | X |
Repent with me for I repent | Y |
Woe's me the lore I must unlearn | X |
Woe's me the easy way we went | Y |
So rugged when I would return | X |
How long until my sleep begin | X |
How long shall stretch these nights and days | Z |
Surely clean Angels cry she prays | Z |
She laves her soul with tedious tears | A2 |
How long must stretch these years and years | B2 |
- | |
I turn from you my cheeks and eyes | C2 |
My hair which you shall see no more | D2 |
Alas for joy that went before | D2 |
For joy that dies for love that dies | C2 |
Only my lips still turn to you | N |
My livid lips that cry Repent | Y |
O weary life O weary Lent | Y |
O weary time whose stars are few | N |
How should I rest in Paradise | E2 |
Or sit on steps of heaven alone | X |
If Saints and Angels spoke of love | A |
Should I not ansnwer from my throne | X |
Have pity upon me ye my friends | F2 |
For I have heard the sound thereof | A |
Should I not turn with yearning eyes | C2 |
Turn earthwards with a pitiful pang | G2 |
Oh save me from a pang in heaven | X |
By all the gifts we took and gave | H2 |
Repent repent and be forgiven | X |
This life is long but yet it ends | F2 |
Repent and purge your soul and save | H2 |
No gladder song the morning stars | I2 |
Upon their birthday morning sang | G2 |
Than Angels sing when one repents | J2 |
- | |
I tell you what I dreamed last night | W |
A spirit with transfigured face | K2 |
Fire footed clomb an infinite space | K2 |
I heard his hundred pinions clang | G2 |
Heaven bells rejoicing rang and rang | G2 |
Heaven air was thrilled with subtle scents | J2 |
Worlds spun upon their rushing cars | I2 |
He mounted shrieking Give me light | W |
Still light was poured on him more light | W |
Angels Archangels he outstripped | L2 |
Exultant in exceeding might | W |
And trod the skirts of Cherubim | L |
Still Give me light he shrieked and dipped | L2 |
His thirsty face and drank a sea | M2 |
Athirst with thirst it could not slake | G2 |
I saw him drunk with knowledge take | G2 |
- | |
From aching brows the aureole crown | X |
His locks writhe like a cloven snake | G2 |
He left his throne to grovel down | X |
And lick the dust of Seraphs' feet | N2 |
For what is knowledge duly weighed | O2 |
Knowledge is strong but love is sweet | N2 |
Yea all the progress he had made | O2 |
Was but to learn that all is small | P2 |
Save love for love is all in all | P2 |
- | |
I tell you what I dreamed last night | W |
It was not dark it was not light | W |
Cold dews had drenched my plenteous hair | D |
Through clay you came to seek me there | D |
And Do you dream of me you said | Q2 |
My heart was dust that used to leap | R2 |
To you I answered half asleep | R2 |
My pillow is damp my sheets are red | Q2 |
There's a leaden tester to my bed | Q2 |
Find you a warmer playfellow | P2 |
A warmer pillow for your head | Q2 |
A kinder love to love than mine | X |
You wrung your hands while I like lead | Q2 |
Crushed downwards through the sodden earth | S2 |
You smote your hands but not in mirth | S2 |
And reeled but were not drunk with wine | X |
- | |
For all night long I dreamed of you | N |
I woke and prayed against my will | P2 |
Then slept to dream of you again | X |
At length I rose and knelt and prayed | O2 |
I cannot write the words I said | Q2 |
My words were slow my tears were few | N |
But through the dark my silence spoke | G2 |
Like thunder When this morning broke | G2 |
My face was pinched my hair was grey | V |
And frozen blood was on the sill | P2 |
Where stifling in my struggle I lay | V |
- | |
If now you saw me you would say | V |
Where is the face I used to love | A |
And I would answer Gone before | D2 |
It tarries veiled in Paradise | E2 |
When once the morning star shall rise | C2 |
When earth with shadow flees away | V |
And we stand safe within the door | D2 |
Then you shall lift the veil thereof | A |
Look up rise up for far above | A |
Our palms are grown our place is set | T2 |
There we shall meet as once we met | T2 |
And love with old familiar love | A |
Christina Rossetti
(1)
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