The Prince's Progress Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AAABAB CCCDCD EEEBEB CCCFCF AAAGAG HHHIHI JJJCJC KKKBKB LLLMLM NNNONO PPPQPQ CCCPCP PPPRPR SSSPSP TTTUTU PPPVPV PPPWPW GGGPGP MMMLML PPPPPP GGGPGP PPPXPX PPPJPJ BBBGBG PPPBPB YYZCYC PPPPPP PPPPPP A2A2A2B2A2B2 PPPC2PC2 PPPPPP D2D2D2GD2G KKKPKP GE2GF2GF2 SSSG2SG2 H2A2A2I2A2I2 PPPJ2PK2 L2L2L2M2L2M2 PPPPPP N2O2O2PO2P PPPPPP PPPC2PC2 P2P2P2M2P2M2 A2A2A2PA2P DDDQ2DR2 S2S2S2T2S2T2 U2U2U2PU2P M2V2V2TV2T BBBW2BW2 D2D2D2PD2P X2X2X2GX2G C2C2C2Y2C2Y2 CCCPCP PPPZ2PZ2 BBBBBB D2D2D2PD2P GGGB2GB2 A3A3B3SC3S PPPPPP W2W2W2PW2P PPPP2PD3 M2M2M2C2M2C2 PPPU2PU2 C2C2C2PC2P BBBPB R2Q2R2DR2D PPPBPB GGGPGP E3E3E3PE3P TTTPTP PPPPPP PPPF3PF3 V2V2V2CV2C E3E3E3PE3P Y2Y2Y2Q2Y2R2 PPPP2PP2 PPPG3PG3 PPPE3PE3 V2V2V2BV2B M2M2M2CM2C H3PG3PI3PM2PC2P C2C2CC2E3C2PC2PC2 E3GJ3GE3GE3GBG C2K3M2K3V2K3PK3E3K3 PPL3PE3PE3PM2P PPPPPPPPPP

Till all sweet gums and juices flow	A
Till the blossom of blossoms blow	A
The long hours go and come and go	A
The bride she sleepeth waketh sleepeth	B
Waiting for one whose coming is slow	A
Hark the bride weepeth	B
	-
How long shall I wait come heat come rime	C
Till the strong Prince comes who must come in time	C
Her women say There's a mountain to climb	C
A river to ford Sleep dream and sleep	D
Sleep they say we've muffled the chime	C
Better dream than weep	D
	-
In his world end palace the strong Prince sat	E
Taking his ease on cushion and mat	E
Close at hand lay his staff and his hat	E
When wilt thou start the bride waits O youth	B
Now the moon's at full I tarried for that	E
Now I start in truth	B
	-
But tell me first true voice of my doom	C
Of my veiled bride in her maiden bloom	C
Keeps she watch through glare and through gloom	C
Watch for me asleep and awake	F
Spell bound she watches in one white room	C
And is patient for thy sake	F
	-
By her head lilies and rosebuds grow	A
The lilies droop will the rosebuds blow	A
The silver slim lilies hang the head low	A
Their stream is scanty their sunshine rare	G
Let the sun blaze out and let the stream flow	A
They will blossom and wax fair	G
	-
Red and white poppies grow at her feet	H
The blood red wait for sweet summer heat	H
Wrapped in bud coats hairy and neat	H
But the white buds swell one day they will burst	I
Will open their death cups drowsy and sweet	H
Which will open the first	I
	-
Then a hundred sad voices lifted a wail	J
And a hundred glad voices piped on the gale	J
Time is short life is short they took up the tale	J
Life is sweet love is sweet use to day while you may	C
Love is sweet and to morrow may fail	J
Love is sweet use to day	C
	-
While the song swept by beseeching and meek	K
Up rose the Prince with a flush on his cheek	K
Up he rose to stir and to seek	K
Going forth in the joy of his strength	B
Strong of limb if of purpose weak	K
Starting at length	B
	-
Forth he set in the breezy morn	L
Across green fields of nodding corn	L
As goodly a Prince as ever was born	L
Carolling with the carolling lark	M
Sure his bride will be won and worn	L
Ere fall of the dark	M
	-
So light his step so merry his smile	N
A milkmaid loitered beside a stile	N
Set down her pail and rested awhile	N
A wave haired milkmaid rosy and white	O
The Prince who had journeyed at least a mile	N
Grew athirst at the sight	O
	-
Will you give me a morning draught	P
You're kindly welcome she said and laughed	P
He lifted the pail new milk he quaffed	P
Then wiping his curly black beard like silk	Q
Whitest cow that ever was calved	P
Surely gave you this milk	Q
	-
Was it milk now or was it cream	C
Was she a maid or an evil dream	C
Her eyes began to glitter and gleam	C
He would have gone but he stayed instead	P
Green they gleamed as he looked in them	C
Give me my fee she said	P
	-
I will give you a jewel of gold	P
Not so gold is heavy and cold	P
I will give you a velvet fold	P
Of foreign work your beauty to deck	R
Better I like my kerchief rolled	P
Light and white round my neck	R
	-
Nay cried he but fix your own fee	S
She laughed You may give the full moon to me	S
Or else sit under this apple tree	S
Here for one idle day by my side	P
After that I'll let you go free	S
And the world is wide	P
	-
Loath to stay but to leave her slack	T
He half turned away then he quite turned back	T
For courtesy's sake he could not lack	T
To redeem his own royal pledge	U
Ahead too the windy heaven lowered black	T
With a fire cloven edge	U
	-
So he stretched his length in the apple tree shade	P
Lay and laughed and talked to the maid	P
Who twisted her hair in a cunning braid	P
And writhed it in shining serpent coils	V
And held him a day and night fast laid	P
In her subtle toils	V
	-
At the death of night and the birth of day	P
When the owl left off his sober play	P
And the bat hung himself out of the way	P
Woke the song of mavis and merle	W
And heaven put off its hodden gray	P
For mother o' pearl	W
	-
Peeped up daisies here and there	G
Here there and everywhere	G
Rose a hopeful lark in the air	G
Spreading out towards the sun his breast	P
While the moon set solemn and fair	G
Away in the west	P
	-
Up up up called the watchman lark	M
In his clear reveillee Hearken O hark	M
Press to the high goal fly to the mark	M
Up O sluggard new morn is born	L
If still asleep when the night falls dark	M
Thou must wait a second morn	L
	-
Up up up sad glad voices swelled	P
So the tree falls and lies as it's felled	P
Be thy bands loosed O sleeper long held	P
In sweet sleep whose end is not sweet	P
Be the slackness girt and the softness quelled	P
And the slowness fleet	P
	-
Off he set The grass grew rare	G
A blight lurked in the darkening air	G
The very moss grew hueless and spare	G
The last daisy stood all astunt	P
Behind his back the soil lay bare	G
But barer in front	P
	-
A land of chasm and rent a land	P
Of rugged blackness on either hand	P
If water trickled its track was tanned	P
With an edge of rust to the chink	X
If one stamped on stone or on sand	P
It returned a clink	X
	-
A lifeless land a loveless land	P
Without lair or nest on either hand	P
Only scorpions jerked in the sand	P
Black as black iron or dusty pale	J
From point to point sheer rock was manned	P
By scorpions in mail	J
	-
A land of neither life nor death	B
Where no man buildeth or fashioneth	B
Where none draws living or dying breath	B
No man cometh or goeth there	G
No man doeth seeketh saith	B
In the stagnant air	G
	-
Some old volcanic upset must	P
Have rent the crust and blackened the crust	P
Wrenched and ribbed it beneath its dust	P
Above earth's molten centre at seethe	B
Heaved and heaped it by huge upthrust	P
Of fire beneath	B
	-
Untrodden before untrodden since	Y
Tedious land for a social Prince	Y
Halting he scanned the outs and ins	Z
Endless labyrinthine grim	C
Of the solitude that made him wince	Y
Laying wait for him	C
	-
By bulging rock and gaping cleft	P
Even of half mere daylight reft	P
Rueful he peered to right and left	P
Muttering in his altered mood	P
The fate is hard that weaves my weft	P
Though my lot be good	P
	-
Dim the changes of day to night	P
Of night scarce dark to day not bright	P
Still his road wound towards the right	P
Still he went and still he went	P
Till one night he spied a light	P
In his discontent	P
	-
Out it flashed from a yawn mouthed cave	A2
Like a red hot eye from a grave	A2
No man stood there of whom to crave	A2
Rest for wayfarer plodding by	B2
Though the tenant were churl or knave	A2
The Prince might try	B2
	-
In he passed and tarried not	P
Groping his way from spot to spot	P
Towards where the cavern flare glowed hot	P
An old old mortal cramped and double	C2
Was peering into a seething pot	P
In a world of trouble	C2
	-
The veriest atomy he looked	P
With grimy fingers clutching and crooked	P
Tight skin a nose all bony and hooked	P
And a shaking sharp suspicious way	P
Blinking his eyes had scarcely brooked	P
The light of day	P
	-
Stared the Prince for the sight was new	D2
Stared but asked without more ado	D2
May a weary traveller lodge with you	D2
Old father here in your lair	G
In your country the inns seem few	D2
And scanty the fare	G
	-
The head turned not to hear him speak	K
The old voice whistled as through a leak	K
Out it came in a quavering squeak	K
Work for wage is a bargain fit	P
If there's aught of mine that you seek	K
You must work for it	P
	-
Buried alive from light and air	G
This year is the hundredth year	E2
I feed my fire with a sleepless care	G
Watching my potion wane or wax	F2
Elixir of Life is simmering there	G
And but one thing lacks	F2
	-
If you're fain to lodge here with me	S
Take that pair of bellows you see	S
Too heavy for my old hands they be	S
Take the bellows and puff and puff	G2
When the steam curls rosy and free	S
The broth's boiled enough	G2
	-
Then take your choice of all I have	H2
I will give you life if you crave	A2
Already I'm mildewed for the grave	A2
So first myself I must drink my fill	I2
But all the rest may be yours to save	A2
Whomever you will	I2
	-
Done quoth the Prince and the bargain stood	P
First he piled on resinous wood	P
Next plied the bellows in hopeful mood	P
Thinking My love and I will live	J2
If I tarry why life is good	P
And she may forgive	K2
	-
The pot began to bubble and boil	L2
The old man cast in essence and oil	L2
He stirred all up with a triple coil	L2
Of gold and silver and iron wire	M2
Dredged in a pinch of virgin soil	L2
And fed the fire	M2
	-
But still the steam curled watery white	P
Night turned to day and day to night	P
One thing lacked by his feeble sight	P
Unseen unguessed by his feeble mind	P
Life might miss him but Death the blight	P
Was sure to find	P
	-
So when the hundredth year was full	N2
The thread was cut and finished the school	O2
Death snapped the old worn out tool	O2
Snapped him short while he stood and stirred	P
Though stiff he stood as a stiff necked mule	O2
With never a word	P
	-
Thus at length the old crab was nipped	P
The dead hand slipped the dead finger dipped	P
In the broth as the dead man slipped	P
That same instant a rosy red	P
Flushed the steam and quivered and clipped	P
Round the dead old head	P
	-
The last ingredient was supplied	P
Unless the dead man mistook or lied	P
Up started the Prince he cast aside	P
The bellows plied through the tedious trial	C2
Made sure that his host had died	P
And filled a phial	C2
	-
One night's rest thought the Prince This done	P2
Forth I speed with the rising sun	P2
With the morrow I rise and run	P2
Come what will of wind or of weather	M2
This draught of Life when my Bride is won	P2
We'll drink together	M2
	-
Thus the dead man stayed in his grave	A2
Self chosen the dead man in his cave	A2
There he stayed were he fool or knave	A2
Or honest seeker who had not found	P
While the Prince outside was prompt to crave	A2
Sleep on the ground	P
	-
If she watches go bid her sleep	D
Bid her sleep for the road is steep	D
He can sleep who holdeth her cheap	D
Sleep and wake and sleep again	Q2
Let him sow one day he shall reap	D
Let him sow the grain	R2
	-
When there blows a sweet garden rose	S2
Let it bloom and wither if no man knows	S2
But if one knows when the sweet thing blows	S2
Knows and lets it open and drop	T2
If but a nettle his garden grows	S2
He hath earned the crop	T2
	-
Through his sleep the summons rang	U2
Into his ears it sobbed and it sang	U2
Slow he woke with a drowsy pang	U2
Shook himself without much debate	P
Turned where he saw green branches hang	U2
Started though late	P
	-
For the black land was travelled o'er	M2
He should see the grim land no more	V2
A flowering country stretched before	V2
His face when the lovely day came back	T
He hugged the phial of Life he bore	V2
And resumed his track	T
	-
By willow courses he took his path	B
Spied what a nest the kingfisher hath	B
Marked the fields green to aftermath	B
Marked where the red brown field mouse ran	W2
Loitered awhile for a deep stream bath	B
Yawned for a fellow man	W2
	-
Up on the hills not a soul in view	D2
In the vale not many nor few	D2
Leaves still leaves and nothing new	D2
It's O for a second maiden at least	P
To bear the flagon and taste it too	D2
And flavor the feast	P
	-
Lagging he moved and apt to swerve	X2
Lazy of limb but quick of nerve	X2
At length the water bed took a curve	X2
The deep river swept its bank side bare	G
Waters streamed from the hill reserve	X2
Waters here waters there	G
	-
High above and deep below	C2
Bursting bubbling swelling the flow	C2
Like hill torrents after the snow	C2
Bubbling gurgling in whirling strife	Y2
Swaying sweeping to and fro	C2
He must swim for his life	Y2
	-
Which way which way his eyes grew dim	C
With the dizzying whirl which way to swim	C
The thunderous downshoot deafened him	C
Half he choked in the lashing spray	P
Life is sweet and the grave is grim	C
Which way which way	P
	-
A flash of light a shout from the strand	P
This way this way here lies the land	P
His phial clutched in one drowning hand	P
He catches misses catches a rope	Z2
His feet slip on the slipping sand	P
Is there life is there hope	Z2
	-
Just saved without pulse or breath	B
Scarcely saved from the gulp of death	B
Laid where a willow shadoweth	B
Laid where a swelling turf is smooth	B
O Bride but the Bridegroom lingereth	B
For all thy sweet youth	B
	-
Kind hands do and undo	D2
Kind voices whisper and coo	D2
I will chafe his hands and I and you	D2
Raise his head put his hair aside	P
If many laugh one well may rue	D2
Sleep on thou Bride	P
	-
So the Prince was tended with care	G
One wrung foul ooze from his clustered hair	G
Two chafed his hands and did not spare	G
But one propped his head that drooped awry	B2
Till his eyes oped and at unaware	G
They met eye to eye	B2
	-
O a moon face in a shadowy place	A3
And a light touch and a winsome grace	A3
And a thrilling tender voice which says	B3
Safe from waters that seek the sea	S
Cold waters by rugged ways	C3
Safe with me	S
	-
While overhead bird whistles to bird	P
And round about plays a gamesome herd	P
Safe with us some take up the word	P
Safe with us dear lord and friend	P
All the sweeter if long deferred	P
Is rest in the end	P
	-
Had he stayed to weigh and to scan	W2
He had been more or less than a man	W2
He did what a young man can	W2
Spoke of toil and an arduous way	P
Toil to morrow while golden ran	W2
The sands of to day	P
	-
Slip past slip fast	P
Uncounted hours from first to last	P
Many hours till the last is past	P
Many hours dwindling to one	P2
One hour whose die is cast	P
One last hour gone	D3
	-
Come gone gone forever	M2
Gone as an unreturning river	M2
Gone as to death the merriest liver	M2
Gone as the year at the dying fall	C2
To morrow to day yesterday never	M2
Gone once for all	C2
	-
Came at length the starting day	P
With last words and last last words to say	P
With bodiless cries from far away	P
Chiding wailing voices that rang	U2
Like a trumpet call to the tug and fray	P
And thus they sang	U2
	-
Is there life the lamp burns low	C2
Is there hope the coming is slow	C2
The promise promised so long ago	C2
The long promise has not been kept	P
Does she live does she die she slumbers so	C2
Who so oft has wept	P
	-
Does she live does she die she languisheth	B
As a lily drooping to death	B
As a drought worn bird with failing breath	B
As a lovely vine without a stay	P
As a tree whereof the owner saith	B
'Hew it down to day '	-
	-
Stung by that word the Prince was fain	R2
To start on his tedious road again	Q2
He crossed the stream where a ford was plain	R2
He clomb the opposite bank though steep	D
And swore to himself to strain and attain	R2
Ere he tasted sleep	D
	-
Huge before him a mountain frowned	P
With foot of rock on the valley ground	P
And head with snows incessant crowned	P
And a cloud mantle about its strength	B
And a path which the wild goat hath not found	P
In its breadth and length	B
	-
But he was strong to do and dare	G
If a host had withstood him there	G
He had braved a host with little care	G
In his lusty youth and his pride	P
Tough to grapple though weak to snare	G
He comes O Bride	P
	-
Up he went where the goat scarce clings	E3
Up where the eagle folds her wings	E3
Past the green line of living things	E3
Where the sun cannot warm the cold	P
Up he went as a flame enrings	E3
Where there seems no hold	P
	-
Up a fissure barren and black	T
Till the eagles tired upon his track	T
And the clouds were left behind his back	T
Up till the utmost peak was past	P
Then he gasped for breath and his strength fell slack	T
He paused at last	P
	-
Before his face a valley spread	P
Where fatness laughed wine oil and bread	P
Where all fruit trees their sweetness shed	P
Where all birds made love to their kind	P
Where jewels twinkled and gold lay red	P
And not hard to find	P
	-
Midway down the mountain side	P
On its green slope the path was wide	P
Stood a house for a royal bride	P
Built all of changing opal stone	F3
The royal palace till now descried	P
In his dreams alone	F3
	-
Less bold than in days of yore	V2
Doubting now though never before	V2
Doubting he goes and lags the more	V2
Is the time late does the day grow dim	C
Rose will she open the crimson core	V2
Of her heart to him	C
	-
Above his head a tangle glows	E3
Of wine red roses blushes snows	E3
Closed buds and buds that unclose	E3
Leaves and moss and prickles too	P
His hand shook as he plucked a rose	E3
And the rose dropped dew	P
	-
Take heart of grace the portion of Life	Y2
May go far to woo him a wife	Y2
If she frown yet a lover's strife	Y2
Lightly raised can be laid again	Q2
A hasty word is never the knife	Y2
To cut love in twain	R2
	-
Far away stretched the royal land	P
Fed by dew by a spice wind fanned	P
Light labor more and his foot would stand	P
On the threshold all labor done	P2
Easy pleasure laid at his hand	P
And the dear Bride won	P2
	-
His slackening steps pause at the gate	P
Does she wake or sleep the time is late	P
Does she sleep now or watch and wait	P
She has watched she has waited long	G3
Watching athwart the golden grate	P
With a patient song	G3
	-
Fling the golden portals wide	P
The Bridegroom comes to his promised Bride	P
Draw the gold stiff curtains aside	P
Let them look on each other's face	E3
She in her meekness he in his pride	P
Day wears apace	E3
	-
Day is over the day that wore	V2
What is this that comes through the door	V2
The face covered the feet before	V2
This that coming takes his breath	B
This Bride not seen to be seen no more	V2
Save of Bridegroom Death	B
	-
Veiled figures carrying her	M2
Sweep by yet make no stir	M2
There is a smell of spice and myrrh	M2
A bride chant burdened with one name	C
The bride song rises steadier	M2
Than the torches' flame	C
	-
Too late for love too late for joy	H3
Too late too late	P
You loitered on the road too long	G3
You trifled at the gate	P
The enchanted dove upon her branch	I3
Died without a mate	P
The enchanted princess in her tower	M2
Slept died behind the grate	P
Her heart was starving all this while	C2
You made it wait	P
	-
Ten years ago five years ago	C2
One year ago	C2
Even then you had arrived in time	C
Though somewhat slow	C2
Then you had known her living face	E3
Which now you cannot know	C2
The frozen fountain would have leaped	P
The buds gone on to blow	C2
The warm south wind would have awaked	P
To melt the snow	C2
	-
Is she fair now as she lies	E3
Once she was fair	G
Meet queen for any kingly king	J3
With gold dust on her hair	G
Now these are poppies in her locks	E3
White poppies she must wear	G
Must wear a veil to shroud her face	E3
And the want graven there	G
Or is the hunger fed at length	B
Cast off the care	G
	-
We never saw her with a smile	C2
Or with a frown	K3
Her bed seemed never soft to her	M2
Though tossed of down	K3
She little heeded what she wore	V2
Kirtle or wreath or gown	K3
We think her white brows often ached	P
Beneath her crown	K3
Till silvery hairs showed in her locks	E3
That used to be so brown	K3
	-
We never heard her speak in haste	P
Her tones were sweet	P
And modulated just so much	L3
As it was meet	P
Her heart sat silent through the noise	E3
And concourse of the street	P
There was no hurry in her hands	E3
No hurry in her feet	P
There was no bliss drew nigh to her	M2
That she might run to greet	P
	-
You should have wept her yesterday	P
Wasting upon her bed	P
But wherefore should you weep to day	P
That she is dead	P
Lo we who love weep not to day	P
But crown her royal head	P
Let be these poppies that we strew	P
Your roses are too red	P
Let be these poppies not for you	P
Cut down and spread	P

Christina Rossetti

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