Recollections Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLLLGLGMLN LGMLCL ILLGGOPQLLRLGGGGSTRL LMU VPLRWLLLML LXYLLLLLGGZA2GGG GB2GLVC2LGLGLNGGGD2L E2LLF2GLSMYLG A2GLGG2LLGNLH2I2E2M SGLLJ2MDLGGLK2L2LM2N 2 LO2WI2GLGLP2LGWQ2LR2 GMS2LLSGLE2L GMZ SLT2 SGGLL

Ye dear stars of the Bear I did not thinkA
I should again be turning as I usedB
To see you over father's garden shineC
And from the windows talk with you againD
Of this old house where as a child I dweltE
And where I saw the end of all my joysF
What charming images what fables onceG
The sight of you created in my thoughtH
And of the lights that bear you companyI
Silent upon the verdant clod I satJ
My evening thus consuming as I gazedK
Upon the heavens and listened to the chantL
Of frogs that in the distant marshes croakedL
While o'er the hedges ditches fire flies roamedL
And the green avenues and cypressesG
In yonder grove were murmuring to the windL
While in the house were heard at intervalsG
The voices of the servants at their workM
What thoughts immense in me the sight inspiredL
Of that far sea and of the mountains blueN
That yonder I behold and which I thoughtL
One day to cross mysterious worlds and joysG
Mysterious in the future fancyingM
Of my hard fate unconscious and how oftL
This sorrowful and barren life of mineC
I willingly would have for death exchangedL
-
Nor did my heart e'er tell me I should beI
Condemned the flower of my youth to spendL
In this wild native region and amongstL
A wretched clownish crew to whom the namesG
Of wisdom learning are but empty soundsG
Or arguments of laughter and of scornO
Who hate avoid me not from envy noP
For they do not esteem me better thanQ
Themselves but fancy that I in my heartL
That feeling cherish though I strive indeedL
No token of such feeling to displayR
And here I pass my years abandoned lostL
Of love deprived of life and rendered fierceG
'Mid such a crowd of evil minded onesG
My pity and my courtesy I loseG
And I become a scorner of my raceG
By such a herd surrounded meanwhile flyS
The precious hours of youth more precious farT
Than fame or laurel or the light of dayR
Or breath of life thus uselessly withoutL
One joy I lose thee in this rough abodeL
Whose only guests are care and sufferingM
O thou the only flower of barren lifeU
-
The wind now from the tower of the townV
The deep sound of the bell is bringing OhP
What comfort was that sound to me a childL
When in my dark and silent room I layR
Besieged by terrors longing for the dawnW
Whate'er I see or hear recalls to mindL
Some vivid image recollection sweetL
Sweet in itself but O how bitter madeL
By painful sense of present sufferingM
By idle longing for the past though sadL
And by the still recurring thought ' I was '-
Yon gallery that looks upon the westL
Those frescoed walls these painted herds the sunX
Just rising o'er the solitary plainY
My idle hours with thousand pleasures filledL
While busy Fancy at my side still spreadL
Her bright illusions wheresoe'er I wentL
In these old halls when gleamed the snow withoutL
And round these ample windows howled the windL
My sports resounded and my merry wordsG
In those bright days when all the mysteriesG
And miseries of things an aspect wearZ
So full of sweetness when the ardent youthA2
Sees in his untried life a world of charmsG
And like an unexperienced lover dotesG
On heavenly beauty creature of his dreamsG
-
O hopes illusions of my early daysG
Of you I still must speak to you returnB2
For neither flight of time nor change of thoughtsG
Or feelings can efface you from my mindL
Full well I know that honor and renownV
Are phantoms pleasures but an idle dreamC2
That life a useless misery has notL
One solid fruit to show and though my daysG
Are empty wearisome my mortal stateL
Obscure and desolate I clearly seeG
That Fortune robs me but of little YetL
Alas as often as I dwell on youN
Ye ancient hopes and youthful fancy's dreamsG
And then look at the blank realityG
A life of ennui and of wretchednessG
And think that of so vast a fund of hopeD2
Death is to day the only relic leftL
I feel oppressed at heart I feel myselfE2
Of every comfort utterly bereftL
And when the death that I have long invokedL
Shall be at hand the end be reached of allF2
My sufferings when this vale of tears shall beG
To me a stranger and the future fadeL
Fade from sight forever even then shall IS
Recall you and your images will makeM
Me sigh the thought of having lived in vainY
Will then intrude with bitterness to taintL
The sweetness of that day of destinyG
-
Nay in the first tumultuous days of youthA2
With all its joys desires and sufferingsG
I often called on death and long would sitL
By yonder fountain longing in its wavesG
To put an end alike to hope and griefG2
And afterwards by lingering sickness broughtL
Unto the borders of the grave I weptL
O'er my lost youth the flower of my daysG
So prematurely fading often tooN
At late hours sitting on my conscious bedL
Composing by the dim light of the lampH2
I with the silence and the night would moanI2
O'er my departing soul and to myselfE2
In languid tones would sing my funeral songM
-
Who can remember you without a sighS
First entrance into manhood O ye daysG
Bewitching inexpressible when firstL
On the enchanted mortal smiles the maidL
And all things round in emulation smileJ2
And envy holds its peace not yet awakeM
Or else in a benignant mood and whenD
O marvel rare the world a helping handL
To him extends his faults excuses greetsG
His entrance into life with bows and smilesG
Acknowledges his claims to its respectL
O fleeting days How like the lightning's flashK2
They vanish And what mortal can escapeL2
Unhappiness who has already passedL
That golden period his own good timeM2
That comes alas so soon to disappearN2
-
And thou Nerina does not every spotL
Thy memory recall And couldst thou e'erO2
Be absent from my thought Where art thou goneW
That here I find the memory aloneI2
Of thee my sweet one Thee thy native placeG
Beholds no more that window whence thou oftL
Wouldst talk with me which sadly now reflectsG
The light of yonder stars is desolateL
Where art thou that I can no longer hearP2
Thy gentle voice as in those days of oldL
When every faintest accent from thy lipsG
Was wont to turn me pale Those days have goneW
They have been my sweet love And thou with themQ2
Hast passed To others now it is assignedL
To journey to and fro upon the earthR2
And others dwell amid these fragrant hillsG
How quickly thou hast passed Thy life was likeM
A dream While dancing there joy on thy browS2
Resplendent shone anticipations brightL
Shone in thy eyes the light of youth when FateL
Extinguished them and thou didst prostrate lieS
Nerina in my heart the old love reignsG
If I at times still go unto some feastL
Or social gathering unto myselfE2
I say 'Nerina thou no more to feastL
Dost go nor for the ball thyself adorn '-
If May returns when lovers offeringsG
Of flowers and of songs to maidens bringM
I say 'Nerina mine to thee spring ne'erZ
Returns and love no more its tribute brings '-
Each pleasant day each flowery field that IS
Behold each pleasure that I taste the thoughtL
Suggest 'Nerina pleasure knows no moreT2
The face of heaven and earth no more beholds '-
Ah thou hast passed for whom I ever sighS
Hast passed and still the memory of theeG
Remains and with each thought and fancy blendsG
Each varying emotion of the heartL
And will remain so bitter yet so sweetL

Count Giacomo Leopardi



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