Love's Nocturne Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABBAB CDEDDED FGHGGFG IJIJJIJ KBKBBKB LMLMMLM NONOOPO QRSRRSR TITIITU VSVSSVS WVWVVWV XKYSSXS ZUA2UUZU NSB2SSNS USUSSUS SSSSSSS SVSVVSV UC2UC2C2UC2 SD2SD2D2SD2 VSVSSVS SE2SE2E2SE2 SUSUUSUMaster of the murmuring courts | A |
Where the shapes of sleep convene | B |
Lo my spirit here exhorts | A |
All the powers of thy demesne | B |
For their aid to woo my queen | B |
What reports | A |
Yield thy jealous courts unseen | B |
- | |
Vaporous unaccountable | C |
Dreamland lies forlorn of light | D |
Hollow like a breathing shell | E |
Ah that from all dreams I might | D |
Choose one dream and guide its flight | D |
I know well | E |
What her sleep should tell to night | D |
- | |
There the dreams are multitudes | F |
Some that will not wait for sleep | G |
Deep within the August woods | H |
Some that hum while rest may steep | G |
Weary labour laid a heap | G |
Interludes | F |
Some of grievous moods that weep | G |
- | |
Poets' fancies all are there | I |
There the elf girls flood with wings | J |
Valleys full of plaintive air | I |
There breathe perfumes there in rings | J |
Whirl the foam bewildered springs | J |
Siren there | I |
Winds her dizzy hair and sings | J |
- | |
Thence the one dream mutually | K |
Dreamed in bridal unison | B |
Less than waking ecstasy | K |
Half formed visions that make moan | B |
In the house of birth alone | B |
And what we | K |
At death's wicket see unknown | B |
- | |
But for mine own sleep it lies | L |
In one gracious form's control | M |
Fair with honourable eyes | L |
Lamps of a translucent soul | M |
O their glance is loftiest dole | M |
Sweet and wise | L |
Wherein Love descries his goal | M |
- | |
Reft of her my dreams are all | N |
Clammy trance that fears the sky | O |
Changing footpaths shift and fall | N |
From polluted coverts nigh | O |
Miserable phantoms sigh | O |
Quakes the pall | P |
And the funeral goes by | O |
- | |
Master is it soothly said | Q |
That as echoes of man's speech | R |
Far in secret clefts are made | S |
So do all men's bodies reach | R |
Shadows o'er thy sunken beach | R |
Shape or shade | S |
In those halls pourtrayed of each | R |
- | |
Ah might I by thy good grace | T |
Groping in the windy stair | I |
Darkness and the breath of space | T |
Like loud waters everywhere | I |
Meeting mine own image there | I |
Face to face | T |
Send it from that place to her | U |
- | |
Nay not I but oh do thou | V |
Master from thy shadowkind | S |
Call my body's phantom now | V |
Bid it bear its face declin'd | S |
Till its flight her slumbers find | S |
And her brow | V |
Feel its presence bow like wind | S |
- | |
Where in groves the gracile Spring | W |
Trembles with mute orison | V |
Confidently strengthening | W |
Water's voice and wind's as one | V |
Shed an echo in the sun | V |
Soft as Spring | W |
Master bid it sing and moan | V |
- | |
Song shall tell how glad and strong | X |
Is the night she soothes alway | K |
Moan shall grieve with that parched tongue | Y |
Of the brazen hours of day | S |
Sounds as of the springtide they | S |
Moan and song | X |
While the chill months long for May | S |
- | |
Not the prayers which with all leave | Z |
The world's fluent woes prefer | U |
Not the praise the world doth give | A2 |
Dulcet fulsome whisperer | U |
Let it yield my love to her | U |
And achieve | Z |
Strength that shall not grieve or err | U |
- | |
Wheresoe'er my dreams befall | N |
Both at night watch let it say | S |
And where round the sundial | B2 |
The reluctant hours of day | S |
Heartless hopeless of their way | S |
Rest and call | N |
There her glance doth fall and stay | S |
- | |
Suddenly her face is there | U |
So do mounting vapours wreathe | S |
Subtle scented transports where | U |
The black firwood sets its teeth | S |
Part the boughs and look beneath | S |
Lilies share | U |
Secret waters there and breathe | S |
- | |
Master bid my shadow bend | S |
Whispering thus till birth of light | S |
Lest new shapes that sleep may send | S |
Scatter all its work to flight | S |
Master master of the night | S |
Bid it spend | S |
Speech song prayer and end aright | S |
- | |
Yet ah me if at her head | S |
There another phantom lean | V |
Murmuring o'er the fragrant bed | S |
Ah and if my spirit's queen | V |
Smile those alien prayers between | V |
Ah poor shade | S |
Shall it strive or fade unseen | V |
- | |
How should love's own messenger | U |
Strive with love and be love's foe | C2 |
Master nay If thus in her | U |
Sleep a wedded heart should show | C2 |
Silent let mine image go | C2 |
Its old share | U |
Of thy spell bound air to know | C2 |
- | |
Like a vapour wan and mute | S |
Like a flame so let it pass | D2 |
One low sigh across her lute | S |
One dull breath against her glass | D2 |
And to my sad soul alas | D2 |
One salute | S |
Cold as when Death's foot shall pass | D2 |
- | |
Then too let all hopes of mine | V |
All vain hopes by night and day | S |
Slowly at thy summoning sign | V |
Rise up pallid and obey | S |
Dreams if this is thus were they | S |
Be they thine | V |
And to dreamworld pine away | S |
- | |
Yet from old time life not death | S |
Master in thy rule is rife | E2 |
Lo through thee with mingling breath | S |
Adam woke beside his wife | E2 |
O Love bring me so for strife | E2 |
Force and faith | S |
Bring me so not death but life | E2 |
- | |
Yea to Love himself is pour'd | S |
This frail song of hope and fear | U |
Thou art Love of one accord | S |
With kind Sleep to bring her near | U |
Still eyed deep eyed ah how dear | U |
Master Lord | S |
In her name implor'd O hear | U |
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Love's Nocturne poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Best Poems of Dante Gabriel Rossetti