My Sister's Sleep Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBA BCCB BDDB EFFE BGGB HIIH JKKL BMMB NBBN OPPQ BBBB BKRB SBBS BBBB NTUN| She fell asleep on Christmas Eve | A |
| At length the long ungranted shade | B |
| Of weary eyelids overweigh'd | B |
| The pain nought else might yet relieve | A |
| - | |
| Our mother who had lean'd all day | B |
| Over the bed from chime to chime | C |
| Then rais'd herself for the first time | C |
| And as she sat her down did pray | B |
| - | |
| Her little work table was spread | B |
| With work to finish For the glare | D |
| Made by her candle she had care | D |
| To work some distance from the bed | B |
| - | |
| Without there was a cold moon up | E |
| Of winter radiance sheer and thin | F |
| The hollow halo it was in | F |
| Was like an icy crystal cup | E |
| - | |
| Through the small room with subtle sound | B |
| Of flame by vents the fireshine drove | G |
| And redden'd In its dim alcove | G |
| The mirror shed a clearness round | B |
| - | |
| I had been sitting up some nights | H |
| And my tired mind felt weak and blank | I |
| Like a sharp strengthening wine it drank | I |
| The stillness and the broken lights | H |
| - | |
| Twelve struck That sound by dwindling years | J |
| Heard in each hour crept off and then | K |
| The ruffled silence spread again | K |
| Like water that a pebble stirs | L |
| - | |
| Our mother rose from where she sat | B |
| Her needles as she laid them down | M |
| Met lightly and her silken gown | M |
| Settled no other noise than that | B |
| - | |
| Glory unto the Newly Born | N |
| So as said angels she did say | B |
| Because we were in Christmas Day | B |
| Though it would still be long till morn | N |
| - | |
| Just then in the room over us | O |
| There was a pushing back of chairs | P |
| As some who had sat unawares | P |
| So late now heard the hour and rose | Q |
| - | |
| With anxious softly stepping haste | B |
| Our mother went where Margaret lay | B |
| Fearing the sounds o'erhead should they | B |
| Have broken her long watch'd for rest | B |
| - | |
| She stoop'd an instant calm and turn'd | B |
| But suddenly turn'd back again | K |
| And all her features seem'd in pain | R |
| With woe and her eyes gaz'd and yearn'd | B |
| - | |
| For my part I but hid my face | S |
| And held my breath and spoke no word | B |
| There was none spoken but I heard | B |
| The silence for a little space | S |
| - | |
| Our mother bow'd herself and wept | B |
| And both my arms fell and I said | B |
| God knows I knew that she was dead | B |
| And there all white my sister slept | B |
| - | |
| Then kneeling upon Christmas morn | N |
| A little after twelve o'clock | T |
| We said ere the first quarter struck | U |
| Christ's blessing on the newly born | N |
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
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