Newfoundland Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSC TUJVWXYZA2UB2 AC2D2EE2HF2G2H2I2H2J 2K2L2AHE2 M2N2O2P2Q2R2S2T2U2J2 J2V2 V2V2W2AV2J2X2V2V2Y2Z 2V2V2A3 L2A3A2J2V2A2J2V2Here the tides flow | A |
And here they ebb | B |
Not with that dull unsinewed tread of waters | C |
Held under bonds to move | D |
Around unpeopled shores | E |
Moon driven through a timeless circuit | F |
Of invasion and retreat | G |
But with a lusty stroke of life | H |
Pounding at stubborn gates | I |
That they might run | J |
Within the sluices of men's hearts | K |
Leap under throb of pulse and nerve | L |
And teach the sea's strong voice | M |
To learn the harmonies of new floods | N |
The peal of cataract | O |
And the soft wash of currents | P |
Against resilient banks | Q |
Or the broken rhythms from old chords | R |
Along dark passages | S |
That once were pathways of authentic fires | C |
- | |
Red is the sea kelp on the beach | T |
Red as the heart's blood | U |
Nor is there power in tide or sun | J |
To bleach its stain | V |
It lies there piled thick | W |
Above the gulch line | X |
It is rooted in the joints of rocks | Y |
It is tangled around a spar | Z |
It covers a broken rudder | A2 |
It is red as the heart's blood | U |
And salt as tears | B2 |
- | |
Here the winds blow | A |
And here they die | C2 |
Not with that wild exotic rage | D2 |
That vainly sweeps untrodden shores | E |
But with familiar breath | E2 |
Holding a partnership with life | H |
Resonant with the hopes of spring | F2 |
Pungent with the airs of harvest | G2 |
They call with the silver fifes of the sea | H2 |
They breathe with the lungs of men | I2 |
They are one with the tides of the sea | H2 |
They are one with the tides of the heart | J2 |
They blow with the rising octaves of dawn | K2 |
They die with the largo of dusk | L2 |
Their hands are full to the overflow | A |
In their right is the bread of life | H |
In their left are the waters of death | E2 |
- | |
Scattered on boom | M2 |
And rudder and weed | N2 |
Are tangles of shells | O2 |
Some with backs of crusted bronze | P2 |
And faces of porcelain blue | Q2 |
Some crushed by the beach stones | R2 |
To chips of jade | S2 |
And some are spiral cleft | T2 |
Spreading their tracery on the sand | U2 |
In the rich veining of an agate's heart | J2 |
And others remain unscarred | J2 |
To babble of the passing of the winds | V2 |
- | |
Here the crags | V2 |
Meet with winds and tides | V2 |
Not with that blind interchange | W2 |
Of blow for blow | A |
That spills the thunder of insentient seas | V2 |
But with the mind that reads assault | J2 |
In crouch and leap and the quick stealth | X2 |
Stiffening the muscles of the waves | V2 |
Here they flank the harbours | V2 |
Keeping watch | Y2 |
On thresholds altars and the fires of home | Z2 |
Or like mastiffs | V2 |
Over zealous | V2 |
Guard too well | A3 |
- | |
Tide and wind and crag | L2 |
Sea weed and sea shell | A3 |
And broken rudder | A2 |
And the story is told | J2 |
Of human veins and pulses | V2 |
Of eternal pathways of fire | A2 |
Of dreams that survive the night | J2 |
Of doors held ajar in storms | V2 |
E. J. Pratt
(1)
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