Tamerlane - Early Version Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCDBDBEEFGFG A BHBIJJKLKM LKNNOP A MMQMRSMS TUUMTMBBVWWVBARXWYWY AR T USSUZA2B2A2MM C2D2C2BD2MA2M T BMBE2MBE2F2G2G2 QQH2H2SSI2MI2MAQAQ A KJ2KJ2MMTTMTTMK2L2MK 2L2M T BM2BM2N2N2G2O2G2O2P2 Q2AP2R2A R2S2R2R2XQXQ T TT2TMMT2K2K2MMVVMKKT VTVMR2MR2QR2QTR2TBBK 2KK2K R2 MMR2R2K2K2VBVBT2T2LL QQ MU2MU2MR2MR2MV2MMV2D W2DW2R2R2 R2 MMR2R2R2X2R2X2MM Y2R2Y2R2R2MR2MR2M R2 BXZ2Z2DDIHHMMY2Y2Y2M Y2Y2MY2Y2BBY2MTMTMR2 MMR2 R2 AY2AY2Y2KKF2MBMA3A3Y 2MY2M R2 Y2B3Y2BQMQMY2Y2Y2Y2Y 2Y2R2R2 T B3Y2BY2MMMMR2R2QQQQR 2R2C3C3MMY2W2W2Y2R2R 2MM T Y2Y2Y2Y2MMMMMMKKY2R2 Y2BR2BR2R2 T MMQQY2Y2MMBY2QB3Y2R2 Y2R2R2Y2Y2MMY2Y2Y2D3 MMQQMMDDE3E3QQMMMMQQ B3B Q XR2XR2MMY2Y2Y2A2Y2Y2 Y2A2Y2

IA
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I have sent for thee holy friarB
But 'twas not with the drunken hopeC
Which is but agony of desireB
To shun the fate with which to copeC
Is more than crime may dare to dreamD
That I have call'd thee at this hourB
Such father is not my themeD
Nor am I mad to deem that powerB
Of earth may shrive me of the sinE
Unearthly pride hath revell'd inE
I would not call thee fool old manF
But hope is not a gift of thineG
If I can hope O God I canF
It falls from an eternal shrineG
-
IIA
-
The gay wall of this gaudy towerB
Grows dim around me death is nearH
I had not thought until this hourB
When passing from the earth that earI
Of any were it not the shadeJ
Of one whom in life I madeJ
All mystery but a simple nameK
Might know the secret of a spiritL
Bow'd down in sorrow and in shameK
Shame said'st thouM
-
Aye I did inheritL
That hatred portion with the fameK
The worldly glory which has shownN
A demon light around my throneN
Scorching my sear'd heart with a painO
Not Hell shall make me fear againP
-
IIIA
-
I have not always been as nowM
The fever'd diadem on my browM
I claim'd and won usurpinglyQ
Aye the same heritage hath giv'nM
Rome to the C sar this to meR
The heirdom of a kingly mindS
And a proud spirit which hath striv'nM
Triumphantly with human kindS
-
In mountain air I first drew lifeT
The mists of the Taglay have shedU
Nightly their dews on my young headU
And my brain drank their venom thenM
When after day of perilous strifeT
With chamois I would seize his denM
And slumber in my pride of powerB
The infant monarch of the hourB
For with the mountain dew by nightV
My soul imbib'd unhallow'd feelingW
And I would feel its essence stealingW
In dreams upon me while the lightV
Flashing from cloud that hover'd o'erB
Would seem to my half closing eyeA
The pageantry of monarchyR
And the deep thunder's echoing roarX
Came hurriedly upon me tellingW
Of war and tumult where my voiceY
My own voice silly child was swellingW
O how would my wild heart rejoiceY
And leap within me at the cryA
The battle cry of victoryR
-
IVT
-
The rain came down upon my headU
But barely shelter'd and the windS
Pass'd quickly o'er me but my mindS
Was mad'ning for 'twas man that shedU
Laurels upon me and the rushZ
The torrent of the chilly airA2
Gurgled in my pleas'd ear the crashB2
Of empires with the captive's prayerA2
The hum of suitors the mix'd toneM
Of flatt'ry round a sov'reign's throneM
-
The storm had ceas'd and I awokeC2
Its spirit cradled me to sleepD2
And as it pass'd me by there brokeC2
Strange light upon me tho' it wereB
My soul in mystery to sleepD2
For I was not as I had beenM
The child of Nature without careA2
Or thought save of the passing sceneM
-
VT
-
My passions from that hapless hourB
Usurp'd a tyranny which menM
Have deem'd since I have reach'd to powerB
My innate nature be it soE2
But father there liv'd one who thenM
Then in my boyhood when their fireB
Burn'd with a still intenser glowE2
For passion must with youth expireF2
Ev'n then who deem'd this iron heartG2
In woman's weakness had a partG2
-
I have no words alas to tellQ
The lovliness of loving wellQ
Nor would I dare attempt to traceH2
The breathing beauty of a faceH2
Which ev'n to my impassion'd mindS
Leaves not its memory behindS
In spring of life have ye ne'er dweltI2
Some object of delight uponM
With steadfast eye till ye have feltI2
The earth reel and the vision goneM
And I have held to mem'ry's eyeA
One object and but one untilQ
Its very form hath pass'd me byA
But left its influence with me stillQ
-
VIA
-
'Tis not to thee that I should nameK
Thou can'st not would'st not dare to thinkJ2
The magic empire of a flameK
Which ev'n upon this perilous brinkJ2
Hath fix'd my soul tho' unforgiv'nM
By what it lost for passion Heav'nM
I lov'd and O how tenderlyT
Yes she worthy of all loveT
Such as in infancy was mineM
Tho' then its passion could not beT
'Twas such as angel minds aboveT
Might envy her young heart the shrineM
On which my ev'ry hope and thoughtK2
Were incense then a goodly giftL2
For they were childish without sinM
Pure as her young examples taughtK2
Why did I leave it and adriftL2
Trust to the fickle star withinM
-
VIIT
-
We grew in age and love togetherB
Roaming the forest and the wildM2
My breast her shield in wintry weatherB
And when the friendly sunshine smil'dM2
And she would mark the op'ning skiesN2
I saw no Heav'n but in her eyesN2
Ev'n childhood knows the human heartG2
For when in sunshine and in smilesO2
From all our little cares apartG2
Laughing at her half silly wilesO2
I'd throw me on her throbbing breastP2
And pour my spirit out in tearsQ2
She'd look up in my wilder'd eyeA
There was no need to speak the restP2
No need to quiet her kind fearsR2
She did not ask the reason whyA
-
The hallow'd mem'ry of those yearsR2
Comes o'er me in these lonely hoursS2
And with sweet lovliness appearsR2
As perfume of strange summer flow'rsR2
Of flow'rs which we have known beforeX
In infancy which seen recallQ
To mind not flow'rs alone but moreX
Our earthly life and love and allQ
-
VIIIT
-
Yes she was worthy of all loveT
Ev'n such as from th' accursed timeT2
My spirit with the tempest stroveT
When on the mountain peak aloneM
Ambition lent it a new toneM
And bade it first to dream of crimeT2
My phrenzy to her bosom taughtK2
We still were young no purer thoughtK2
Dwell in a seraph's breast than thineM
For passionate love is still divineM
I lov'd her as an angel mightV
With ray of the all living lightV
Which blazes upon Edis' shrineM
It is not surely sin to nameK
With such as mine that mystic flameK
I had no being but in theeT
The world with all its train of brightV
And happy beauty for to meT
All was an undefin'd delightV
The world its joy its share of painM
Which I felt not its bodied formsR2
Of varied being which containM
The bodiless spirits of the stormsR2
The sunshine and the calm the idealQ
And fleeting vanities of dreamsR2
Fearfully beautiful the realQ
Nothings of mid day waking lifeT
Of an enchanted life which seemsR2
Now as I look back the strifeT
Of some ill demon with a powerB
Which left me in an evil hourB
All that I felt or saw or thoughtK2
Crowding confused becameK
With thine unearthly beauty fraughtK2
Thou and the nothing of a nameK
-
IXR2
-
The passionate spirit which hath knownM
And deeply felt the silent toneM
Of its own self supremacyR2
I speak thus openly to theeR2
'Twere folly now to veil a thoughtK2
With which this aching breast is fraughtK2
The soul which feels its innate rightV
The mystic empire and high powerB
Giv'n by the energetic mightV
Of Genius at its natal hourB
Which knows believe me at this timeT2
When falsehood were a ten fold crimeT2
There is a power in the high spiritL
To know the fate it will inheritL
The soul which knows such power will stillQ
Find Pride the ruler of its willQ
-
Yes I was proud and ye who knowM
The magic of that meaning wordU2
So oft perverted will bestowM
Your scorn perhaps when ye have heardU2
That the proud spirit had been brokenM
The proud heart burst in agonyR2
At one upbraiding word or tokenM
Of her that heart's idolatryR2
I was ambitious have ye knownM
Its fiery passion ye have notV2
A cottager I mark'd a throneM
Of half the world as all my ownM
And murmur'd at such lowly lotV2
But it had pass'd me as a dreamD
Which of light step flies with the dewW2
That kindling thought did not the beamD
Of Beauty which did guide it throughW2
The livelong summer day oppressR2
My mind with double lovelinessR2
-
XR2
-
We walk'd together on the crownM
Of a high mountain which look'd downM
Afar from its proud natural towersR2
Of rock and forest on the hillsR2
The dwindled hills whence amid bowersR2
Her own fair hand had rear'd aroundX2
Gush'd shoutingly a thousand rillsR2
Which as it were in fairy boundX2
Embrac'd two hamlets those our ownM
Peacefully happy yet aloneM
-
I spoke to her of power and prideY2
But mystically in such guiseR2
That she might deem it naught besideY2
The moment's converse in her eyesR2
I read perhaps too carelesslyR2
A mingled feeling with my ownM
The flush on her bright cheek to meR2
Seem'd to become a queenly throneM
Too well that I should let it beR2
A light in the dark wild aloneM
-
XIR2
-
There in that hour a thought came o'erB
My mind it had not known beforeX
To leave her while we both were youngZ2
To follow my high fate amongZ2
The strife of nations and redeemD
The idle words which as a dreamD
Now sounded to her heedless earI
I held no doubt I knew no fearH
Of peril in my wild careerH
To gain an empire and throw downM
As nuptial dowry a queen's crownM
The only feeling which possestY2
With her own image my fond breastY2
Who that had known the secret thoughtY2
Of a young peasant's bosom thenM
Had deem'd him in compassion aughtY2
But one whom phantasy had ledY2
Astray from reason Among menM
Ambition is chain'd down nor fedY2
As in the desert where the grandY2
The wild the beautiful conspireB
With their own breath to fan its fireB
With thoughts such feeling can commandY2
Uncheck'd by sarcasm and scornM
Of those who hardly will conceiveT
That any should become great bornM
In their own sphere will not believeT
That they shall stoop in life to oneM
Whom daily they are wont to seeR2
Familiarly whom Fortune's sunM
Hath ne'er shone dazzlingly uponM
Lowly and of their own degreeR2
-
XIIR2
-
I pictur'd to my fancy's eyeA
Her silent deep astonishmentY2
When a few fleeting years gone byA
For short the time my high hope lentY2
To its most desperate intentY2
She might recall in him whom FameK
Had gilded with a conquerer's nameK
With glory such as might inspireF2
Perforce a passing thought of oneM
Whom she had deem'd in his own fireB
Wither'd and blasted who had goneM
A traitor violate of the truthA3
So plighted in his early youthA3
Her own Alexis who should plightY2
The love he plighted then againM
And raise his infancy's delightY2
The bride and queen of TamerlaneM
-
XIIIR2
-
One noon of a bright summer's dayY2
I pass'd from out the matted bow'rB3
Where in a deep still slumber layY2
My Ada In that peaceful hourB
A silent gaze was my farewellQ
I had no other solace thenM
T'awake her and a falsehood tellQ
Of a feign'd journey were againM
To trust the weakness of my heartY2
To her soft thrilling voice To partY2
Thus haply while in sleep she dream'dY2
Of long delight nor yet had deem'dY2
Awake that I had held a thoughtY2
Of parting were with madness fraughtY2
I knew not woman's heart alasR2
Tho' lov'd and loving let it passR2
-
XIVT
-
I went from out the matted bow'rB3
And hurried madly on my wayY2
And felt with ev'ry flying hourB
That bore me from my home more gayY2
There is of earth an agonyM
Which ideal still may beM
The worst ill of mortalityM
'Tis bliss in its own realityM
Too real to his breast who livesR2
Not within himself but givesR2
A portion of his willing soulQ
To God and to the great wholeQ
To him whose loving spirit will dwellQ
With Nature in her wild paths tellQ
Of her wond'rous ways and telling blessR2
Her overpow'ring lovelinessR2
A more than agony to himC3
Whose failing sight will grow dimC3
With its own living gaze uponM
That loveliness around the sunM
The blue sky the misty lightY2
Of the pale cloud therein whose hueW2
Is grace to its heav'nly bed of blueW2
Dim tho' looking on all brightY2
O God when the thoughts that may not passR2
Will burst upon him and alasR2
For the flight on Earth to Fancy giv'nM
There are no words unless of Heav'nM
-
XVT
-
Look 'round thee now on SamarcandY2
Is she not queen of earth her prideY2
Above all cities in her handY2
Their destinies with all besideY2
Of glory which the world hath knownM
Stands she not proudly and aloneM
And who her sov'reign Timur heM
Whom th' astonish'd earth hath seenM
With victory on victoryM
Redoubling age and more I weenM
The Zinghis' yet re echoing fameK
And now what has he what a nameK
The sound of revelry by nightY2
Comes o'er me with the mingled voiceR2
Of many with a breast as lightY2
As if 'twere not the dying hourB
Of one in whom they did rejoiceR2
As in a leader haply PowerB
Its venom secretly impartsR2
Nothing have I with human heartsR2
-
XVIT
-
When Fortune mark'd me for her ownM
And my proud hopes had reach'd a throneM
It boots me not good friar to tellQ
A tale the world but knows too wellQ
How by what hidden deeds of mightY2
I clamber'd to the tottering heightY2
I still was young and well I weenM
My spirit what it e'er had beenM
My eyes were still on pomp and powerB
My wilder'd heart was far awayY2
In vallies of the wild TaglayQ
In mine own Ada's matted bow'rB3
I dwelt not long in SamarcandY2
Ere in a peasant's lowly guiseR2
I sought my long abandon'd landY2
By sunset did its mountains riseR2
In dusky grandeur to my eyesR2
But as I wander'd on the wayY2
My heart sunk with the sun's rayY2
To him who still would gaze uponM
The glory of the summer sunM
There comes when that sun will from him partY2
A sullen hopelessness of heartY2
That soul will hate the ev'ning mistY2
So often lovely and will lispD3
To the sound of the coming darkness knownM
To those whose spirits hark'n as oneM
Who in a dream of night would flyQ
But cannot from a danger nighQ
What though the moon the silvery moonM
Shine on his path in her high noonM
Her smile is chilly and her beamD
In that time of dreariness will seemD
As the portrait of one after deathE3
A likeness taken when the breathE3
Of young life and the fire o' the eyeQ
Had lately been but had pass'd byQ
'Tis thus when the lovely summer sunM
Of our boyhood his course hath runM
For all we live to know is knownM
And all we seek to keep hath flownM
With the noon day beauty which is allQ
Let life then as the day flow'r fallQ
The trancient passionate day flow'rB3
Withering at the ev'ning hourB
-
XVIIQ
-
I reach'd my home my home no moreX
For all was flown that made it soR2
I pass'd from out its mossy doorX
In vacant idleness of woeR2
There met me on its threshold stoneM
A mountain hunter I had knownM
In childhood but he knew me notY2
Something he spoke of the old cotY2
It had seen better days he saidY2
There rose a fountain once and thereA2
Full many a fair flow'r rais'd its headY2
But she who rear'd them was long deadY2
And in such follies had no partY2
What was there left me now despairA2
A kingdom for a broken heartY2

Edgar Allan Poe



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