Delilah Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBB D EFEFF GHGHH IBIBB J CKCKK D DLDLL MNMON PQPQQ K DRDRR SDSTT UVUWV XDXDD Y ZA2ZA2A2 QPQPP B2C2B2C2C2 D2E2D2E2E2 A SDSDD F2BF2BB KG2KG2G2 H2ZH2ZZ B I2J2I2J2J2 I2I2I2I2I2 K2DL2DD DTDDD B M2DM2DD DJ2DJ2J2 D N2I2N2I2I2 LI2LI2I2 D J2I2J2I2I2 S I2NI2OO BDBDD O2J2O2J2J2 I2 BI2BI2I2 I2J2I2J2J2 C2P2C2P2P2 BI2BI2I2 T I2BI2BB O2KO2KK Q2DQ2DD

Because thou wast most delicateA
A woman fair for men to seeB
The earth did compass thy estateC
Thou didst hold life and death in feeB
And every soul did bend the kneeB
-
Sidenote Wherein the corrupt spirit of privilege is symbolized by Delilah and the People by SamsonD
-
Much pleasure also made thee grieveE
For that the goblet had been drainedF
The well spiced viand thou didst leaveE
To frown on want whose throat was strainedF
And violence whose hands were stainedF
-
The purple of thy royal cloakG
Made the sea paler for its hueH
Much people bent beneath the yokeG
To fetch thee jewels white and blueH
And rings to pass thy gold hair throughH
-
Therefore Delilah wast thou calledI
Because the choice wines nourished theeB
In Sorek by the mountains walledI
Against the north wind's miseryB
Where flourished every pleasant treeB
-
Sidenote Delilah hath a taste for ease and luxury and wantoneth with divers loversJ
-
Thy lovers also were as greatC
In numbers as the sea sands wereK
Thou didst requite their love with hateC
And give them up to massacreK
Who brought thee gifts of gold and myrrhK
-
Sidenote Delilah conceiveth the design of ensnaring SamsonD
-
At Gaza and at AshkelonD
The obscene Dagon worshippingL
Thy face was fair to look uponD
Yet thy tongue sweet to talk or singL
Was deadlier than the adder's stingL
-
Wherefore thou saidst I will procureM
The strong man Samson for my spouseN
His death will make my ease secureM
The god has heard this people's vowsO
To recompense their injured houseN
-
Thereafter when the giant layP
Supinely rolled against thy feetQ
Him thou didst craftily betrayP
With amorous vexings low and sweetQ
To tell thee that which was not meetQ
-
Sidenote Delilah attempteth to discover the source of Samson's strength Samson very neatly deceiveth herK
-
And Samson spake to thee againD
With seven green withes I may be boundR
So shall I be as other menD
Whereat the lords the green withes foundR
The same about his limbs were boundR
-
Then did the fish god in thee cryS
The Philistines be upon thee nowD
But Samson broke the withes awryS
As when a keen fire toucheth towT
So thou didst not the secret knowT
-
But thou being full of guile didst pleadU
My lord thou hast but mocked my loveV
With lies who gave thy saying heedU
Hast thou not vexed my heart enoughW
To ease me all the pain thereofV
-
Now in the chamber with fresh hopesX
The liers in wait did list and thenD
He said Go to and get new ropesX
Wherewith thou shalt bind me againD
So shall I be as other menD
-
Sidenote Samson retaineth his intellect and the lustihood of his body and again misleadeth the subtle craft of DelilahY
-
Then didst thou do as he had saidZ
Whereat the fish god in thee criedA2
The Philistines be upon thy headZ
He shook his shoulders deep and wideA2
And cast the ropes like thread asideA2
-
Yet thou still fast to thy conceitQ
Didst chide him softly then and sayP
Beforetime thou hast shown deceitQ
And mocked my quest with idle playP
Thou canst not now my wish gainsayP
-
Then with the secret in his thoughtB2
He said If thou wilt weave my hairC2
The web withal the deed is wroughtB2
Thou shalt have all my strength in snareC2
And I as other men shall fareC2
-
Seven locks of him thou tookest and woveD2
The web withal and fastened itE2
And then the pin thy treason droveD2
With laughter making all things fitE2
As did beseem thy cunning witE2
-
Sidenote Delilah still pursueth her designs and Samson beginning to be somewhat wearied hinteth very close to his secretA
-
Then the god Dagon speaking byS
Thy delicate mouth made horrid dinD
Lo the Philistine lords are nighS
He woke ere thou couldst scarce beginD
And took away the web and pinD
-
Yet saying not it doth sufficeF2
Thou in the chamber's secrecyB
Didst with thy artful words enticeF2
Samson to give his heart to theeB
And tell thee where his strength might beB
-
Pleading How canst thou still averK
I love thee being yet unkindG2
How is it thou dost ministerK
Unto my heart with treacherous mindG2
Thou art but cruelly inclinedG2
-
From early morn to falling duskH2
At night upon the curtained bedZ
Fragrant with spikenard and with muskH2
For weariness he laid his headZ
Whilst thou the insidious net didst spreadZ
-
Sidenote Samson being weakened by lust and overcome by Delilah's importunities and guile telleth her wherein his great strength consistethB
-
Nor wouldst not give him any restI2
But vexed with various words his soulJ2
Till death far more than life was blestI2
Shot through and through with heavy doleJ2
He gave his strength to thy controlJ2
-
Saying I am a NazariteI2
To God alway nor hath there yetI2
Razor or shears done despiteI2
To these my locks of coarsen jetI2
Therefore my strength hath known no letI2
-
But and if these be shaven closeK2
Whereas I once was strong as tenD
I may not meet my meanest foesL2
Among the hated PhilistineD
I shall be weak like other menD
-
He turned to sleep the spell was doneD
Thou saidst Come up this once I trowT
The secret of his strength is knownD
Hereafter sweat shall bead his browD
Bring up the silver thou didst vowD
-
Sidenote Samson having trusted Delilah turneth to sleep whereat her minions with force falleth upon him and depriveth him of his strengthB
-
They came and sleeping on thy kneesM2
The giant of his locks was shornD
And Dagon being now at easeM2
Cried like the harbinger of mornD
To see the giant's strength forlornD
-
For he wist not the Lord was goneD
I will go as I went erewhileJ2
He said and shake my mighty brawnD
Without the captains file on fileJ2
Did execute Delilah's guileJ2
-
Sidenote Sansculottism as it seemeth is overthrownD
-
At Gaza where the mockers passN2
Midst curses and unholy soundI2
They fettered him with chains of brassN2
Put out his eyes and being boundI2
Within the prison house he groundI2
-
The heathen looking on did singL
Behold our god into our handI2
Hath brought him for our banquetingL
Who slew us and destroyed our landI2
Against whom none of us could standI2
-
Sidenote Samson being no longer formidable and being deprived of his eyes is reduced to slavery and made the sport of the heathenD
-
Now therefore when the festivalJ2
Waxed merrily with one accordI2
The lords and captains loud did callJ2
To bring him out whom they abhorredI2
To make them sport who sat at boardI2
-
Sidenote After a time Samson prayeth for vengeance even though himself should perish therebyS
-
And Samson made them sport and stoodI2
Betwixt the pillars of the houseN
Above with scornful hardihoodI2
Both men and women made carouseO
And ridiculed his eyeless browsO
-
Then Samson prayed Remember meB
O Lord this once if not againD
O God behold my miseryB
Now weaker than all other menD
Who once was mightier than tenD
-
Grant vengeance for these sightless eyesO2
And for this unrequited toilJ2
For fraud injustice perjuriesO2
For lords whose greed devours the soilJ2
And kings and rulers who despoilJ2
-
Sidenote Wherein by a very nice conceit revolution is symbolizedI2
-
For all that maketh light of TheeB
And sets at naught Thy holy wordI2
For tongues that babble blasphemyB
And impious hands that hold the swordI2
Grant vengeance though I perish LordI2
-
He grasped the pillars having prayedI2
And bowed himself the building fellJ2
And on three thousand souls was laidI2
Gone soon to death with mighty yellJ2
And Samson died for it was wellJ2
-
The lords and captains greatly errC2
Thinking that Samson is no moreP2
Blind but with ever growing hairC2
He grinds from Tyre to SingaporeP2
While yet Delilah plays the whoreP2
-
So it hath been and yet will beB
The captains drunken at the feastI2
To garnish their felicityB
Will taunt him as a captive beastI2
Until their insolence hath ceasedI2
-
Sidenote Wherein it is shown that while the people like Samson have been blinded and have not recovered their sight still that their hair continueth to growT
-
Of ribaldry that smelleth sweetI2
To Dagon and to AshtorethB
Of bloody stripes from head to feetI2
He will endure unto the deathB
Being blind he also nothing saithB
-
Then 'gainst the Doric capitalsO2
Resting in prayer to God for powerK
He will shake down your marble wallsO2
Abiding heaven's appointed hourK
And those that fly shall hide and cowerK
-
But this Delilah shall surviveQ2
To do the sin already doneD
Her treacherous wiles and arts shall thriveQ2
At Gaza and at AshkelonD
A woman fair to look uponD

Edgar Lee Masters



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Delilah poem by Edgar Lee Masters


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 5 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets