Finding Of The Body Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBCBDEFEGHIJ KLMNOPJAQRSTUVAWBT XYXYBHZA2JB2C2YVYYY D2E2F2BG2BYBHXBBH2H2 XBTH2 I2BYJ2SH2JSK2JYAYBJH 2H2YJYA H2YL2BM2JJXXC2N2H2BN 2AJBC2BO2C2

Elenor Murray daughter of Henry MurrayA
The druggist at LeRoy a village nearB
The shadow of Starved Rock this ElenorB
But recently returned from France a heartC
Who gave her service in the world at warB
Was found along the river's shore a mileD
Above Starved Rock on August th the dayE
Year LaSalle set sailF
For Michilmackinac to reach Green BayE
In the Griffin in the winter snow and sleetG
Reaching Lone Cliff Starved Rock its later nameH
Also La Vantum village of the tribeI
Called IlliniJ
-
This may be taken to speakK
The symbol of her life and fate For firstL
This Elenor Murray comes into this lifeM
And lives her youth where the Rock's shadow fallsN
As if to say her life should starve and lieO
Beneath a shadow wandering in the worldP
As Cavalier LaSalle did born at RouenJ
Shot down on Trinity River Texas SheA
Searches for life and conquest of herselfQ
With the same sleepless spirit of LaSalleR
And comes back to the shadow of the RockS
And dies beneath its shadow Cause of deathT
Was she like Sieur LaSalle shot down or chokedU
Struck poisoned Let the coroner decideV
Who hearing of the matter takes the bodyA
And brings it to LeRoy is taking proofsW
Lets doctors cut the body probe and peerB
To find the cause of deathT
-
And so this morningX
Of August th as a hunter walksY
Looking for rabbits maybe aimless huntingX
Over the meadow where the Illini'sY
La Vantum stood two hundred years beforeB
Gun over arm in readiness for gameH
Sees some two hundred paces to the southZ
Bright colors red and blue thinks off the batA2
A human body lies there hurries onJ
And finds the girl's dead body hatless headB2
The hat some paces off as if she fellC2
In such way that the hat dashed off Her armsY
Lying outstretched the body half on sideV
The face upturned to heaven open eyesY
That might have seen Starved Rock until the eyesY
Sank down in darkness where no image comesY
-
This hunter knew the body bent and lookedD2
Gave forth a gasp of horror leaned and touchedE2
The cold hand of the dead saw in her pocketF2
Sticking above the pocket's edge a bannerB
And took it forth saw it was Joan of ArcG2
In helmet and cuirass kneeling in prayerB
And in the banner a paper with these wordsY
To be brave and not to flinch And standing thereB
This hunter knew that Elenor Murray cameH
Some days before from France was visitingX
An aunt named Irma Leese beyond LeRoyB
What was she doing by the river's shoreB
He saw no mark upon her and no bloodH2
No pistol by her nothing disarrangedH2
Of hair or clothing showing struggle nothingX
To indicate the death she met Who saw herB
Before or when she died How long had deathT
Been on her eyes Some hours or over nightH2
-
The hunter touched her hand already stiffI2
And saw the dew upon her hair and browB
And a blue deadness in her eyes like pebblesY
The lips were black and bottle flies had comeJ2
To feed upon her tongue 'Tis ten o'clockS
The coolness of the August night unchangedH2
By this spent sun of August And the moonJ
Lies dead and wasted there beyond Starved RockS
The moon was beautiful last night To walkK2
Beside the river under the August moonJ
Took Elenor Murray's fancy as he thinksY
Then thinking of the aunt of Elenor MurrayA
Who should be notified the hunter runsY
To tell the aunt but there's the coronerB
Is there not law the coroner should knowJ
Should not the body lie as it was foundH2
Until the coroner takes charge of itH2
Should not he stand on guard And so he runsY
And from a farmer's house by telephoneJ
Sends word to Coroner Merival Then returnsY
And guards the bodyA
-
Here is riffle firstH2
The coroner sat with his traveling bagsY
Was closing up his desk had planned a tripL2
With boon companions they were with him thereB
The auto waited at the door to take themM2
To catch the train for northern MichiganJ
He closed the desk and they arose to goJ
Just then the telephone began to ringX
The hunter at the other end was talkingX
And told of Elenor Murray MerivalC2
Turned to his friends and said The jig is upN2
Here is an inquest and of moment tooH2
I cannot go but you jump in the carB
And go you'll catch the train if you speed upN2
They begged him to permit his deputyA
To hold the inquest Merival said noJ
And waived them off They left He got a carB
And hurried to the place where Eleanor layC2
Now who was Merival the CoronerB
For we shall know of Elenor through himO2
And know her better knowing MerivalC2

Edgar Lee Masters



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