Two Christmas Eves Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BBAACCDDEEFFGG HHIIJJKKLLMMNNOOPPQQ NNKKCC RRSSTUVVWWXXNNYY LLLZA2B2B2 C2C2FFFB2B2D2D2GGE2F 2SSG2H2CCI2I2J2J2 K2K2FF L2L2M2N2N2QQQAAJ2J2O 2O2QQF2F2 P2P2NNQQQ2Q2R2R2S2S2 T2T2U2U2AA A V2V2NNNW2W2K2K2 CCX2X2Y2QB2B2Z2Z2A3B 3KKC3C3 C3C3D3D3C3C3 KKKC3C3E3 F2E2F3F3G3G3C3C3C3 D2D2H3H3C3C3I3I3 KKO2J3F3D2C3C3C3C3C3 C3EE EK3RRL3L3H3H3 A C3C3C3C3C3C3C3C3D2D2 F3

IA
-
THE white snow veils the earth's brown faceB
Strong frost has bound the veil in placeB
Under the wide clear dark blue skyA
All choked with snow the hollows lieA
Dead white the fields once summer sweetC
And woodlands where we used to meetC
We don't meet now we never partD
Ever together heart to heartD
We've worked lost often seldom wonE
Seen pleasures ended pains begunE
Have done our best and faced we twoF
Almost the worst that Fate could doF
Yet not Fate's uttermost of illG
Since here we are together stillG
-
-
For me you left my dearest bestH
Your girlhood's safe warm sheltered nestH
For me gave up all else that couldI
Have made your woman life seem goodI
You thought a man's whole heart was worthJ
Just all the other wealth of earthJ
I thought my painter's brush would beK
A magic wand for you and meK
What dreams we had of fame and goldL
Of Art that never could withholdL
From me who loved her so full powersM
To make my love for her serve oursM
To shape and build a palace fairN
Of radiant hours and place you thereN
Art turned away her face from usO
And all the dreaming's ended thusO
Our garret's cold the wind is keenP
And cuts these rotten boards betweenP
There is no lock upon the doorQ
No carpet on the uneven floorQ
No curtain to the window whereN
Through frost blanched panes the moon's cold stareN
Fronts us She's careless used to seeK
This world of ours and miseryK
Why how you shiver Oh my sweetC
How cold your hands are and your feetC
-
-
How hot this face of yours I kissR
How could our love have led to thisR
What devil is there over allS
That lets such things as this befallS
It was not want of striving LoveT
Bear witness for me how I stroveU
Worked till I grew quite sick and faintV
Worked till I could not see to paintV
Because my eyes were sore and wetW
Yet never sold one picture yetW
We would have worked yes there's the stingX
We would have worked at anythingX
Our hands asked work There's work somewhereN
That makes it all more hard to bearN
Yet we could never understandY
Where is the work that asks our handY
-
-
There's no more firing and the coldL
Is biting through your shawl's thin foldL
And both the blankets have been soldL
Nestle beside me in my armZ
And let me try to keep you warmA2
We pawned the table and the bedB2
To get our last week's fire and breadB2
-
-
And now the last crust's eaten WellC2
There's nothing left to pawn or sellC2
Our rent is due on Monday tooF
How can we pay it I and youF
What shall we do What shall we doF
And we are what was that you saidB2
You are so tired Your dearest headB2
Is burning hot and aching soD2
Ah yes I know it is I knowD2
You're tired and weak and faint and illG
And fevers burn and shiverings chillG
This world of mine I'm holding hereE2
If I could suffer only dearF2
But all the burdens on you fallS
And I sit here and bear it allS
And other men and other wivesG2
Who never worked in all their livesH2
No nor yet loved as we have sweetC
Are wrapped in furs warm hands and feetC
And feast to night in homes made brightI2
With blazing logs and candle lightI2
Not dark like this where we two sitJ2
Who chose to work and starve for itJ2
-
-
Don't go to sleep you mustn't sleepK2
Here on the frozen floor Yes creepK2
Closer to me Oh if I knewF
What is this something left to doF
-
-
Listen to me It's Christmas EveL2
When hearts grow warmer I believeL2
And friends forget and friends forgiveM2
What if we stifled down my prideN2
And put your bitter thoughts asideN2
And asked your father's help once moreQ
True when we asked for it beforeQ
He turned and cursed us both and sworeQ
That he disowned you You and IA
Had made our bed and there must lieA
That he would help us not one whitJ2
Though we should die for want of itJ2
Now I shall ask his help againO2
It's colder now than it was thenO2
The cold creeps closer to life's coreQ
Death's nearer to us than beforeQ
And when your father sees how nearF2
He may relent and save you dearF2
-
-
For my sake love I am too weakP2
To bear your tears upon my cheekP2
Your sobs against my heart to bearN
Those eyes of yours and their despairN
Not faltering my own pain I boreQ
I cannot bear yours any moreQ
Stand up You're stiff That will not lastQ2
The stairs are dark They'll soon be passedQ2
You're tired My sweet I know you areR2
But try to walk it isn't farR2
Oh that the Christ they say was bornS2
On that dream distant Christmas mornS2
May hear and help us now Be strongT2
Yes lean on me Perhaps ere longT2
All this gone by will only seemU2
A half remembered evil dreamU2
Come I will help you walk We'll tryA
Just this last venture you and IA
-
-
-
IIA
-
Failed Back again in the ice gloomV2
Of our bare bleak rat haunted roomV2
The moon still looks what does she careN
To see my moon flower lying thereN
My rose once red and white and fairN
Now white and wan and pinched and thinW2
Cold through the coat I've wrapped her inW2
And shivering even in her sleepK2
To hear how wakeful rats can keepK2
-
-
We dragged our weary faltering feetC
Through the bright noisy crowded streetC
And reached the square where stern in stoneX2
Her father's town house sulks aloneX2
Sick stupid helpless wretched poorY2
We waited at her father's doorQ
They let us in Then let us treadB2
Through the warm hall with soft furs spreadB2
Next 'Name and business ' Oh exactZ2
Were the man's orders how to actZ2
If e'er his master's child should comeA3
To cross the threshold of her homeB3
I told our name The man 'would seeK
If any message was' for meK
We waited there without a wordC3
How warm the whole house was We heardC3
-
-
Soft music with soft voices blentC3
And smelt sweet flowers with mingled scentC3
And heard the wine poured out that chinkD3
That glass makes as the diners drinkD3
The china clatter We at leastC3
Appreciated that night's feastC3
-
-
Then some one gave a note to meK
With insolent smile I read 'When sheK
Is tired of love and povertyK
And chooses to return to whatC3
She left the duties she forgotC3
And never see again this manE3
And be here as before she can '-
-
-
We came away that much is clearF2
I don't know how we got back hereE2
I must have carried her somehowF3
And have been strong enough And nowF3
She lies asleep and I awakeG3
Must do this something for her sakeG3
The only possible thing to doC3
Oh love to cut our soul in twoC3
And take 'this man' away from youC3
-
-
If now I let your father knowD2
My choice is made and that I goD2
And you are here oh love oh wifeH3
I break my heart and save your lifeH3
Doubt what to do All doubt's aboutC3
The deeds that are not worth a doubtC3
This deed takes me and I obeyI3
And there is nothing left to sayI3
-
-
Good bye dear eyes I cannot seeK
Weep only gently eyes for meK
Dear lips I've kissed and kissed againO2
Lose those encircling lines of painJ3
Dear face so thin and faded nowF3
Win back youth's grace and light and glowD2
Oh hands I hold in mine oh heartC3
That holds mine in it we must partC3
When you wake up and find me fledC3
And find your father here insteadC3
Will you not wonder how my feetC3
Ever could turn from you my sweetC3
Ah no your heart and mine are oneE
Our heart will tell you how 'twas doneE
-
-
No more we meet until I've wonE
Enough to dare be happy onK3
And if I fail I have known blissR
And bliss has bred an hour like thisR
I am past Fate's harming all her powerL3
Could mix nought bitterer than this hourL3
Good bye our room our marriage lifeH3
Oh kiss me through your dreams my wifeH3
-
-
-
IIIA
-
I have grown rich I have found outC3
The thing men break their hearts aboutC3
I have dug gold and gold and soldC3
My diggings and reaped in more goldC3
Sowed that and reaped again and playedC3
For stakes and always won and madeC3
More money than we'll ever spendC3
And have forborne one word to sendC3
It has been easier for her soD2
To wait one year and then to knowD2
How all is well and howF3

Edith Nesbit



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Two Christmas Eves poem by Edith Nesbit


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 1 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