Two Voices Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCDCCD EFEFCBBC BABAGHHG BGBGGGGG AII JCC A KBKBGCCG CLCLGBBG CCCCGBBG CCCCGBB| COUNTRY | A |
| - | |
| 'SWEET are the lanes and the hedges the fields made red with the clover | B |
| With tall field sorrel and daisies and golden buttercups glowing | C |
| Sweet is the way through the woods where at sundown maiden and lover | B |
| Linger by stile or by bank where wild clematis is growing | C |
| Fair is our world when the dew and the dawn thrill the half wakened roses | D |
| Fair when the corn fields grow warm with poppies in noonlight gleaming | C |
| Fair through the long afternoon when hedges and hay fields lie dreaming | C |
| Fair as in lessening light the last convolvulus closes | D |
| - | |
| - | |
| 'Scent of geranium and musk that in cottage windows run riot | E |
| Breath from the grass that is down in the meadows each side the highway | F |
| Slumberous hush of the churchyard where we one day may lie quiet | E |
| Murmuring wind through the leaves bent over the meadow byway | F |
| Deeps of cool shadow and gleams of light on high elm tops shining | C |
| Such peace in the dim green brake as the town save in dreams knows never | B |
| But in through under it all the old pain follows us ever | B |
| Ever the old despair the old unrest and repining | C |
| - | |
| - | |
| 'Dark is the City's face but her children who know her find her | B |
| Mother to them who are brothers mindful of brotherhood's duty | A |
| To each of us lonely unhelped the grave would be warmer kinder | B |
| Than the cold unloving face of our world of blossom and beauty | A |
| Poverty deep and dark cowers under the thatch with the swallows | G |
| Cruel disease lies hid in the changeful breast of the waters | H |
| Drink sets snares for our sons and shame digs graves for our daughters | H |
| Want and care crush the flower of a youth that no life fruit follows | G |
| - | |
| - | |
| 'What are the woodland sweets the meadow's fair flowery treasure | B |
| When we are hungry and sad and stupid with work and with sorrows | G |
| Leisure for nothing but sleep and with heart but for sleep in our leisure | B |
| The work of to day still the same as yesterday's work and to morrow's | G |
| Ever the weary round the treadmill of innocent lives | G |
| Hopeless and helpless and bowing our backs like a hound's to the lashes | G |
| What can seem fair to the eyes that are smarting and sore with the ashes | G |
| Blown from the fires that consume the souls of our children and wives | G |
| - | |
| - | |
| 'Dreams sometimes we have had of an hour when we might speak plainly | A |
| Raise the mantle and show how the iron eats into our bosom | I |
| The rotting root of the Nation the worm at the heart of its blossom | I |
| Dreaming we said 'We will speak when the time for it comes not vainly ' | - |
| Ah but the time comes never Life we are used to bear it | J |
| Starved are our brains and grow not our hands are fit but for toiling | C |
| If we stretched them out their touch to our masters' hand would be soiling | C |
| Weak is our voice with disuse too weak for our lords to hear it ' | - |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| CITY | A |
| - | |
| 'So has the spark died out that the torch of hope dropped among you | K |
| So is the burden bound more fast to the shrinking shoulder | B |
| Far too faint are your cries to be heard by the men who wrong you | K |
| And if they heard they are high and the air as men rise grows colder | B |
| Yet you are men though so weak and in mine and workshop your brothers | G |
| Stronger in head and in heart not less sad for deliverance are striving | C |
| These will stand fast and will face the cruel unjust and ungiving | C |
| And you in our ranks shall be 'listed our hands fast clasped in each other's | G |
| - | |
| - | |
| 'For in the night of our sorrow cold lights are breaking and brightening | C |
| Out in the eastern sky through the drifting clouds wind driven | L |
| Over the earth new gleams and glories are laughing and lightening | C |
| Clearer the air grows each moment brighter the face of the heaven | L |
| Turn we our face to the east oh wind of the dawn blow to us | G |
| Freshness and strength and resolve The star of old faith grows paler | B |
| Before the eyes of our Freedom though still wrath's red mists veil her | B |
| For this is our battle day revenge like our blood runs through us | G |
| - | |
| - | |
| 'This is our vengeance day Our masters made fat with our fasting | C |
| Shall fall before us like corn when the sickle for harvest is strong | C |
| Old wrong shall give might to our arm remembrance of wrong shall make lasting | C |
| The graves we will dig for the tyrants we bore with too much and too long | C |
| The sobs of our starving children the tears of our heart sick mothers | G |
| The moan of your murdered manhood crushed out by their wanton pressure | B |
| The wail of the life long anguish that paid the price of their pleasure | B |
| These will make funeral music to speed the lost souls of them brothers | G |
| - | |
| - | |
| 'Shoulder to shoulder we march and for those who go down mid the fighting | C |
| With rifles in hand and pikes and the red flag over them flying | C |
| Glad shall our hearts be for them who die when our sun is lighting | C |
| The warm wide heavens and sheds its lovely light on their dying | C |
| Fight though we lose our dearest fight though the battle rages | G |
| Fiercer and hotter than ever was fight in the world before | B |
| We must fight how can men do less If we die what can men do more | B |
| And the sun of Freedom shall shine across our graves to the ages ' | - |
Edith Nesbit
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Two Voices poem by Edith Nesbit
Best Poems of Edith Nesbit