Epithalamion Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABAABABCCCCCCCDD ECECFFGHGIICCCCCDD JBJBCCACAAACKKCCCDD CLCLGGCGCLEJJJJJDD MCMCAACACCCKGGKNDD AJAJCCCCCJJBCCBBDD MCMCJCACAAAACCABBDD CJCJCCCCCAACLLCCCDD ACACBBJBJBBCJJCCCDD AJAJCCCCCCJJJJAADD ACACCCCCCBBALCLAADD FBFMCCACAAACGGCAADD AAAABBCBLAACCACCCDD BCBCAACACLLBLLBCCDD BCBCCCACAACCCCCDD CFCFMMCMCCFCCFCCDD CCCCCCCCCLCOCCOBBDD CCCLCCECEBBCCCCLCDD CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCDDDD EBEBCCCCCCCLCCLCCDD CCCCCECCCCBPPBCCDD CCCCCCCCCBBCCBCBBDD CCCCBBCBBCCCCCCCDD CCCCCCC

Ye learn egrave d sisters which have oftentimes	A
Beene to me ayding others to adorne	B
Whom ye thought worthy of your gracefull rymes	A
That even the greatest did not greatly scorne	B
To heare theyr names sung in your simple layes	A
But joy egrave d in theyr praise	A
And when ye list your owne mishaps to mourne	B
Which death or love or fortunes wreck did rayse	A
Your string could soone to sadder tenor turne	B
And teach the woods and waters to lament	C
Your dolefull dreriment	C
Now lay those sorrowfull complaints aside	C
And having all your heads with girlands crownd	C
Helpe me mine owne loves prayses to resound	C
Ne let the same of any be envide	C
So Orpheus did for his owne bride	C
So I unto my selfe alone will sing	D
The woods shall to me answer and my Eccho ring	D
	-
Early before the worlds light giving lampe	E
His golden beame upon the hils doth spred	C
Having disperst the nights unchearefull dampe	E
Doe ye awake and with fresh lusty hed	C
Go to the bowre of my belov egrave d love	F
My truest turtle dove	F
Bid her awake for Hymen is awake	G
And long since ready forth his maske to move	H
With his bright Tead that flames with many a flake	G
And many a bachelor to waite on him	I
In theyr fresh garments trim	I
Bid her awake therefore and soone her dight	C
For lo the wish egrave d day is come at last	C
That shall for all the paynes and sorrowes past	C
Pay to her usury of long delight	C
And whylest she doth her dight	C
Doe ye to her of joy and solace sing	D
That all the woods may answer and your eccho ring	D
	-
Bring with you all the Nymphes that you can heare	J
Both of the rivers and the forrests greene	B
And of the sea that neighbours to her neare	J
Al with gay girlands goodly wel beseene	B
And let them also with them bring in hand	C
Another gay girland	C
For my fayre love of lillyes and of roses	A
Bound truelove wize with a blew silke riband	C
And let them make great store of bridale poses	A
And let them eeke bring store of other flowers	A
To deck the bridale bowers	A
And let the ground whereas her foot shall tread	C
For feare the stones her tender foot should wrong	K
Be strewed with fragrant flowers all along	K
And diapred lyke the discolored mead	C
Which done doe at her chamber dore awayt	C
For she will waken strayt	C
The whiles doe ye this song unto her sing	D
The woods shall to you answer and your Eccho ring	D
	-
Ye Nymphes of Mulla which with carefull heed	C
The silver scaly trouts doe tend full well	L
And greedy pikes which use therein to feed	C
Those trouts and pikes all others doo excell	L
And ye likewise which keepe the rushy lake	G
Where none doo fishes take	G
Bynd up the locks the which hang scatterd light	C
And in his waters which your mirror make	G
Behold your faces as the christall bright	C
That when you come whereas my love doth lie	L
No blemish she may spie	E
And eke ye lightfoot mayds which keepe the deere	J
That on the hoary mountayne used to towre	J
And the wylde wolves which seeke them to devoure	J
With your steele darts doo chace from comming neer	J
Be also present heere	J
To helpe to decke her and to help to sing	D
That all the woods may answer and your eccho ring	D
	-
Wake now my love awake for it is time	M
The Rosy Morne long since left Tithones bed	C
All ready to her silver coche to clyme	M
And Phoebus gins to shew his glorious hed	C
Hark how the cheerefull birds do chaunt theyr laies	A
And carroll of Loves praise	A
The merry Larke hir mattins sings aloft	C
The Thrush replyes the Mavis descant playes	A
The Ouzell shrills the Ruddock warbles soft	C
So goodly all agree with sweet consent	C
To this dayes merriment	C
Ah my deere love why doe ye sleepe thus long	K
When meeter were that ye should now awake	G
T' awayt the comming of your joyous make	G
And hearken to the birds love learn egrave d song	K
The deawy leaves among	N
Nor they of joy and pleasance to you sing	D
That all the woods them answer and theyr eccho ring	D
	-
My love is now awake out of her dreames	A
And her fayre eyes like stars that dimm egrave d were	J
With darksome cloud now shew theyr goodly beams	A
More bright then Hesperus his head doth rere	J
Come now ye damzels daughters of delight	C
Helpe quickly her to dight	C
But first come ye fayre houres which were begot	C
In Joves sweet paradice of Day and Night	C
Which doe the seasons of the yeare allot	C
And al that ever in this world is fayre	J
Doe make and still repayre	J
And ye three handmayds of the Cyprian Queene	B
The which doe still adorne her beauties pride	C
Helpe to addorne my beautifullest bride	C
And as ye her array still throw betweene	B
Some graces to be seene	B
And as ye use to Venus to her sing	D
The whiles the woods shal answer and your eccho ring	D
	-
Now is my love all ready forth to come	M
Let all the virgins therefore well awayt	C
And ye fresh boyes that tend upon her groome	M
Prepare your selves for he is comming strayt	C
Set all your things in seemely good aray	J
Fit for so joyfull day	C
The joyfulst day that ever sunne did see	A
Faire Sun shew forth thy favourable ray	C
And let thy lifull heat not fervent be	A
For feare of burning her sunshyny face	A
Her beauty to disgrace	A
O fayrest Phoebus father of the Muse	A
If ever I did honour thee aright	C
Or sing the thing that mote thy mind delight	C
Doe not thy servants simple boone refuse	A
But let this day let this one day be myne	B
Let all the rest be thine	B
Then I thy soverayne prayses loud wil sing	D
That all the woods shal answer and theyr eccho ring	D
	-
Harke how the Minstrils gin to shrill aloud	C
Their merry Musick that resounds from far	J
The pipe the tabor and the trembling Croud	C
That well agree withouten breach or jar	J
But most of all the Damzels doe delite	C
When they their tymbrels smyte	C
And thereunto doe daunce and carrol sweet	C
That all the sences they doe ravish quite	C
The whyles the boyes run up and downe the street	C
Crying aloud with strong confus egrave d noyce	A
As if it were one voyce	A
Hymen i ouml Hymen Hymen they do shout	C
That even to the heavens theyr shouting shrill	L
Doth reach and all the firmament doth fill	L
To which the people standing all about	C
As in approvance doe thereto applaud	C
And loud advaunce her laud	C
And evermore they Hymen Hymen sing	D
That al the woods them answer and theyr eccho ring	D
	-
Loe where she comes along with portly pace	A
Lyke Phoebe from her chamber of the East	C
Arysing forth to run her mighty race	A
Clad all in white that seemes a virgin best	C
So well it her beseemes that ye would weene	B
Some angell she had beene	B
Her long loose yellow locks lyke golden wyre	J
Sprinckled with perle and perling flowres atweene	B
Doe lyke a golden mantle her attyre	J
And being crown egrave d with a girland greene	B
Seeme lyke some mayden Queene	B
Her modest eyes abash egrave d to behold	C
So many gazers as on her do stare	J
Upon the lowly ground affix egrave d are	J
Ne dare lift up her countenance too bold	C
But blush to heare her prayses sung so loud	C
So farre from being proud	C
Nathlesse doe ye still loud her prayses sing	D
That all the woods may answer and your eccho ring	D
	-
Tell me ye merchants daughters did ye see	A
So fayre a creature in your towne before	J
So sweet so lovely and so mild as she	A
Adornd with beautyes grace and vertues store	J
Her goodly eyes lyke Saphyres shining bright	C
Her forehead yvory white	C
Her cheekes lyke apples which the sun hath rudded	C
Her lips lyke cherryes charming men to byte	C
Her brest like to a bowle of creame uncrudded	C
Her paps lyke lyllies budded	C
Her snowie necke lyke to a marble towre	J
And all her body like a pallace fayre	J
Ascending up with many a stately stayre	J
To honors seat and chastities sweet bowre	J
Why stand ye still ye virgins in amaze	A
Upon her so to gaze	A
Whiles ye forget your former lay to sing	D
To which the woods did answer and your eccho ring	D
	-
But if ye saw that which no eyes can see	A
The inward beauty of her lively spright	C
Garnisht with heavenly guifts of high degree	A
Much more then would ye wonder at that sight	C
And stand astonisht lyke to those which red	C
Medusaes mazeful hed	C
There dwels sweet love and constant chastity	C
Unspotted fayth and comely womanhood	C
Regard of honour and mild modesty	C
There vertue raynes as Queene in royal throne	B
And giveth lawes alone	B
The which the base affections doe obay	A
And yeeld theyr services unto her will	L
Ne thought of thing uncomely ever may	C
Thereto approch to tempt her mind to ill	L
Had ye once seene these her celestial threasures	A
And unreveal egrave d pleasures	A
Then would ye wonder and her prayses sing	D
That al the woods should answer and your echo ring	D
	-
Open the temple gates unto my love	F
Open them wide that she may enter in	B
And all the postes adorne as doth behove	F
And all the pillours deck with girlands trim	M
For to receyve this Saynt with honour dew	C
That commeth in to you	C
With trembling steps and humble reverence	A
She commeth in before th' Almighties view	C
Of her ye virgins learne obedience	A
When so ye come into those holy places	A
To humble your proud faces	A
Bring her up to th' high altar that she may	C
The sacred ceremonies there partake	G
The which do endlesse matrimony make	G
And let the roring Organs loudly play	C
The praises of the Lord in lively notes	A
The whiles with hollow throates	A
The Choristers the joyous Antheme sing	D
That al the woods may answere and their eccho ring	D
	-
Behold whiles she before the altar stands	A
Hearing the holy priest that to her speakes	A
And blesseth her with his two happy hands	A
How the red roses flush up in her cheekes	A
And the pure snow with goodly vermill stayne	B
Like crimsin dyde in grayne	B
That even th' Angels which continually	C
About the sacred Altare doe remaine	B
Forget their service and about her fly	L
Ofte peeping in her face that seems more fayre	A
The more they on it stare	A
But her sad eyes still fastened on the ground	C
Are govern egrave d with goodly modesty	C
That suffers not one looke to glaunce awry	A
Which may let in a little thought unsownd	C
Why blush ye love to give to me your hand	C
The pledge of all our band	C
Sing ye sweet Angels Alleluya sing	D
That all the woods may answere and your eccho ring	D
	-
Now al is done bring home the bride againe	B
Bring home the triumph of our victory	C
Bring home with you the glory of her gaine	B
With joyance bring her and with jollity	C
Never had man more joyfull day then this	A
Whom heaven would heape with blis	A
Make feast therefore now all this live long day	C
This day for ever to me holy is	A
Poure out the wine without restraint or stay	C
Poure not by cups but by the belly full	L
Poure out to all that wull	L
And sprinkle all the postes and wals with wine	B
That they may sweat and drunken be withall	L
Crowne ye God Bacchus with a coronall	L
And Hymen also crowne with wreathes of vine	B
And let the Graces daunce unto the rest	C
For they can doo it best	C
The whiles the maydens doe theyr carroll sing	D
To which the woods shall answer and theyr eccho ring	D
	-
Ring ye the bels ye yong men of the towne	B
And leave your wonted labors for this day	C
This day is holy doe ye write it downe	B
That ye for ever it remember may	C
This day the sunne is in his chiefest hight	C
With Barnaby the bright	C
From whence declining daily by degrees	A
He somewhat loseth of his heat and light	C
When once the Crab behind his back he sees	A
But for this time it ill ordain egrave d was	A
To chose the longest day in all the yeare	C
And shortest night when longest fitter weare	C
Yet never day so long but late would passe	C
Ring ye the bels to make it weare away	C
And bonefiers make all day	C
And daunce about them and about them sing	D
That all the woods may answer and your eccho ring	D
	-
Ah when will this long weary day have end	C
And lende me leave to come unto my love	F
How slowly do the houres theyr numbers spend	C
How slowly does sad Time his feathers move	F
Hast thee O fayrest Planet to thy home	M
Within the Westerne fome	M
Thy tyr egrave d steedes long since have need of rest	C
Long though it be at last I see it gloome	M
And the bright evening star with golden creast	C
Appeare out of the East	C
Fayre childe of beauty glorious lampe of love	F
That all the host of heaven in rankes doost lead	C
And guydest lovers through the nights sad dread	C
How chearefully thou lookest from above	F
And seemst to laugh atweene thy twinkling light	C
As joying in the sight	C
Of these glad many which for joy doe sing	D
That all the woods them answer and their echo ring	D
	-
Now ceasse ye damsels your delights fore past	C
Enough it is that all the day was youres	C
Now day is doen and night is nighing fast	C
Now bring the Bryde into the brydall boures	C
The night is come now soon her disaray	C
And in her bed her lay	C
Lay her in lillies and in violets	C
And silken courteins over her display	C
And odourd sheetes and Arras coverlets	C
Behold how goodly my faire love does ly	L
In proud humility	C
Like unto Maia when as Jove her took	O
In Tempe lying on the flowry gras	C
Twixt sleepe and wake after she weary was	C
With bathing in the Acidalian brooke	O
Now it is night ye damsels may be gon	B
And leave my love alone	B
And leave likewise your former lay to sing	D
The woods no more shall answere nor your echo ring	D
	-
Now welcome night thou night so long expected	C
That long daies labour doest at last defray	C
And all my cares which cruell Love collected	C
Hast sumd in one and cancell egrave d for aye	L
Spread thy broad wing over my love and me	C
That no man may us see	C
And in thy sable mantle us enwrap	E
From feare of perrill and foule horror free	C
Let no false treason seeke us to entrap	E
Nor any dread disquiet once annoy	B
The safety of our joy	B
But let the night be calme and quietsome	C
Without tempestuous storms or sad afray	C
Lyke as when Jove with fayre Alcmena lay	C
When he begot the great Tirynthian groome	C
Or lyke as when he with thy selfe did lie	L
And begot Majesty	C
And let the mayds and yong men cease to sing	D
Ne let the woods them answer nor theyr eccho ring	D
	-
Let no lamenting cryes nor dolefull teares	C
Be heard all night within nor yet without	C
Ne let false whispers breeding hidden feares	C
Breake gentle sleepe with misconceiv egrave d dout	C
Let no deluding dreames nor dreadfull sights	C
Make sudden sad affrights	C
Ne let house fyres nor lightnings helpelesse harmes	C
Ne let the Pouke nor other evill sprights	C
Ne let mischivous witches with theyr charmes	C
Ne let hob Goblins names whose sence we see not	C
Fray us with things that be not	C
Let not the shriech Oule nor the Storke be heard	C
Nor the night Raven that still deadly yels	C
Nor damn egrave d ghosts cald up with mighty spels	C
Nor griesly vultures make us once affeard	C
Ne let th' unpleasant Quyre of Frogs still croking	D
Make us to wish theyr choking	D
Let none of these theyr drery accents sing	D
Ne let the woods them answer nor theyr eccho ring	D
	-
But let stil Silence trew night watches keepe	E
That sacred Peace may in assurance rayne	B
And tymely Sleep when it is tyme to sleepe	E
May poure his limbs forth on your pleasant playne	B
The whiles an hundred little wing egrave d loves	C
Like divers fethered doves	C
Shall fly and flutter round about your bed	C
And in the secret darke that none reproves	C
Their prety stealthes shal worke and snares shal spread	C
To filch away sweet snatches of delight	C
Conceald through covert night	C
Ye sonnes of Venus play your sports at will	L
For greedy pleasure carelesse of your toyes	C
Thinks more upon her paradise of joyes	C
Then what ye do albe it good or ill	L
All night therefore attend your merry play	C
For it will soone be day	C
Now none doth hinder you that say or sing	D
Ne will the woods now answer nor your Eccho ring	D
	-
Who is the same which at my window peepes	C
Or whose is that faire face that shines so bright	C
Is it not Cinthia she that never sleepes	C
But walkes about high heaven al the night	C
O fayrest goddesse do thou not envy	C
My love with me to spy	E
For thou likewise didst love though now unthought	C
And for a fleece of wooll which privily	C
The Latmian shepherd once unto thee brought	C
His pleasures with thee wrought	C
Therefore to us be favorable now	B
And sith of wemens labours thou hast charge	P
And generation goodly dost enlarge	P
Encline thy will t'effect our wishfull vow	B
And the chast wombe informe with timely seed	C
That may our comfort breed	C
Till which we cease our hopefull hap to sing	D
Ne let the woods us answere nor our Eccho ring	D
	-
And thou great Juno which with awful might	C
The lawes of wedlock still dost patronize	C
And the religion of the faith first plight	C
With sacred rites hast taught to solemnize	C
And eeke for comfort often call egrave d art	C
Of women in their smart	C
Eternally bind thou this lovely band	C
And all thy blessings unto us impart	C
And thou glad Genius in whose gentle hand	C
The bridale bowre and geniall bed remaine	B
Without blemish or staine	B
And the sweet pleasures of theyr loves delight	C
With secret ayde doest succour and supply	C
Till they bring forth the fruitfull progeny	B
Send us the timely fruit of this same night	C
And thou fayre Hebe and thou Hymen free	B
Grant that it may so be	B
Til which we cease your further prayse to sing	D
Ne any woods shall answer nor your Eccho ring	D
	-
And ye high heavens the temple of the gods	C
In which a thousand torches flaming bright	C
Doe burne that to us wretched earthly clods	C
In dreadful darknesse lend desir egrave d light	C
And all ye powers which in the same remayne	B
More then we men can fayne	B
Poure out your blessing on us plentiously	C
And happy influence upon us raine	B
That we may raise a large posterity	B
Which from the earth which they may long possesse	C
With lasting happinesse	C
Up to your haughty pallaces may mount	C
And for the guerdon of theyr glorious merit	C
May heavenly tabernacles there inherit	C
Of bless egrave d Saints for to increase the count	C
So let us rest sweet love in hope of this	C
And cease till then our tymely joyes to sing	D
The woods no more us answer nor our eccho ring	D
	-
Song made in lieu of many ornaments	C
With which my love should duly have been dect	C
Which cutting off through hasty accidents	C
Ye would not stay your dew time to expect	C
But promist both to recompens	C
Be unto her a goodly ornament	C
And for short time an endlesse moniment	C

Edmund Spenser

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