Prothalamion Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBAABCBCCDDDDDDEE FGHFFFGFGHAADADDEE AGGAAGAGAAAAFAFFEE GFFGGAIAIIFFDFAFEE AFFAAIAIAAFFFFFFEE FAAFFJGKGGFFFFFFE FEEFFEGEGGGGFGFFEE IDDIIDFDFFDDGDGGEE AAAAAAIAIIDDEDEEEE EAAEECACAAFFFFFFEE

Calme was the day and through the trembling ayreA
Sweete breathing Zephyrus did softly playB
A gentle spirit that lightly did delayB
Hot Titans beames which then did glyster fayreA
When I whom sullein careA
Through discontent of my long fruitlesse stayB
In Princes Court and expectation vayneC
Of idle hopes which still doe fly awayB
Like empty shaddowes did afflict my brayneC
Walkt forth to ease my payneC
Along the shoare of silver streaming ThemmesD
Whose rutty Bancke the which his River hemmesD
Was paynted all with variable flowersD
And all the meades adornd with daintie gemmesD
Fit to decke maydens bowresD
And crowne their ParamoursD
Against the Brydale day which is not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softly till I end my SongE
-
There in a Meadow by the Rivers sideF
A Flocke of Nymphes I chaunc egrave d to espyG
All lovely Daughters of the Flood therebyH
With goodly greenish locks all loose untydeF
As each had bene a BrydeF
And each one had a little wicker basketF
Made of fine twigs entrayl grave d curiouslyG
In which they gathered flowers to fill their flasketF
And with fine Fingers cropt full feateouslyG
The tender stalkes on hyeH
Of every sort which in that Meadow grewA
They gathered some the Violet pallid blewA
The little Dazie that at evening closesD
The virgin Lillie and the Primrose trewA
With store of vermeil RosesD
To decke their Bridegromes posiesD
Against the Brydale day which was not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softly till I end my SongE
-
With that I saw two Swannes of goodly heweA
Come softly swimming downe along the LeeG
Two fairer Birds I yet did never seeG
The snow which doth the top of Pindus strewA
Did never whiter shewA
Nor Jove himselfe when he a Swan would beG
For love of Leda whiter did appeareA
Yet Leda was they say as white as heG
Yet not so white as these nor nothing neareA
So purely white they wereA
That even the gentle streame the which them bareA
Seem'd foule to them and bad his billowes spareA
To wet their silken feathers least they mightF
Soyle their fayre plumes with water not so fayreA
And marre their beauties brightF
That shone as heavens lightF
Against their Brydale day which was not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softly till I end my SongE
-
Eftsoones the Nymphes which now had Flowers their fillG
Ran all in haste to see that silver broodF
As they came floating on the Christal FloodF
Whom when they sawe they stood amaz egrave d stillG
Their wondring eyes to fillG
Them seem'd they never saw a sight so fayreA
Of Fowles so lovely that they sure did deemeI
Them heavenly borne or to be that same payreA
Which through the Skie draw Venus silver TeemeI
For sure they did not seemeI
To be begot of any earthly SeedeF
But rather Angels or of Angels breedeF
Yet were they bred of Somers heat they sayD
In sweetest Season when each Flower and weedeF
The earth did fresh arayA
So fresh they seem'd as dayF
Even as their Brydale day which was not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softly till I end my SongE
-
Then forth they all out of their baskets drewA
Great store of Flowers the honour of the fieldF
That to the sense did fragrant odours yieldF
All which upon those goodly Birds they threwA
And all the Waves did strewA
That like old Peneus Waters they did seemeI
When downe along by pleasant Tempes shoreA
Scattred with Flowres through Thessaly they streemeI
That they appeare through Lillies plenteous storeA
Like a Brydes Chamber floreA
Two of those Nymphes meane while two Garlands boundF
Of freshest Flowres which in that Mead they foundF
The which presenting all in trim ArrayF
Their snowie Foreheads therewithall they crowndF
Whil'st one did sing this LayF
Prepar'd against that DayF
Against their Brydale day which was not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softly till I end my SongE
-
'Ye gentle Birdes the worlds faire ornamentF
And heavens glorie whom this happie howerA
Doth leade unto your lovers blisfull bowerA
Joy may you have and gentle hearts contentF
Of your loves couplementF
And let faire Venus that is Queene of loveJ
With her heart quelling Sonne upon you smileG
Whose smile they say hath vertue to removeK
All Loves dislike and friendships faultie guileG
For ever to assoileG
Let endlesse Peace your steadfast hearts accordF
And bless egrave d Plentie wait upon your bordF
And let your bed with pleasures chast aboundF
That fruitfull issue may to you affordF
Which may your foes confoundF
And make your joyes redoundF
Upon your Brydale day which is not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softlie till I end my Song '-
-
So ended she and all the rest aroundF
To her redoubled that her undersongE
Which said their brydale daye should not be longE
And gentle Eccho from the neighbour groundF
Their accents did resoundF
So forth those joyous Birdes did passe alongE
Adowne the Lee that to them murmurde lowG
As he would speake but that he lackt a tongE
Yet did by signes his glad affection showG
Making his streame run slowG
And all the foule which in his flood did dwellG
Gan flock about these twaine that did excellG
The rest so far as Cynthia doth shendF
The lesser starres So they enrang egrave d wellG
Did on those two attendF
And their best service lendF
Against their wedding day which was not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softly till I end my SongE
-
At length they all to mery London cameI
To mery London my most kyndly NurseD
That to me gave this Lifes first native sourseD
Though from another place I take my nameI
An house of auncient fameI
There when they came whereas those bricky towresD
The which on Themmes brode ag egrave d backe doe rydeF
Where now the studious Lawyers have their bowersD
There whylome wont the Templer Knights to bydeF
Till they decayd through prideF
Next whereunto there standes a stately placeD
Where oft I gayn egrave d giftes and goodly graceD
Of that great Lord which therein wont to dwellG
Whose want too well now feeles my freendles caseD
But ah here fits not wellG
Olde woes but joyes to tellG
Against the Brydale daye which is not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softly till I end my SongE
-
Yet therein now doth lodge a noble PeerA
Great Englands glory and the Worlds wide wonderA
Whose dreadfull name late through all Spaine did thunderA
And Hercules two pillors standing neereA
Did make to quake and feareA
Faire branch of Honor flower of ChevalrieA
That fillest England with thy triumphes fameI
Joy have thou of thy noble victorieA
And endlesse happinesse of thine owne nameI
That promiseth the sameI
That through thy prowesse and victorious armesD
Thy country may be freed from forraine harmesD
And great Elisaes glorious name may ringE
Through al the world fil'd with thy wide AlarmesD
Which some brave muse may singE
To ages followingE
Upon the Brydale day which is not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softly till I end my SongE
-
From those high Towers this noble Lord issuingE
Like Radiant Hesper when his golden hayreA
In th' Ocean billowes he hath bath egrave d fayreA
Descended to the Rivers open vewingE
With a great traine ensuingE
Above the rest were goodly to bee seeneC
Two gentle Knights of lovely face and featureA
Beseeming well the bower of anie QueeneC
With gifts of wit and ornaments of natureA
Fit for so goodly statureA
That like the twins of Jove they seem'd in sightF
Which decke the Bauldricke of the Heavens brightF
They two forth pacing to the Rivers sideF
Received those two faire Brides their Loves delightF
Which at th' appointed tydeF
Each one did make his BrydeF
Against their Brydale day which is not longE
Sweete Themmes runne softly till I end my SongE

Edmund Spenser



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