Lazarus Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEAFGGHIJKKL MNOKDPNQRSTUVWXYYIYB VZA2B2LLC2D2BE2F2G2H 2H2I2IJ2K2L2M2N2O2B2 WQD2N P2GQ2R2S2NBYT2NU2KV2 BKRW2X2Y2Z2 A3B3JC3D3A3 E3LY2RF2U2K2F3WFG3YH 3M2NH2 GNI3G3LKJ3K3NU2L3YGK FM3N3H AO3P3KO2VKY Q3G3K2JR3YS3U2NK3LQ2 T3WJ2U3V3YDVNWB3O2N Z2RN3W3X3Y3AQO2YF3U2 K2K2K2Z3R3FA4VU2B4X Z2ADC4D4E4NF4GV3Q2I YH2LK2G4BY H4GKZ2GX3R3Y2Z2LX3R3 R3J2I4R3 V2F3XKFGR3GJ4 R3DH2C2DN2YDJ4I4F T2LUR3UF UFYR3UR3Z3BLI2K4R3R3 L4GFKM4 H2YLB4YSR3FN H2R3R3JN4H2YKR3YR3R3 N2H3Z3GH2WR3RH2R3H2H 2YYA2H2O4H2H2P4BH2H2 H2I4F

No Mary there was nothing not a word	A
Nothing and always nothing Go again	B
Yourself and he may listen or at least	C
Look up at you and let you see his eyes	D
I might as well have been the sound of rain	E
A wind among the cedars or a bird	A
Or nothing Mary make him look at you	F
And even if he should say that we are nothing	G
To know that you have heard him will be something	G
And yet he loved us and it was for love	H
The Master gave him back Why did He wait	I
So long before He came Why did He weep	J
I thought He would be glad and Lazarus	K
To see us all again as He had left us	K
All as it was all as it was before	L
	-
Mary who felt her sister's frightened arms	M
Like those of someone drowning who had seized her	N
Fearing at last they were to fail and sink	O
Together in this fog stricken sea of strangeness	K
Fought sadly with bereaved indignant eyes	D
To find again the fading shores of home	P
That she had seen but now could see no longer	N
Now she could only gaze into the twilight	Q
And in the dimness know that he was there	R
Like someone that was not He who had been	S
Their brother and was dead now seemed alive	T
Only in death again or worse than death	U
For tombs at least always until today	V
Though sad were certain There was nothing certain	W
For man or God in such a day as this	X
For there they were alone and there was he	Y
Alone and somewhere out of Bethany	Y
The Master who had come to them so late	I
Only for love of them and then so slowly	Y
And was for their sake hunted now by men	B
Who feared Him as they feared no other prey	V
For the world's sake was hidden Better the tomb	Z
For Lazarus than life if this be life	A2
She thought and then to Martha No my dear	B2
She said aloud not as it was before	L
Nothing is ever as it was before	L
Where Time has been Here there is more than Time	C2
And we that are so lonely and so far	D2
From home since he is with us here again	B
Are farther now from him and from ourselves	E2
Than we are from the stars He will not speak	F2
Until the spirit that is in him speaks	G2
And we must wait for all we are to know	H2
Or even to learn that we are not to know	H2
Martha we are too near to this for knowledge	I2
And that is why it is that we must wait	I
Our friends are coming if we call for them	J2
And there are covers we'll put over him	K2
To make him warmer We are too young perhaps	L2
To say that we know better what is best	M2
Than he We do not know how old he is	N2
If you remember what the Master said	O2
Try to believe that we need have no fear	B2
Let me the selfish and the careless one	W
Be housewife and a mother for tonight	Q
For I am not so fearful as you are	D2
And I was not so eager	N
	-
Martha sank	P2
Down at her sister's feet and there sat watching	G
A flower that had a small familiar name	Q2
That was as old as memory but was not	R2
The name of what she saw now in its brief	S2
And infinite mystery that so frightened her	N
That life became a terror Tears again	B
Flooded her eyes and overflowed No Mary	Y
She murmured slowly hating her own words	T2
Before she heard them you are not so eager	N
To see our brother as we see him now	U2
Neither is He who gave him back to us	K
I was to be the simple one as always	V2
And this was all for me She stared again	B
Over among the trees where Lazarus	K
Who seemed to be a man who was not there	R
Might have been one more shadow among shadows	W2
If she had not remembered Then she felt	X2
The cool calm hands of Mary on her face	Y2
And shivered wondering if such hands were real	Z2
	-
The Master loved you as He loved us all	A3
Martha and you are saying only things	B3
That children say when they have had no sleep	J
Try somehow now to rest a little while	C3
You know that I am here and that our friends	D3
Are coming if I call	A3
	-
Martha at last	E3
Arose and went with Mary to the door	L
Where they stood looking off at the same place	Y2
And at the same shape that was always there	R
As if it would not ever move or speak	F2
And always would be there Mary go now	U2
Before the dark that will be coming hides him	K2
I am afraid of him out there alone	F3
Unless I see him and I have forgotten	W
What sleep is Go now make him look at you	F
And I shall hear him if he stirs or whispers	G3
Go or I'll scream and bring all Bethany	Y
To come and make him speak Make him say once	H3
That he is glad and God may say the rest	M2
Though He say I shall sleep and sleep for ever	N
I shall not care for that Go	H2
	-
Mary moving	G
Almost as if an angry child had pushed her	N
Went forward a few steps and having waited	I3
As long as Martha's eyes would look at hers	G3
Went forward a few more and a few more	L
And so until she came to Lazarus	K
Who crouched with his face hidden in his hands	J3
Like one that had no face Before she spoke	K3
Feeling her sister's eyes that were behind her	N
As if the door where Martha stood were now	U2
As far from her as Egypt Mary turned	L3
Once more to see that she was there Then softly	Y
Fearing him not so much as wondering	G
What his first word might be said Lazarus	K
Forgive us if we seemed afraid of you	F
And having spoken pitied her poor speech	M3
That had so little seeming gladness in it	N3
So little comfort and so little love	H
	-
There was no sign from him that he had heard	A
Or that he knew that she was there or cared	O3
Whether she spoke to him again or died	P3
There at his feet We love you Lazarus	K
And we are not afraid The Master said	O2
We need not be afraid Will you not say	V
To me that you are glad Look Lazarus	K
Look at my face and see me This is Mary	Y
	-
She found his hands and held them They were cool	Q3
Like hers but they were not so calm as hers	G3
Through the white robes in which his friends had wrapped him	K2
When he had groped out of that awful sleep	J
She felt him trembling and she was afraid	R3
At last he sighed and she prayed hungrily	Y
To God that she might have again the voice	S3
Of Lazarus whose hands were giving her now	U2
The recognition of a living pressure	N
That was almost a language When he spoke	K3
Only one word that she had waited for	L
Came from his lips and that word was her name	Q2
	-
I heard them saying Mary that He wept	T3
Before I woke The words were low and shaken	W
Yet Mary knew that he who uttered them	J2
Was Lazarus and that would be enough	U3
Until there should be more Who made Him come	V3
That He should weep for me Was it you Mary	Y
The questions held in his incredulous eyes	D
Were more than she would see She looked away	V
But she had felt them and should feel for ever	N
She thought their cold and lonely desperation	W
That had the bitterness of all cold things	B3
That were not cruel I should have wept he said	O2
If I had been the Master	N
	-
Now she could feel	Z2
His hands above her hair the same black hair	R
That once he made a jest of praising it	N3
While Martha's busy eyes had left their work	W3
To flash with laughing envy Nothing of that	X3
Was to be theirs again and such a thought	Y3
Was like the flying by of a quick bird	A
Seen through a shadowy doorway in the twilight	Q
For now she felt his hands upon her head	O2
Like weights of kindness I forgive you Mary	Y
You did not know Martha could not have known	F3
Only the Master knew Where is He now	U2
Yes I remember They came after Him	K2
May the good God forgive Him I forgive Him	K2
I must and I may know only from Him	K2
The burden of all this Martha was here	Z3
But I was not yet here She was afraid	R3
Why did He do it Mary Was it you	F
Was it for you Where are the friends I saw	A4
Yes I remember They all went away	V
I made them go away Where is He now	U2
What do I see down there Do I see Martha	B4
Down by the door I must have time for this	X
	-
Lazarus looked about him fearfully	Z2
And then again at Mary who discovered	A
Awakening apprehension in his eyes	D
And shivered at his feet All she had feared	C4
Was here and only in the slow reproach	D4
Of his forgiveness lived his gratitude	E4
Why had he asked if it was all for her	N
That he was here And what had Martha meant	F4
Why had the Master waited What was coming	G
To Lazarus and to them that had not come	V3
What had the Master seen before He came	Q2
That He had come so late	I
	-
Where is He Mary	Y
Lazarus asked again Where did He go	H2
Once more he gazed about him and once more	L
At Mary for an answer Have they found Him	K2
Or did He go away because He wished	G4
Never to look into my eyes again	B
That I could understand Where is He Mary	Y
	-
I do not know she said Yet in my heart	H4
I know that He is living as you are living	G
Living and here He is not far from us	K
He will come back to us and find us all	Z2
Lazarus Martha Mary everything	G
All as it was before Martha said that	X3
And He said we were not to be afraid	R3
Lazarus closed his eyes while on his face	Y2
A tortured adumbration of a smile	Z2
Flickered an instant All as it was before	L
He murmured wearily Martha said that	X3
And He said you were not to be afraid	R3
Not you Not you Why should you be afraid	R3
Give all your little fears and Martha's with them	J2
To me and I will add them unto mine	I4
Like a few rain drops to Gennesaret	R3
	-
If you had frightened me in other ways	V2
Not willing it Mary said I should have known	F3
You still for Lazarus But who is this	X
Tell me again that you are Lazarus	K
And tell me if the Master gave to you	F
No sign of a new joy that shall be coming	G
To this house that He loved Are you afraid	R3
Are you afraid who have felt everything	G
And seen	J4
	-
But Lazarus only shook his head	R3
Staring with his bewildered shining eyes	D
Hard into Mary's face I do not know	H2
Mary he said after a long time	C2
When I came back I knew the Master's eyes	D
Were looking into mine I looked at His	N2
And there was more in them than I could see	Y
At first I could see nothing but His eyes	D
Nothing else anywhere was to be seen	J4
Only His eyes And they looked into mine	I4
Long into mine Mary as if He knew	F
	-
Mary began to be afraid of words	T2
As she had never been afraid before	L
Of loneliness or darkness or of death	U
But now she must have more of them or die	R3
He cannot know that there is worse than death	U
She said And you	F
	-
Yes there is worse than death	U
Said Lazarus and that was what He knew	F
And that is what it was that I could see	Y
This morning in his eyes I was afraid	R3
But not as you are There is worse than death	U
Mary and there is nothing that is good	R3
For you in dying while you are still here	Z3
Mary never go back to that again	B
You would not hear me if I told you more	L
For I should say it only in a language	I2
That you are not to learn by going back	K4
To be a child again is to go forward	R3
And that is much to know Many grow old	R3
And fade and go away not knowing how much	L4
That is to know Mary the night is coming	G
And there will soon be darkness all around you	F
Let us go down where Martha waits for us	K
And let there be light shining in this house	M4
	-
He rose but Mary would not let him go	H2
Martha when she came back from here said only	Y
That she heard nothing And have you no more	L
For Mary now than you had then for Martha	B4
Is Nothing Lazarus all you have for me	Y
Was Nothing all you found where you have been	S
If that be so what is there worse than that	R3
Or better if that be so And why should you	F
With even our love go the same dark road over	N
	-
I could not answer that if that were so	H2
Said Lazarus not even if I were God	R3
Why should He care whether I came or stayed	R3
If that were so Why should the Master weep	J
For me or for the world or save Himself	N4
Longer for nothing And if that were so	H2
Why should a few years' more mortality	Y
Make Him a fugitive where flight were needless	K
Had He but held his peace and given his nod	R3
To an old Law that would be new as any	Y
I cannot say the answer to all that	R3
Though I may say that He is not afraid	R3
And that it is not for the joy there is	N2
In serving an eternal Ignorance	H3
Of our futility that He is here	Z3
Is that what you and Martha mean by Nothing	G
Is that what you are fearing If that be so	H2
There are more weeds than lentils in your garden	W
And one whose weeds are laughing at his harvest	R3
May as well have no garden for not there	R
Shall he be gleaning the few bits and orts	H2
Of life that are to save him For my part	R3
I am again with you here among shadows	H2
That will not always be so dark as this	H2
Though now I see there's yet an evil in me	Y
That made me let you be afraid of me	Y
No I was not afraid not even of life	A2
I thought I was I must have time for this	H2
And all the time there is will not be long	O4
I cannot tell you what the Master saw	H2
This morning in my eyes I do not know	H2
I cannot yet say how far I have gone	P4
Or why it is that I am here again	B
Or where the old road leads I do not know	H2
I know that when I did come back I saw	H2
His eyes again among the trees and faces	H2
Only His eyes and they looked into mine	I4
Long into mine long long as if He knew	F

Edwin Arlington Robinson

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