The Killing Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHGIJKLMNOPQRB STUVWXYZA2B2C2D2DE2F 2G2H2I2J2K2 PAJL2| That was the day they killed the Son of God | A |
| On a squat hill top by Jerusalem | B |
| Zion was bare her children from their maze | C |
| Sucked by the dream of curiosity | D |
| Clean through the gates The very halt and blind | E |
| Had somehow got themselves up to the hill | F |
| After the ceremonial preparation | G |
| The scourging nailing nailing against the wood | H |
| Erection of the main trees with their burden | G |
| While from the hill rose an orchestral wailing | I |
| They were there at last high up in the soft spring day | J |
| We watched the writhings heard the moanings saw | K |
| The three heads turning on their separate axles | L |
| Like broken wheels left spinning Round his head | M |
| Was loosely bound a crown of plaited thorn | N |
| That hurt at random stinging temple and brow | O |
| As the pain swung into its envious circle | P |
| In front the wreath was gathered in a knot | Q |
| That as he gazed looked like the last stump left | R |
| Of a death wounded deer's great antlers Some | B |
| Who came to stare grew silent as they looked | S |
| Indignant or sorry But the hardened old | T |
| And the hard hearted young although at odds | U |
| From the first morning cursed him with one curse | V |
| Having prayed for a Rabbi or an armed Messiah | W |
| And found the Son of God What use to them | X |
| Was a God or a Son of God Of what avail | Y |
| For purposes such as theirs Beside the cross foot | Z |
| Alone four women stood and did not move | A2 |
| All day The sun revolved the shadows wheeled | B2 |
| The evening fell His head lay on his breast | C2 |
| But in his breast they watched his heart move on | D2 |
| By itself alone accomplishing its journey | D |
| Their taunts grew louder sharpened by the knowledge | E2 |
| That he was walking in the park of death | F2 |
| Far from their rage Yet all grew stale at last | G2 |
| Spite curiosity envy hate itself | H2 |
| They waited only for death and death was slow | I2 |
| And came so quietly they scarce could mark it | J2 |
| They were angry then with death and death's deceit | K2 |
| - | |
| I was a stranger could not read these people | P |
| Or this outlandish deity Did a God | A |
| Indeed in dying cross my life that day | J |
| By chance he on his road and I on mine | L2 |
Edwin Muir
(1)
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