Florida Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDDDEFGDHDDDDIDDDD HDHDJKHL HMNADODDPDQDRSTDUVD

rackish waterA
held together by mangrave rootsB
that bear while living oysters in clustersC
and when dead strew white swamps with skeletonsD
dotted as if bombarded with green hummocksD
like ancient cannon balls sprouting grassD
The state full of long S shaped birds blue and whiteE
and unseen hysterical birds who rush up the scaleF
every time in a tantrumG
Tanagers embarrassed by their flashinessD
and pelicans whose delight it is to clownH
who coast for fun on the strong tidal currentsD
in and out among the mangrove islandsD
and stand on the sand bars drying their damp gold wingsD
on sun lit eveningsD
Enormous turtles helpless and mildI
die and leave their barnacled shells on the beachesD
and their large white skulls with round eye socketsD
twice the size of a man'sD
The palm trees clatter in the stiff breezeD
like the bills of the pelicans The tropical rain comes downH
to freshen the tide looped strings of fading shellsD
Job's Tear the Chinese Alphabet the scarce JunoniaH
parti colored pectins and Ladies' EarsD
arranged as on a gray rag of rotted calicoJ
the buried Indian Princess's skirtK
with these the monotonous endless sagging coast lineH
is delicately ornamentedL
-
Thirty or more buzzards are drifting down down downH
over something they have spotted in the swampM
in circles like stirred up flakes of sedimentN
sinking through waterA
Smoke from woods fires filters fine blue solventsD
On stumps and dead trees the charring is like black velvetO
The mosquitoesD
go hunting to the tune of their ferocious obbligatosD
After dark the fireflies map the heavens in the marshP
until the moon risesD
Cold white not bright the moonlight is coarse meshedQ
and the careless corrupt state is all black specksD
too far apart and ugly whites the poorestR
post card of itselfS
After dark the pools seem to have slipped awayT
The alligator who has five distinct callsD
friendliness love mating war and a warningU
whimpers and speaks in the throatV
of the Indian PrincessD

Elizabeth Bishop



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