The Armadillo Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCBC DECE FGHG IJKJ LMNM OPQR SCTC UVKW XYZY A2A| i For Robert Lowell i | A |
| - | |
| This is the time of year | B |
| when almost every night | C |
| the frail illegal fire balloons appear | B |
| Climbing the mountain height | C |
| - | |
| rising toward a saint | D |
| still honored in these parts | E |
| the paper chambers flush and fill with light | C |
| that comes and goes like hearts | E |
| - | |
| Once up against the sky it's hard | F |
| to tell them from the stars | G |
| planets that is the tinted ones | H |
| Venus going down or Mars | G |
| - | |
| or the pale green one With a wind | I |
| they flare and falter wobble and toss | J |
| but if it's still they steer between | K |
| the kite sticks of the Southern Cross | J |
| - | |
| receding dwindling solemnly | L |
| and steadily forsaking us | M |
| or in the downdraft from a peak | N |
| suddenly turning dangerous | M |
| - | |
| Last night another big one fell | O |
| It splattered like an egg of fire | P |
| against the cliff behind the house | Q |
| The flame ran down We saw the pair | R |
| - | |
| of owls who nest there flying up | S |
| and up their whirling black and white | C |
| stained bright pink underneath until | T |
| they shrieked up out of sight | C |
| - | |
| The ancient owls' nest must have burned | U |
| Hastily all alone | V |
| a glistening armadillo left the scene | K |
| rose flecked head down tail down | W |
| - | |
| and then a baby rabbit jumped out | X |
| short eared to our surprise | Y |
| So soft a handful of intangible ash | Z |
| with fixed ignited eyes | Y |
| - | |
| i Too pretty dreamlike mimicry O falling fire and piercing cry and panic | A2 |
| and a weak mailed fist clenched ignorant against the sky i | A |
Elizabeth Bishop
(1)
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Andrew Forrest: It's a beautiful poem - so compassionate.
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