Maurine: Part 07 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABAB CDEDCFEGGHHIFIJJ KLLMMK NOPQONRS TUVUVRWXXYZA2A2YB2B2 C2AD2NE2D2CF2F2G2 CH2I2J2K2K2I2J2F F2PPF2L2M2N2M2B2O2 BB2N2BL2IIR I2I2JP2L2 Q2JP2R2Q2R2R2R2S2T2U 2S2AAV2AV2AS2S2R2R2W 2W2AAI2I2X2X2AAAAV2V 2 AY2Y2A AAFFAAAZ2V2Z2AAAV2N2 N2 TAKAFF R2R2A3A3 AAFFAA ND2AAEEAA AB3AAAAG AAKKAAAAC3C3ZZTKTKAA T2U2Z2Z2I2I2G2G2AA M2M2NNR2R2O2 D3R2R2R2D3AAR2MMS2MK KS2FFAAE3 R2R2R2AAR2D2D2F3F3G2 G3G3H3H3R2R2F I3I3MV2MV2R2R2AAJ3D3 AAS2S2AAAAK3K3S AAL3KL3AAR2R2R2R2M3X XAM3AN G3G3AAA N3AOOO3P3O3AAR2R2NNM 2M2Y YAAA Q3FQ3R3AAR3A R2AXXF AAR2FR2AF AAAAR2YYR2YM2M2YAAAN NA FR2S3S3T3T3U3AAU3M2M 2H3H3S3S3AV3AV3AB2AB 2 R2R2 V2V2R2R2AAG2 G2AAW3 AAA AAAFF AAAA TTAA M2M2X3X3 R2R2R2R2 Y3Y3AA A N2AAAS2AN2S2A AAFV2FV2AG2AG2YYP3N3 AAZZ3ZR2 Z3R2AA4 R2AAAA AAAAAB4 N2AR2AC4Q2 FN2C4B2B2 AAGR2GR2 AR2AR2AR2AR2D4 C3F AC3YL3L3AANAAYI2 NAI2A P3S2M2S2N3M2XE4E4D2 Q2XFFQ2D2

With much hard labour and some pleasure fraught	A
The months rolled by me noiselessly that taught	A
My hand to grow more skilful in its art	B
Strengthened my daring dream of fame and brought	A
Sweet hope and resignation to my heart	B
	-
Brief letters came from Helen now and then	C
She was quite well oh yes quite well indeed	D
But still so weak and nervous By and by	E
When baby being older should not need	D
Such constant care she would grow strong again	C
She was as happy as a soul could be	F
No least cloud hovered in her azure sky	E
She had not thought life held such depths of bliss	G
Dear baby sent Maurine a loving kiss	G
And said she was a naughty naughty girl	H
Not to come home and see ma's little pearl	H
No gift of costly jewels or of gold	I
Had been so precious or so dear to me	F
As each brief line wherein her joy was told	I
It lightened toil and took the edge from pain	J
Knowing my sacrifice was not in vain	J
	-
Roy purchased fine estates in Scotland where	K
He built a pretty villa like retreat	L
And when the Roman Summer's languid heat	L
Made work a punishment I turned my face	M
Toward the Highlands and with Roy and Grace	M
Found rest and freedom from all thought and care	K
	-
I was a willing worker Not an hour	N
Passed idly by me each I would employ	O
To some good purpose ere it glided on	P
To swell the tide of hours forever gone	Q
My first completed picture known as Joy	O
Won pleasant words of praise Possesses power	N
Displays much talent Very fairly done	R
So fell the comments on my grateful ear	S
	-
Swift in the wake of Joy and always near	T
Walks her sad sister Sorrow So my brush	U
Began depicting Sorrow heavy eyed	V
With pallid visage ere the rosy flush	U
Upon the beaming face of Joy had dried	V
The careful study of long months it won	R
Golden opinions even bringing forth	W
That certain sign of merit a critique	X
Which set both pieces down as daubs and weak	X
As empty heads that sang their praises so	Y
Proving conclusively the pictures' worth	Z
These critics and reviewers do not use	A2
Their precious ammunition to abuse	A2
A worthless work That left alone they know	Y
Will find its proper level and they aim	B2
Their batteries at rising works which claim	B2
Too much of public notice But this shot	C2
Resulted only in some noise which brought	A
A dozen people where one came before	D2
To view my pictures and I had my hour	N
Of holding those frail baubles Fame and Pow'r	E2
An English Baron who had lived two score	D2
Of his allotted three score years and ten	C
Bought both the pieces He was very kind	F2
And so attentive I not being blind	F2
Must understand his meaning	G2
	-
Therefore when	C
He said	H2
Sweet friend whom I would make my wife	I2
The 'Joy' and 'Sorrow' this dear hand portrayed	J2
I have in my possession now resign	K2
Into my careful keeping and make mine	K2
The joy and sorrow of your future life	I2
I was prepared to answer but delayed	J2
Grown undecided suddenly	F
	-
My mind	F2
Argued the matter coolly pro and con	P
And made resolve to speed his wooing on	P
And grant him favour He was good and kind	F2
Not young no doubt he would be quite content	L2
With my respect nor miss an ardent love	M2
Could give me ties of family and home	N2
And then perhaps my mind was not above	M2
Setting some value on a titled name	B2
Ambitious woman's weakness	O2
	-
Then my art	B
Would be encouraged and pursued the same	B2
And I could spend my winters all in Rome	N2
Love never more could touch my wasteful heart	B
That all its wealth upon one object spent	L2
Existence would be very bleak and cold	I
After long years when I was gray and old	I
With neither home nor children	R
	-
Once a wife	I2
I would forget the sorrow of my life	I2
And pile new sods upon the grave of pain	J
My mind so argued and my sad heart heard	P2
But made no comment	L2
	-
Then the Baron spoke	Q2
And waited for my answer All in vain	J
I strove for strength to utter that one word	P2
My mind dictated Moments rolled away	R2
Until at last my torpid heart awoke	Q2
And forced my trembling lips to say him nay	R2
And then my eyes with sudden tears o'erran	R2
In pity for myself and for this man	R2
Who stood before me lost in pained surprise	S2
Dear friend I cried dear generous friend forgive	T2
A troubled woman's weakness As I live	U2
In truth I meant to answer otherwise	S2
From out its store my heart can give you naught	A
But honour and respect and yet methought	A
I would give willing answer did you sue	V2
But now I know 'twere cruel wrong I planned	A
Taking a heart that beat with love most true	V2
And giving in exchange an empty hand	A
Who weds for love alone may not be wise	S2
Who weds without it angels must despise	S2
Love and respect together must combine	R2
To render marriage holy and divine	R2
And lack of either sure as Fate destroys	W2
Continuation of the nuptial joys	W2
And brings regret and gloomy discontent	A
To put to rout each tender sentiment	A
Nay nay I will not burden all your life	I2
By that possession an unloving wife	I2
Nor will I take the sin upon my soul	X2
Of wedding where my heart goes not in whole	X2
However bleak may be my single lot	A
I will not stain my life with such a blot	A
Dear friend farewell the earth is very wide	A
It holds some fairer woman for your bride	A
I would I had a heart to give to you	V2
But lacking it can only say adieu	V2
	-
He whom temptation never has assailed	A
Knows not that subtle sense of moral strength	Y2
When sorely tried we waver but at length	Y2
Rise up and turn away not having failed	A
	-
	-
	-
The Autumn of the third year came and went	A
The mild Italian winter was half spent	A
When this brief message came across the sea	F
My darling I am dying Come to me	F
Love which so long the growing truth concealed	A
Stands pale within its shadow Oh my sweet	A
This heart of mine grows fainter with each beat	A
Dying with very weight of bliss Oh come	Z2
And take the legacy I leave to you	V2
Before these lips for evermore are dumb	Z2
In life or death Yours Helen Dangerfield	A
This plaintive letter bore a month old date	A
And wild with fears lest I had come too late	A
I bade the old world and new friends adieu	V2
And with Aunt Ruth who long had sighed for home	N2
I turned my back on glory art and Rome	N2
	-
All selfish thoughts were merged in one wild fear	T
That she for whose dear sake my heart had bled	A
Rather than her sweet eyes should know one tear	K
Was passing from me that she might be dead	A
And dying had been sorely grieved with me	F
Because I made no answer to her plea	F
	-
O ship that sailest slowly slowly on	R2
Make haste before a wasting life is gone	R2
Make haste that I may catch a fleeting breath	A3
And true in life be true e'en unto death	A3
	-
O ship sail on and bear me o'er the tide	A
To her for whom my woman's heart once died	A
Sail sail O ship for she hath need of me	F
And I would know what her last wish may be	F
I have been true so true through all the past	A
Sail sail O ship I would not fail at last	A
	-
So prayed my heart still o'er and ever o'er	N
Until the weary lagging ship reached shore	D2
All sad with fears that I had come too late	A
By that strange source whence men communicate	A
Though miles on miles of space between them lie	E
I spoke with Vivian Does she live Reply	E
The answer came She lives but hasten friend	A
Her journey draweth swiftly to its end	A
	-
Ah me ah me when each remembered spot	A
My own dear home the lane that led to his	B3
The fields the woods the lake burst on my sight	A
Oh then Self rose up in asserting might	A
Oh then my bursting heart all else forgot	A
But those sweet early years of lost delight	A
Of hope defeat of anguish and of bliss	G
	-
I have a theory vague undefined	A
That each emotion of the human mind	A
Love pain or passion sorrow or despair	K
Is a live spirit dwelling in the air	K
Until it takes possession of some breast	A
And when at length grown weary of unrest	A
We rise up strong and cast it from the heart	A
And bid it leave us wholly and depart	A
It does not die it cannot die but goes	C3
And mingles with some restless wind that blows	C3
About the region where it had its birth	Z
And though we wander over all the earth	Z
That spirit waits and lingers year by year	T
Invisible and clothed like the air	K
Hoping that we may yet again draw near	T
And it may haply take us unaware	K
And once more find safe shelter in the breast	A
It stirred of old with pleasure or unrest	A
	-
Told by my heart and wholly positive	T2
Some old emotion long had ceased to live	U2
That were it called it could not hear or come	Z2
Because it was so voiceless and so dumb	Z2
Yet passing where it first sprang into life	I2
My very soul has suddenly been rife	I2
With all the old intensity of feeling	G2
It seemed a living spirit which came stealing	G2
Into my heart from that departed day	A
Exiled emotion which I fancied clay	A
	-
So now into my troubled heart above	M2
The present's pain and sorrow crept the love	M2
And strife and passion of a bygone hour	N
Possessed of all their olden might and power	N
'Twas but a moment and the spell was broken	R2
By pleasant words of greeting gently spoken	R2
And Vivian stood before us	O2
	-
But I saw	D3
In him the husband of my friend alone	R2
The old emotions might at times return	R2
And smould'ring fires leap up an hour and burn	R2
But never yet had I transgressed God's law	D3
By looking on the man I had resigned	A
With any hidden feeling in my mind	A
Which she his wife my friend might not have known	R2
He was but little altered From his face	M
The nonchalant and almost haughty grace	M
The lurking laughter waiting in his eyes	S2
The years had stolen leaving in their place	M
A settled sadness which was not despair	K
Nor was it gloom nor weariness nor care	K
But something like the vapour o'er the skies	S2
Of Indian summer beautiful to see	F
But spoke of frosts which had been and would be	F
There was that in his face which cometh not	A
Save when the soul has many a battle fought	A
And conquered self by constant sacrifice	E3
	-
There are two sculptors who with chisels fine	R2
Render the plainest features half divine	R2
All other artists strive and strive in vain	R2
To picture beauty perfect and complete	A
Their statues only crumble at their feet	A
Without the master touch of Faith and Pain	R2
And now his face that perfect seemed before	D2
Chiselled by these two careful artists wore	D2
A look exalted which the spirit gives	F3
When soul has conquered and the body lives	F3
Subservient to its bidding	G2
	-
In a room	G3
Which curtained out the February gloom	G3
And redolent with perfume bright with flowers	H3
Rested the eye like one of Summer's bowers	H3
I found my Helen who was less mine now	R2
Than Death's for on the marble of her brow	R2
His seal was stamped indelibly	F
	-
Her form	I3
Was like the slender willow when some storm	I3
Has stripped it bare of foliage Her face	M
Pale always now was ghastly in its hue	V2
And like two lamps in some dark hollow place	M
Burned her large eyes grown more intensely blue	V2
Her fragile hands displayed each cord and vein	R2
And on her mouth was that drawn look of pain	R2
Which is not uttered Yet an inward light	A
Shone through and made her wasted features bright	A
With an unearthly beauty and an awe	J3
Crept o'er me gazing on her for I saw	D3
She was so near to Heaven that I seemed	A
To look upon the face of one redeemed	A
She turned the brilliant lustre of her eyes	S2
Upon me She had passed beyond surprise	S2
Or any strong emotion linked with clay	A
But as I glided to her where she lay	A
A smile celestial in its sweetness wreathed	A
Her pallid features Welcome home she breathed	A
Dear hands dear lips I touch you and rejoice	K3
And like the dying echo of a voice	K3
Were her faint tones that thrilled upon my ear	S
	-
I fell upon my knees beside her bed	A
All agonies within my heart were wed	A
While to the aching numbness of my grief	L3
Mine eyes refused the solace of a tear	K
The tortured soul's most merciful relief	L3
Her wasted hand caressed my bended head	A
For one sad sacred moment Then she said	A
In that low tone so like the wind's refrain	R2
Maurine my own give not away to pain	R2
The time is precious Ere another dawn	R2
My soul may hear the summons and pass on	R2
Arise sweet sister rest a little while	M3
And when refreshed come hither I grow weak	X
With every hour that passes I must speak	X
And make my dying wishes known to night	A
Go now And in the halo of her smile	M3
Which seemed to fill the room with golden light	A
I turned and left her	N
	-
Later in the gloom	G3
Of coming night I entered that dim room	G3
And sat down by her Vivian held her hand	A
And on the pillow at her side there smiled	A
The beauteous count'nance of a sleeping child	A
	-
Maurine spoke Helen for three blissful years	N3
My heart has dwelt in an enchanted land	A
And I have drank the sweetened cup of joy	O
Without one drop of anguish or alloy	O
And so ere Pain embitters it with gall	O3
Or sad eyed Sorrow fills it full of tears	P3
And bids me quaff which is the Fate of all	O3
Who linger long upon this troubled way	A
God takes me to the realm of Endless Day	A
To mingle with His angels who alone	R2
Can understand such bliss as I have known	R2
I do not murmur God has heaped my measure	N
In three short years full to the brim with pleasure	N
And from the fulness of an earthly love	M2
I pass to th' Immortal Arms above	M2
Before I even brush the skirts of Woe	Y
	-
I leave my aged parents here below	Y
With none to comfort them Maurine sweet friend	A
Be kind to them and love them to the end	A
Which may not be far distant	A
	-
And I leave	Q3
A soul immortal in your charge Maurine	F
From this most holy sad and sacred eve	Q3
Till God shall claim her she is yours to keep	R3
To love and shelter to protect and guide	A
She touched the slumb'ring cherub at her side	A
And Vivian gently bore her still asleep	R3
And laid the precious burden on my breast	A
	-
A solemn silence fell upon the scene	R2
And when the sleeping infant smiled and pressed	A
My yielding bosom with her waxen cheek	X
I felt it would be sacrilege to speak	X
Such wordless joy possessed me	F
	-
Oh at last	A
This infant who in that tear blotted past	A
Had caused my soul such travail was my own	R2
Through all the lonely coming years to be	F
Mine own to cherish wholly mine alone	R2
And what I mourned so hopelessly as lost	A
Was now restored and given back to me	F
	-
The dying voice continued	A
In this child	A
You yet have me whose mortal life she cost	A
But all that was most pure and undefiled	A
And good within me lives in her again	R2
Maurine my husband loves me yet I know	Y
Moving about the wide world to and fro	Y
And through and in the busy haunts of men	R2
Not always will his heart be dumb with woe	Y
But sometime waken to a later love	M2
Nay Vivian hush my soul has passed above	M2
All selfish feelings I would have it so	Y
While I am with the angels blest and glad	A
I would not have you sorrowing and sad	A
In loneliness go mourning to the end	A
But love I could not trust to any other	N
The sacred office of a foster mother	N
To this sweet cherub save my own heart friend	A
	-
Teach her to love her father's name Maurine	F
Where'er he wanders Keep my memory green	R2
In her young heart and lead her in her youth	S3
To drink from th' eternal fount of Truth	S3
Vex her not with sectarian discourse	T3
Nor strive to teach her piety by force	T3
Ply not her mind with harsh and narrow creeds	U3
Nor frighten her with an avenging God	A
Who rules His subjects with a burning rod	A
But teach her that each mortal simply needs	U3
To grow in hate of hate and love of love	M2
To gain a kingdom in the courts above	M2
Let her be free and natural as the flowers	H3
That smile and nod throughout the summer hours	H3
Let her rejoice in all the joys of youth	S3
But first impress upon her mind this truth	S3
No lasting happiness is e'er attained	A
Save when the heart some OTHER seeks to please	V3
The cup of selfish pleasures soon is drained	A
And full of gall and bitterness the lees	V3
Next to her God teach her to love her land	A
In her young bosom light the patriot's flame	B2
Until the heart within her shall expand	A
With love and fervour at her country's name	B2
	-
No coward mother bears a valiant son	R2
And this my last wish is an earnest one	R2
	-
Maurine my o'er taxed strength is waning you	V2
Have heard my wishes and you will be true	V2
In death as you have been in life my own	R2
Now leave me for a little while alone	R2
With him my husband Dear love I shall rest	A
So sweetly with no care upon my breast	A
Good night Maurine come to me in the morning	G2
	-
But lo the Bridegroom with no further warning	G2
Came for her at the dawning of the day	A
She heard His voice and smiled and passed away	A
Without a struggle	W3
	-
Leaning o'er her bed	A
To give her greeting I found but her clay	A
And Vivian bowed beside it	A
	-
And I said	A
Dear friend my soul shall treasure thy request	A
And when the night of fever and unrest	A
Melts in the morning of Eternity	F
Like a freed bird then I will come to thee	F
	-
I will come to thee in the morning sweet	A
I have been true and soul with soul shall meet	A
Before God's throne and shall not be afraid	A
Thou gav'st me trust and it was not betrayed	A
	-
I will come to thee in the morning dear	T
The night is dark I do not know how near	T
The morn may be of that Eternal Day	A
I can but keep my faithful watch and pray	A
	-
I will come to thee in the morning love	M2
Wait for me on the Eternal Heights above	M2
The way is troubled where my feet must climb	X3
Ere I shall tread the mountain top sublime	X3
	-
I will come in the morning O mine own	R2
But for a time must grope my way alone	R2
Through tears and sorrow till the Day shall dawn	R2
And I shall hear the summons and pass on	R2
	-
I will come in the morning Rest secure	Y3
My hope is certain and my faith is sure	Y3
After the gloom and darkness of the night	A
I will come to thee with the morning light	A
	-
	-
	-
Three peaceful years slipped silently away	A
	-
We dwelt together in my childhood's home	N2
Aunt Ruth and I and sunny hearted May	A
She was a fair and most exquisite child	A
Her pensive face was delicate and mild	A
Like her dead mother's but through her dear eyes	S2
Her father smiled upon me day by day	A
Afar in foreign countries did he roam	N2
Now resting under Italy's blue skies	S2
And now with Roy in Scotland	A
	-
And he sent	A
Brief friendly letters telling where he went	A
And what he saw addressed to May or me	F
And I would write and tell him how she grew	V2
And how she talked about him o'er the sea	F
In her sweet baby fashion how she knew	V2
His picture in the album how each day	A
She knelt and prayed the blessed Lord would bring	G2
Her own papa back to his little May	A
It was a warm bright morning in the Spring	G2
I sat in that same sunny portico	Y
Where I was sitting seven years ago	Y
When Vivian came My eyes were full of tears	P3
As I looked back across the checkered years	N3
How many were the changes they had brought	A
Pain death and sorrow but the lesson taught	A
To my young heart had been of untold worth	Z
I had learned how to suffer and grow strong	Z3
That knowledge which best serves us here on earth	Z
And brings reward in Heaven	R2
	-
Oh how long	Z3
The years had been since that June morning when	R2
I heard his step upon the walk and yet	A
I seemed to hear its echo still	A4
	-
Just then	R2
Down that same path I turned my eyes tear wet	A
And lo the wanderer from a foreign land	A
Stood there before me holding out his hand	A
And smiling with those wond'rous eyes of old	A
	-
To hide my tears I ran and brought his child	A
But she was shy and clung to me when told	A
This was papa for whom her prayers were said	A
She dropped her eyes and shook her little head	A
And would not by his coaxing be beguiled	A
Or go to him	B4
	-
Aunt Ruth was not at home	N2
And we two sat and talked as strangers might	A
Of distant countries which we both had seen	R2
But once I thought I saw his large eyes light	A
With sudden passion when there came a pause	C4
In our chit chat and then he spoke	Q2
	-
Maurine	F
I saw a number of your friends in Rome	N2
We talked of you They seemed surprised because	C4
You were not 'mong the seekers for a name	B2
They thought your whole ambition was for fame	B2
	-
It might have been I answered when my heart	A
Had nothing else to fill it Now my art	A
Is but a recreation I have THIS	G
To love and live for which I had not then	R2
And leaning down I pressed a tender kiss	G
Upon my child's fair brow	R2
	-
And yet he said	A
The old light leaping to his eyes again	R2
And yet Maurine they say you might have wed	A
A noble Baron one of many men	R2
Who laid their hearts and fortunes at your feet	A
Why won the bravest of them no return	R2
I bowed my head nor dared his gaze to meet	A
On cheek and brow I felt the red blood burn	R2
And strong emotion strangled speech	D4
	-
He rose	C3
And came and knelt beside me	F
	-
Sweet my sweet	A
He murmured softly God in Heaven knows	C3
How well I loved you seven years ago	Y
He only knows my anguish and my grief	L3
When your own acts forced on me the belief	L3
That I had been your plaything and your toy	A
Yet from his lips I since have learned that Roy	A
Held no place nearer than a friend and brother	N
And then a faint suspicion undefined	A
Of what had been was might be stirred my mind	A
And that great love I thought died at a blow	Y
Rose up within me strong with hope and life	I2
	-
Before all heaven and the angel mother	N
Of this sweet child that slumbers on your heart	A
Maurine Maurine I claim you for my wife	I2
Mine own forever until death shall part	A
	-
Through happy mists of upward welling tears	P3
I leaned and looked into his beauteous eyes	S2
Dear heart I said if she who dwells above	M2
Looks down upon us from yon azure skies	S2
She can but bless us knowing all these years	N3
My soul had yearned in silence for the love	M2
That crowned her life and left mine own so bleak	X
I turned you from me for her fair frail sake	E4
For her sweet child's and for my own I take	E4
You back to be all mine for evermore	D2
	-
Just then the child upon my breast awoke	Q2
From her light sleep and laid her downy cheek	X
Against her father as he knelt by me	F
And this unconscious action seemed to be	F
A silent blessing which the mother spoke	Q2
Gazing upon us from the mystic shore	D2

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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