One Woman's Memory Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCD EFEFGAGA BHBHIJIJ KAK LMLM NONOPQPQ KRKSTUTUHere is a lock of his soft dark hair | A |
And here are the letters he wrote to me | B |
And the ring of gold that I used to wear | A |
Is here in the casket see | B |
I put them away ten years ago | C |
'What is it ' you ask 'did I love in vain | D |
Was my lover unfaithful ' No oh no | C |
My heart was spared that pain | D |
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He died in the bloom of his manhood's youth | E |
You say I have his memory friend | F |
That he is not dead but lives in truth | E |
Wait till you hear the end | F |
Death in itself is a little thing | G |
It is only passing from here to there | A |
But a death of shame has a bitter sting | G |
That makes it hard to bear | A |
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He was good and true as a man could be | B |
Noble and pure when I loved him first | H |
But all of his race were cursed you see | B |
With a fiery craving thirst | H |
And the tempter morning and noon and night | I |
Was placed in his path by a mother's hand | J |
The woe of wine and its blasting blight | I |
She did not understand | J |
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I did not know or I did not think | K |
Of the awful shame that was hidden there | A |
When I saw him lift the glass and drink | K |
To the health of his 'lady fair ' | - |
I knew and I thought when it was too late | L |
I reached out my hands but I could not save | M |
He hurried on to his fearful fate | L |
And sank in a drunkard's grave | M |
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He was good and kind and true but weak | N |
When the ruby wine danced o'er the brim | O |
And woe is me that I did not speak | N |
One warning word to him | O |
If I had but told him to cast away | P |
To touch not and taste not the mocker wine | Q |
I need not have felt as I feel to day | P |
That blood stains these hands of mine | Q |
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O ye who have friends on the awful brink | K |
That hangs o'er the river of ruin and death | R |
When you see them lift the glass oh think | K |
Of the jagg d rocks beneath | S |
Reach out a hand ere the deed is done | T |
Send forth a cry in the dear Lord's name | U |
Oh stand not aloof while a precious one | T |
Speeds down to a grave of shame | U |
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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