Agamemnon's Tomb Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDDEFFE GHGHIIJKLJ MNMNOOPQQP RSRSTIJIIJ FUUFVVWXXW| Uplift the ponderous golden mask of death | A |
| And let the sun shine on him as it did | B |
| How many thousand years agone Beneath | C |
| This worm defying uncorrupted lid | B |
| Behold the young heroic face round eyed | D |
| Of one who in his full flowered manhood died | D |
| Of nobler frame than creatures of to day | E |
| Swathed in fine linen cerecloths fold on fold | F |
| With carven weapons wrought of bronze and gold | F |
| Accoutred like a warrior for the fray | E |
| - | |
| We gaze in awe at these huge modeled limbs | G |
| Shrunk in death's narrow house but hinting yet | H |
| Their ancient majesty these sightless rims | G |
| Whose living eyes the eyes of Helen met | H |
| The speechless lips that ah what tales might tell | I |
| Of earth's morning tide when gods did dwell | I |
| Amidst a generous fashioned god like race | J |
| Who dwarf our puny semblance and who won | K |
| The secret soul of Beauty for their own | L |
| While all our art but crudely apes their grace | J |
| - | |
| We gather all the precious relics up | M |
| The golden buttons chased with wondrous craft | N |
| The sculptured trinkets and the crystal cup | M |
| The sheathed bronze sword the knife with brazen haft | N |
| Fain would we wrest with curious eyes from these | O |
| Unnumbered long forgotten histories | O |
| The deeds heroic of this mighty man | P |
| On whom once more the living daylight beams | Q |
| To shame our littleness to mock our dreams | Q |
| And the abyss of centuries to span | P |
| - | |
| Yet could we rouse him from his blind repose | R |
| How might we meet his searching questionings | S |
| Concerning all the follies wrongs and woes | R |
| Since his great day whom men call King of Kings | S |
| Victorious Agamemnon How might we | T |
| Those large clear eyes confront which scornfully | I |
| Would view us as a poor degenerate race | J |
| Base souled and mean proportioned What reply | I |
| Give to the beauty loving Greek's heart cry | I |
| Seeking his ancient gods in vacant space | J |
| - | |
| What should he find within a world grown cold | F |
| Save doubt and trouble To his sunny creed | U |
| A thousand gloomy warring sects succeed | U |
| How of the Prince of Peace might he be told | F |
| When over half the world the war cloud lowers | V |
| How would he mock these faltering hopes of ours | V |
| Who knows the secret now of death and fate | W |
| Humbly we gaze on the colossal frame | X |
| And mutely we accept the mortal shame | X |
| Of men degraded from a high estate | W |
Emma Lazarus
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
About Agamemnon's Tomb
Agamemnon's Tomb is a poem by Emma Lazarus. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
Write your comment about Agamemnon's Tomb poem by Emma Lazarus
Best Poems of Emma Lazarus