Marcus Varro Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCD E E FGFG DCDCEHEH IDJDDDDD DHDHKDKD CDCDKCKC| Marcus Varro went up and down | A |
| The places where old books were sold | B |
| He ransacked all the shops in town | A |
| For pictures new and pictures old | B |
| He gave the folk of earth no peace | C |
| Snooping around by day and night | D |
| He plied the trade in Rome and Greece | C |
| Of an insatiate Grangerite | D |
| - | |
| 'Pictures ' was evermore his cry | E |
| 'Pictures of old or recent date ' | - |
| And pictures only would he buy | E |
| Wherewith to 'extra illustrate ' | - |
| Full many a tome of ancient type | F |
| And many a manuscript he took | G |
| For nary purpose but to swipe | F |
| Their pictures for some other book | G |
| - | |
| While Marcus Varro plied his fad | D |
| There was not in the shops of Greece | C |
| A book or pamphlet to be had | D |
| That was not minus frontispiece | C |
| Nor did he hesitate to ply | E |
| His baleful practices at home | H |
| It was not possible to buy | E |
| A perfect book in all of Rome | H |
| - | |
| What must the other folk have done | I |
| Who glancing o'er the books they bought | D |
| Came soon and suddenly upon | J |
| The vandalism Varro wrought | D |
| How must their cheeks have flamed with red | D |
| How did their hearts with choler beat | D |
| We can imagine what they said | D |
| We can imagine not repeat | D |
| - | |
| Where are the books that Varro made | D |
| The pride of dilettante Rome | H |
| With divers portraitures inlaid | D |
| Swiped from so many another tome | H |
| The worms devoured them long ago | K |
| O wretched worms ye should have fed | D |
| Not on the books 'extended' so | K |
| But on old Varro's flesh instead | D |
| - | |
| Alas that Marcus Varro lives | C |
| And is a potent factor yet | D |
| Alas that still his practice gives | C |
| Good men occasion for regret | D |
| To yonder bookstall pri'thee go | K |
| And by the 'missing' prints and plates | C |
| And frontispieces you shall know | K |
| He lives and 'extra illustrates' | C |
Eugene Field
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Marcus Varro poem by Eugene Field
Best Poems of Eugene Field