Imelda Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCD DE FGHIJKJL MMNN OPOPQRQRSSTU VVWW NXNXYZA2B2B2A2C2VD2D 2 E2E2F2F2G2G2H2H2XXI2 J2I2J2DDK2K2ML2 M2N2NNIGO2O2EEP2P2Q2 R2Q2R2 J2 S2S2LLT2U2M2M2V2V2DD XXDD W2W2J2J2F2F2A2PI2PI2 X2X2Y2Y2Z2Z2 PF2PF2PPNJ2NJ2N2N2Sometimes | A |
The young forgot the lessons they had learnt | B |
And lov'd when they should hate like thee Imelda | C |
Italy a Poem | D |
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Passa la bella Donna e par che dorma | D |
Tasso | E |
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We have the myrtle's breath around us here | F |
Amidst the fallen pillars this hath been | G |
Some Naiad's fane of old How brightly clear | H |
Flinging a vein of silver o'er the scene | I |
Up thro' the shadowy grass the fountain wells | J |
And music with it gushing from beneath | K |
The ivy'd altar that sweet murmur tells | J |
The rich wild flowers no tale of wo or death | L |
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Yet once the wave was darken'd and a stain | M |
Lay deep and heavy drops but not of rain | M |
On the dim violets by its marble bed | N |
And the pale shining water lily's head | N |
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Sad is that legend's truth A fair girl met | O |
One whom she lov'd by this lone temple's spring | P |
Just as the sun behind the pine grove set | O |
And eve's low voice in whispers woke to bring | P |
All wanderers home They stood that gentle pair | Q |
With the blue heaven of Italy above | R |
And citron odours dying on the air | Q |
And light leaves trembling round and early love | R |
Deep in each breast What reck'd their souls of strife | S |
Between their fathers Unto them young life | S |
Spread out the treasures of its vernal years | T |
And if they wept they wept far other tears | U |
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Than the cold world wrings forth They stood that hour | V |
Speaking of hope while tree and fount and flower | V |
And star just gleaming thro' the cypress boughs | W |
Seem'd holy things as records of their vows | W |
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But change came o'er the scene A hurrying tread | N |
Broke on the whispery shades Imelda knew | X |
The footstep of her brother's wrath and fled | N |
Up where the cedars make yon avenue | X |
Dim with green twilight pausing there she caught | Y |
Was it the clash of swords a swift dark thought | Z |
Struck down her lip's rich crimson as it pass'd | A2 |
And from her eye the sunny sparkle took | B2 |
One moment with its fearfulness and shook | B2 |
Her slight frame fiercely as a stormy blast | A2 |
Might rock the rose Once more and yet once more | C2 |
She still'd her heart to listen all was o'er | V |
Sweet summer winds alone were heard to sigh | D2 |
Bearing the nightingale's deep spirit by | D2 |
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That night Imelda's voice was in the song | E2 |
Lovely it floated thro' the festive throng | E2 |
Peopling her father's halls That fatal night | F2 |
Her eye look'd starry in its dazzling light | F2 |
And her cheek glow'd with beauty's flushing dyes | G2 |
Like a rich cloud of eve in southern skies | G2 |
A burning ruby cloud There were whose gaze | H2 |
Follow'd her form beneath the clear lamp's blaze | H2 |
And marvell'd at its radiance But a few | X |
Beheld the brightness of that feverish hue | X |
With something of dim fear and in that glance | I2 |
Found strange and sudden tokens of unrest | J2 |
Startling to meet amidst the mazy dance | I2 |
Where thought if present an unbidden guest | J2 |
Comes not unmask'd Howe'er this were the time | D |
Sped as it speeds with joy and grief and crime | D |
Alike and when the banquet's hall was left | K2 |
Unto its garlands of their bloom bereft | K2 |
When trembling stars look'd silvery in their wane | M |
And heavy flowers yet slumber'd once again | L2 |
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There stole a footstep fleet and light and lone | M2 |
Thro' the dim cedar shade the step of one | N2 |
That started at a leaf of one that fled | N |
Of one that panted with some secret dread | N |
What did Imelda there She sought the scene | I |
Where love so late with youth and hope had been | G |
Bodings were on her soul a shuddering thrill | O2 |
Ran thro' each vein when first the Naiad's rill | O2 |
Met her with melody sweet sounds and low | E |
We hear them yet they live along its flow | E |
Her voice is music lost The fountain side | P2 |
She gain'd the wave flash'd forth 'twas darkly dyed | P2 |
Ev'n as from warrior hearts and on its edge | Q2 |
Amidst the fern and flowers and moss tufts deep | R2 |
There lay as lull'd by stream and rustling sedge | Q2 |
A youth a graceful youth 'Oh dost thou sleep | R2 |
Azzo ' she cried 'my Azzo is this rest ' | - |
But then her low tones falter'd 'On thy breast | J2 |
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Is the stain yes 'tis blood and that cold cheek | S2 |
That moveless lip thou dost not slumber speak | S2 |
Speak Azzo my belov'd no sound no breath | L |
What hath come thus between our spirits Death | L |
Death I but dream I dream ' and there she stood | T2 |
A faint frail trembler gazing first on blood | U2 |
With her fair arm around yon cypress thrown | M2 |
Her form sustain'd by that dark stem alone | M2 |
And fading fast like spell struck maid of old | V2 |
Into white waves dissolving clear and cold | V2 |
When from the grass her dimm'd eye caught a gleam | D |
'Twas where a sword lay shiver'd by the stream | D |
Her brother's sword she knew it and she knew | X |
'Twas with a venom'd point that weapon slew | X |
Wo for young love But love is strong There came | D |
Strength upon woman's fragile heart and frame | D |
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There came swift courage On the dewy ground | W2 |
She knelt with all her dark hair floating round | W2 |
Like a long silken stole she knelt and press'd | J2 |
Her lips of glowing life to Azzo's breast | J2 |
Drawing the poison forth A strange sad sight | F2 |
Pale death and fearless love and solemn night | F2 |
So the moon saw them last | A2 |
The Morn came singing | P |
Thro' the green forests of the Appenines | I2 |
With all her joyous birds their free flight winging | P |
And steps and voices out amongst the vines | I2 |
What found that day spring here Two fair forms laid | X2 |
Like sculptured sleepers from the myrtle shade | X2 |
Casting a gleam of beauty o'er the wave | Y2 |
Still mournful sweet Were such things for the grave | Y2 |
Could it be so indeed That radiant girl | Z2 |
Deck'd as for bridal hours long braids of pearl | Z2 |
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Amidst her shadowy locks were faintly shining | P |
As tears might shine with melancholy light | F2 |
And there was gold her slender waist entwining | P |
And her pale graceful arms how sadly bright | F2 |
And fiery gems upon her breast were lying | P |
And round her marble brow red roses dying | P |
But she died first the violet's hue had spread | N |
O'er her sweet eyelids with repose oppress'd | J2 |
She had bow'd heavily her gentle head | N |
And on the youth's hush'd bosom sunk to rest | J2 |
So slept they well the poison's work was done | N2 |
Love with true heart had striven but Death had won | N2 |
Felicia Dorothea Hemans
(1)
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