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 PF2PF2PPNJ2NJ2N2N2

SometimesA
The young forgot the lessons they had learntB
And lov'd when they should hate like thee ImeldaC
Italy a PoemD
-
-
Passa la bella Donna e par che dormaD
TassoE
-
We have the myrtle's breath around us hereF
Amidst the fallen pillars this hath beenG
Some Naiad's fane of old How brightly clearH
Flinging a vein of silver o'er the sceneI
Up thro' the shadowy grass the fountain wellsJ
And music with it gushing from beneathK
The ivy'd altar that sweet murmur tellsJ
The rich wild flowers no tale of wo or deathL
-
Yet once the wave was darken'd and a stainM
Lay deep and heavy drops but not of rainM
On the dim violets by its marble bedN
And the pale shining water lily's headN
-
Sad is that legend's truth A fair girl metO
One whom she lov'd by this lone temple's springP
Just as the sun behind the pine grove setO
And eve's low voice in whispers woke to bringP
All wanderers home They stood that gentle pairQ
With the blue heaven of Italy aboveR
And citron odours dying on the airQ
And light leaves trembling round and early loveR
Deep in each breast What reck'd their souls of strifeS
Between their fathers Unto them young lifeS
Spread out the treasures of its vernal yearsT
And if they wept they wept far other tearsU
-
Than the cold world wrings forth They stood that hourV
Speaking of hope while tree and fount and flowerV
And star just gleaming thro' the cypress boughsW
Seem'd holy things as records of their vowsW
-
But change came o'er the scene A hurrying treadN
Broke on the whispery shades Imelda knewX
The footstep of her brother's wrath and fledN
Up where the cedars make yon avenueX
Dim with green twilight pausing there she caughtY
Was it the clash of swords a swift dark thoughtZ
Struck down her lip's rich crimson as it pass'dA2
And from her eye the sunny sparkle tookB2
One moment with its fearfulness and shookB2
Her slight frame fiercely as a stormy blastA2
Might rock the rose Once more and yet once moreC2
She still'd her heart to listen all was o'erV
Sweet summer winds alone were heard to sighD2
Bearing the nightingale's deep spirit byD2
-
That night Imelda's voice was in the songE2
Lovely it floated thro' the festive throngE2
Peopling her father's halls That fatal nightF2
Her eye look'd starry in its dazzling lightF2
And her cheek glow'd with beauty's flushing dyesG2
Like a rich cloud of eve in southern skiesG2
A burning ruby cloud There were whose gazeH2
Follow'd her form beneath the clear lamp's blazeH2
And marvell'd at its radiance But a fewX
Beheld the brightness of that feverish hueX
With something of dim fear and in that glanceI2
Found strange and sudden tokens of unrestJ2
Startling to meet amidst the mazy danceI2
Where thought if present an unbidden guestJ2
Comes not unmask'd Howe'er this were the timeD
Sped as it speeds with joy and grief and crimeD
Alike and when the banquet's hall was leftK2
Unto its garlands of their bloom bereftK2
When trembling stars look'd silvery in their waneM
And heavy flowers yet slumber'd once againL2
-
There stole a footstep fleet and light and loneM2
Thro' the dim cedar shade the step of oneN2
That started at a leaf of one that fledN
Of one that panted with some secret dreadN
What did Imelda there She sought the sceneI
Where love so late with youth and hope had beenG
Bodings were on her soul a shuddering thrillO2
Ran thro' each vein when first the Naiad's rillO2
Met her with melody sweet sounds and lowE
We hear them yet they live along its flowE
Her voice is music lost The fountain sideP2
She gain'd the wave flash'd forth 'twas darkly dyedP2
Ev'n as from warrior hearts and on its edgeQ2
Amidst the fern and flowers and moss tufts deepR2
There lay as lull'd by stream and rustling sedgeQ2
A youth a graceful youth 'Oh dost thou sleepR2
Azzo ' she cried 'my Azzo is this rest '-
But then her low tones falter'd 'On thy breastJ2
-
Is the stain yes 'tis blood and that cold cheekS2
That moveless lip thou dost not slumber speakS2
Speak Azzo my belov'd no sound no breathL
What hath come thus between our spirits DeathL
Death I but dream I dream ' and there she stoodT2
A faint frail trembler gazing first on bloodU2
With her fair arm around yon cypress thrownM2
Her form sustain'd by that dark stem aloneM2
And fading fast like spell struck maid of oldV2
Into white waves dissolving clear and coldV2
When from the grass her dimm'd eye caught a gleamD
'Twas where a sword lay shiver'd by the streamD
Her brother's sword she knew it and she knewX
'Twas with a venom'd point that weapon slewX
Wo for young love But love is strong There cameD
Strength upon woman's fragile heart and frameD
-
There came swift courage On the dewy groundW2
She knelt with all her dark hair floating roundW2
Like a long silken stole she knelt and press'dJ2
Her lips of glowing life to Azzo's breastJ2
Drawing the poison forth A strange sad sightF2
Pale death and fearless love and solemn nightF2
So the moon saw them lastA2
The Morn came singingP
Thro' the green forests of the AppeninesI2
With all her joyous birds their free flight wingingP
And steps and voices out amongst the vinesI2
What found that day spring here Two fair forms laidX2
Like sculptured sleepers from the myrtle shadeX2
Casting a gleam of beauty o'er the waveY2
Still mournful sweet Were such things for the graveY2
Could it be so indeed That radiant girlZ2
Deck'd as for bridal hours long braids of pearlZ2
-
Amidst her shadowy locks were faintly shiningP
As tears might shine with melancholy lightF2
And there was gold her slender waist entwiningP
And her pale graceful arms how sadly brightF2
And fiery gems upon her breast were lyingP
And round her marble brow red roses dyingP
But she died first the violet's hue had spreadN
O'er her sweet eyelids with repose oppress'dJ2
She had bow'd heavily her gentle headN
And on the youth's hush'd bosom sunk to restJ2
So slept they well the poison's work was doneN2
Love with true heart had striven but Death had wonN2

Felicia Dorothea Hemans



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