The Cloud's Swan-song Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCE FGFG HI I JKJK LMNM COCO PDPD CCQC CRCG KBKB FKF FKFK SCSC TFTF UKUK VKVK WFWF XCXC KKKK YCYC KKKK KFKF BZBA2 DFDF KKBKB

There is a parable in the pathless cloudA
There's prophecy in heaven they did not lieB
The Chaldee shepherds seal ed from the proudA
To cheer the weighted heart that mates the seeing eyeB
-
A lonely man oppressed with lonely illsC
And all the glory fallen from my songD
Here do I walk among the windy hillsC
The wind and I keep both one monotoning tongueE
-
Like grey clouds one by one my songs upsoarF
Over my soul's cold peaks and one by oneG
They loose their little rain and are no moreF
And whether well or ill to tell me there is noneG
-
For 'tis an alien tongue of alien thingsH
From all men's care how miserably apartI
Even my friends say 'Of what is this he sings '-
And barren is my song and barren is my heartI
-
For who can work unwitting his work's worthJ
Better meseems to know the work for naughtK
Turn my sick course back to the kindly earthJ
And leave to ampler plumes the jetting tops of thoughtK
-
And visitations that do often useL
Remote unhappy inauspicious senseM
Of doom and poets widowed of their museN
And what dark 'gan dark ended in me did commenceM
-
I thought of spirit wronged by mortal illsC
And my flesh rotting on my fate's dull stakeO
And how self scorn ed they the bounty fillsC
Of others and the bread even of their dearest takeO
-
I thought of Keats that died in perfect timeP
In predecease of his just sickening songD
Of him that set wrapt in his radiant rhymeP
Sunlike in sea Life longer had been life too longD
-
But I exanimate of quick PoesyC
O then no more but even a soulless corseC
Nay my Delight dies not 'tis I should beQ
Her dead a stringless harp on which she had no forceC
-
Of my wild lot I thought from place to placeC
Apollo's song bowed Scythian I go onR
Making in all my home with pliant waysC
But provident of change putting forth root in noneG
-
Now with starved brain sick body patience galledK
With fardels even to wincing from fair skyB
Fell sudden little rain scarce to be calledK
A shower which of the instant was gone wholly byB
-
What cloud thus died I saw not heaven was fairF
Methinks my angel plucked my locks I bowedK
My spirit shamed and looking in the airF
'Even so ' I said 'even so my brother the good Cloud '-
-
It was a pilgrim of the fields of airF
Its home was allwheres the wind left it restK
And in a little forth again did fareF
And in all places was a stranger and a guestK
-
It harked all breaths of heaven and did obeyS
With sweet peace their uncomprehended willsC
It knew the eyes of stars which made no stayS
And with the thunder walked upon the lonely hillsC
-
And from the subject earth it seemed to scornT
It drew the sustenance whereby it grewF
Perfect in bosom for the married MornT
And of his life and light full as a maid kissed newF
-
Its also darkness of the face withdrawnU
And the long waiting for the little lightK
So long in life so little Like a fawnU
It fled with tempest breathing hard at heel of flightK
-
And having known full East did not disdainV
To sit in shadow and oblivious coldK
Save what all loss doth of its loss retainV
And who hath held hath somewhat that he still must holdK
-
Right poet who thy rightness to approveW
Having all liberty didst keep all measureF
And with a firmament for ranging moveW
But at the heavens' uncomprehended pleasureF
-
With amplitude unchecked how sweetly thouX
Didst wear the ancient custom of the skiesC
And yoke of used prescription and thence howX
Find gay variety no license could deviseC
-
As we the quested beauties better witK
Of the one grove our own than forests greatK
Restraint by the delighted search of itK
Turns to right scope For lovely moving intricateK
-
Is put to fair devising in the curbY
Of ordered limit and all changeful HermesC
Is Terminus as well Yet we perturbY
Our souls for latitude whose strength in bound and term isC
-
How far am I from heavenly libertyK
That play at policy with change and fateK
Who should my soul from foreign broils keep freeK
In the fast guarded frontiers of its single stateK
-
Could I face firm the Is and with To beK
Trust Heaven to Heaven commit the deed and doF
In power contained calm in infirmityK
And fit myself to change with virtue ever newF
-
Thou hadst not shamed me cousin of the skyB
Thou wandering kinsman that didst sweetly liveZ
Unnoted and unnoted sweetly dieB
Weeping more gracious song than any I can weaveA2
-
Which these gross tissued words do sorely wrongD
Thou hast taught me on powerlessness a powerF
To make song wait on life not life on songD
To hold sweet not too sweet and bread for bread though sourF
-
By law to wander to be strictly freeK
With tears ascended from the heart's sad seaK
Ah such a silver song to Death could IB
Sing Pain would list forgetting Pain to beK
And Death would tarry marvelling and forget to dieB

Francis Thompson



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