Elvir-shades (from The Danish Of Oehlenslaeger) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABA CBC DED FEF GHG IHI JKJ LKL MNM OPO QRQ SRS NTP UTU VGV AGW EXE YXY ZA2Z B2A2B2 NC2N D2C2D2 E2EE2 E2E2E2 F2G2F2 WG2W| A sultry eve pursu'd a sultry day | A |
| Dark streaks of purple in the sky were seen | B |
| And shadows half conceal'd the lonely way | A |
| - | |
| I spurr'd my courser and more swiftly rode | C |
| In moody silence through the forests green | B |
| Where doves and linnets had their lone abode | C |
| - | |
| It was my fate to reach a brook at last | D |
| Which by sweet scented bushes fenc'd around | E |
| Defiance bade to heat and nipping blast | D |
| - | |
| Inclin'd to rest and hear the wild birds' song | F |
| I stretch'd myself upon that brook's soft bound | E |
| And there I fell asleep and slumber'd long | F |
| - | |
| And only woke O wonder to perceive | G |
| A gold hair'd maiden as a snowdrop pale | H |
| Her slender form from out the ground upheave | G |
| - | |
| Then fear o'ercame me and this daring heart | I |
| Beat three times audibly against my mail | H |
| I wish'd to speak but could no sound impart | I |
| - | |
| And see another maid rose up and took | J |
| Some drops of water from the foaming rill | K |
| And gaz'd upon me with a wistful look | J |
| - | |
| Said she What brings thee to this lonely place | L |
| But do not fear for thou shalt meet no ill | K |
| Thou steel clad warrior full of youth and grace | L |
| - | |
| No sang the other in delightful tone | M |
| But thou shalt gaze on prodigies which ne'er | N |
| To man's unhallow'd eye have yet been shown | M |
| - | |
| The brook which lately brawl'd among the trees | O |
| Stood still the murmur of that song to hear | P |
| No green leaf stirr'd and fetter'd seem'd the breeze | O |
| - | |
| The thrush upstarting in the distant dell | Q |
| Shook its brown wing with golden streaks array'd | R |
| And ap'd the witch notes as they rose and fell | Q |
| - | |
| Bright gleam'd the lake's broad sheet of liquid blue | S |
| Where with the rabid pike the troutling play'd | R |
| The rose unlock'd its folded leaves anew | S |
| - | |
| And blush'd besprinkled with the night's cold tear | N |
| Once more the lily rais'd its head and smil'd | T |
| All ghastly white as when it decks the bier | P |
| - | |
| Though sweet she sang my fears were not the less | U |
| For in her accents there was something wild | T |
| Which I can feel 't is true but not express | U |
| - | |
| Come with us sang she deep below the earth | V |
| Where sun ne'er burns and storm winds never rave | G |
| Come with us to our halls of princely mirth | V |
| - | |
| There thou shalt learn from us the Runic lay | A |
| But dip thee first in yonder crystal wave | G |
| Which binds thee to the Elfin race for aye | W |
| - | |
| Though painted flowers on earth's breast abound | E |
| Yet we have far more lovely ones below | X |
| Like grass the chrysolites there strew the ground | E |
| - | |
| O come the other syren did exclaim | Y |
| For rubies there more red than roses grow | X |
| The sapphir's blue the violet puts to shame | Y |
| - | |
| I rais'd my eyes to heaven's starry dome | Z |
| And gripp'd my faulchion with convulsive might | A2 |
| Resolv'd no witchcraft should my mind o'ercome | Z |
| - | |
| My lengthen'd silence vex'd the maidens sore | B2 |
| Wilt thou detain us here the live long night | A2 |
| Or must we stripling proffer something more | B2 |
| - | |
| Taught by us thou shalt bind the rugged bear | N |
| Seize on the mighty dragon's heap of gold | C2 |
| And slay the cockatrice while in her lair | N |
| - | |
| But from thy breast the blood we will suck out | D2 |
| Unless thou follow us beneath the mould | C2 |
| Decide decide nor longer pause in doubt | D2 |
| - | |
| Cold sweat I shed and as with trembling hand | E2 |
| I strove to whirl my beaming faulchion round | E |
| It sank enthrall'd by magic's potent band | E2 |
| - | |
| Each witch drew nigh with dagger high uprear'd | E2 |
| Just then a cock beyond the wild wood's bound | E2 |
| Crew loud and in the earth they disappear'd | E2 |
| - | |
| I flung myself upon my frighten'd barb | F2 |
| Just as the shades began to grow less murk | G2 |
| And sun beams clad the sky in gayer garb | F2 |
| - | |
| Let each young warrior from such places fly | W |
| Disease and death beneath the flowers lurk | G2 |
| And elves would suck the warm blood from his eye | W |
George Borrow
(1)
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Elvir-shades (from The Danish Of Oehlenslaeger) is a poem by George Borrow. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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