From Allan Cunningham, To George Borrow, On His Proposing To Translate The 'kiaepe Viser’ Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEEFFEEGGHHIIJJKK LLMMNNOOPCQQRRSSTTUU II| Sing sing my friend breathe life again | A |
| Through Norway's song and Denmark's strain | B |
| On flowing Thames and Forth in flood | C |
| Pour Haco's war song fierce and rude | D |
| O'er England's strength through Scotland's cold | E |
| His warrior minstrels marched of old | E |
| Called on the wolf and bird of prey | F |
| To feast on Ireland's shore and bay | F |
| And France thy forward knights and bold | E |
| Rough Rollo's ravens croaked them cold | E |
| Sing sing of earth and ocean's lords | G |
| Their songs as conquering as their swords | G |
| Strains steeped in many a strange belief | H |
| Now stern as steel now soft as grief | H |
| Wild witching warlike brief sublime | I |
| Stamped with the image of their time | I |
| When chafed the call is sharp and high | J |
| For carnage as the eagles cry | J |
| When pleased the mood is meek and mild | K |
| And gentle as an unweaned child | K |
| Sing sing of haunted shores and shelves | L |
| St Oluf and his spiteful elves | L |
| Of that wise dame in true love need | M |
| Who of the clear stream formed the steed | M |
| How youthful Svend in sorrow sharp | N |
| The inspired strings rent from his harp | N |
| And Sivard in his cloak of felt | O |
| Danced with the green oak at his belt | O |
| Or sing the Sorceress of the wood | P |
| The amorous Merman of the flood | C |
| Or elves that o'er the unfathomed stream | Q |
| Sport thick as motes in morning beam | Q |
| Or bid me sail from Iceland Isle | R |
| With Rosmer and fair Ellenlyle | R |
| What time the blood crow's flight was south | S |
| Bearing a man's leg in its mouth | S |
| Though rough and rude those strains are rife | T |
| Of things kin to immortal life | T |
| Which touch the heart and tinge the cheek | U |
| As deeply as divinest Greek | U |
| In simple words and unsought rhyme | I |
| Give me the songs of olden time | I |
George Borrow
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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