Don Juan: Canto The Fourth Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABABCC DEDEDEFF GFGFGFHH AIAIAIJJ KLKLKLMM NONONOPP GNGNGNQQ RNRNRNAA STSTTTUU NVNVNVWW UXUXUXYY ZA2ZB2ZA2C2C2 D2ND2ND2NFF E2F2E2F2E2G2H2H2 I2J2I2K2I2K2L2L2 M2N2M2N2M2N2O2P2 DN2DN2Q2N2ZU GSGSGVOO R2AR2AR2AN2N2 VN2VN2S2N2T2T2 U2NU2NU2NYY R2FR2V2R2FN2W2

Nothing so difficult as a beginningA
In poesy unless perhaps the endB
For oftentimes when Pegasus seems winningA
The race he sprains a wing and down we tendB
Like Lucifer when hurl'd from heaven for sinningA
Our sin the same and hard as his to mendB
Being pride which leads the mind to soar too farC
Till our own weakness shows us what we areC
-
But Time which brings all beings to their levelD
And sharp Adversity will teach at lastE
Man and as we would hope perhaps the devilD
That neither of their intellects are vastE
While youth's hot wishes in our red veins revelD
We know not this the blood flows on too fastE
But as the torrent widens towards the oceanF
We ponder deeply on each past emotionF
-
As boy I thought myself a clever fellowG
And wish'd that others held the same opinionF
They took it up when my days grew more mellowG
And other minds acknowledged my dominionF
Now my sere fancy 'falls into the yellowG
Leaf ' and Imagination droops her pinionF
And the sad truth which hovers o'er my deskH
Turns what was once romantic to burlesqueH
-
And if I laugh at any mortal thingA
'T is that I may not weep and if I weepI
'T is that our nature cannot always bringA
Itself to apathy for we must steepI
Our hearts first in the depths of Lethe's springA
Ere what we least wish to behold will sleepI
Thetis baptized her mortal son in StyxJ
A mortal mother would on Lethe fixJ
-
Some have accused me of a strange designK
Against the creed and morals of the landL
And trace it in this poem every lineK
I don't pretend that I quite understandL
My own meaning when I would be very fineK
But the fact is that I have nothing plann'dL
Unless it were to be a moment merryM
A novel word in my vocabularyM
-
To the kind reader of our sober climeN
This way of writing will appear exoticO
Pulci was sire of the half serious rhymeN
Who sang when chivalry was more QuixoticO
And revell'd in the fancies of the timeN
True knights chaste dames huge giants kings despoticO
But all these save the last being obsoleteP
I chose a modern subject as more meetP
-
How I have treated it I do not knowG
Perhaps no better than they have treated meN
Who have imputed such designs as showG
Not what they saw but what they wish'd to seeN
But if it gives them pleasure be it soG
This is a liberal age and thoughts are freeN
Meantime Apollo plucks me by the earQ
And tells me to resume my story hereQ
-
Young Juan and his lady love were leftR
To their own hearts' most sweet societyN
Even Time the pitiless in sorrow cleftR
With his rude scythe such gentle bosoms heN
Sigh'd to behold them of their hours bereftR
Though foe to love and yet they could not beN
Meant to grow old but die in happy springA
Before one charm or hope had taken wingA
-
Their faces were not made for wrinkles theirS
Pure blood to stagnate their great hearts to failT
The blank grey was not made to blast their hairS
But like the climes that know nor snow nor hailT
They were all summer lightning might assailT
And shiver them to ashes but to trailT
A long and snake like life of dull decayU
Was not for them they had too little dayU
-
They were alone once more for them to beN
Thus was another Eden they were neverV
Weary unless when separate the treeN
Cut from its forest root of years the riverV
Damm'd from its fountain the child from the kneeN
And breast maternal wean'd at once for everV
Would wither less than these two torn apartW
Alas there is no instinct like the heartW
-
The heart which may be broken happy theyU
Thrice fortunate who of that fragile mouldX
The precious porcelain of human clayU
Break with the first fall they can ne'er beholdX
The long year link'd with heavy day on dayU
And all which must be borne and never toldX
While life's strange principle will often lieY
Deepest in those who long the most to dieY
-
'Whom the gods love die young ' was said of yoreZ
And many deaths do they escape by thisA2
The death of friends and that which slays even moreZ
The death of friendship love youth all that isB2
Except mere breath and since the silent shoreZ
Awaits at last even those who longest missA2
The old archer's shafts perhaps the early graveC2
Which men weep over may be meant to saveC2
-
Haidee and Juan thought not of the deadD2
The heavens and earth and air seem'd made for themN
They found no fault with Time save that he fledD2
They saw not in themselves aught to condemnN
Each was the other's mirror and but readD2
Joy sparkling in their dark eyes like a gemN
And knew such brightness was but the reflectionF
Of their exchanging glances of affectionF
-
The gentle pressure and the thrilling touchE2
The least glance better understood than wordsF2
Which still said all and ne'er could say too muchE2
A language too but like to that of birdsF2
Known but to them at least appearing suchE2
As but to lovers a true sense affordsG2
Sweet playful phrases which would seem absurdH2
To those who have ceased to hear such or ne'er heardH2
-
All these were theirs for they were children stillI2
And children still they should have ever beenJ2
They were not made in the real world to fillI2
A busy character in the dull sceneK2
But like two beings born from out a rillI2
A nymph and her beloved all unseenK2
To pass their lives in fountains and on flowersL2
And never know the weight of human hoursL2
-
Moons changing had roll'd on and changeless foundM2
Those their bright rise had lighted to such joysN2
As rarely they beheld throughout their roundM2
And these were not of the vain kind which cloysN2
For theirs were buoyant spirits never boundM2
By the mere senses and that which destroysN2
Most love possession unto them appear'dO2
A thing which each endearment more endear'dP2
-
Oh beautiful and rare as beautifulD
But theirs was love in which the mind delightsN2
To lose itself when the old world grows dullD
And we are sick of its hack sounds and sightsN2
Intrigues adventures of the common schoolQ2
Its petty passions marriages and flightsN2
Where Hymen's torch but brands one strumpet moreZ
Whose husband only knows her not a wh reU
-
Hard words harsh truth a truth which many knowG
Enough The faithful and the fairy pairS
Who never found a single hour too slowG
What was it made them thus exempt from careS
Young innate feelings all have felt belowG
Which perish in the rest but in them wereV
Inherent what we mortals call romanticO
And always envy though we deem it franticO
-
This is in others a factitious stateR2
An opium dream of too much youth and readingA
But was in them their nature or their fateR2
No novels e'er had set their young hearts bleedingA
For Haidee's knowledge was by no means greatR2
And Juan was a boy of saintly breedingA
So that there was no reason for their lovesN2
More than for those of nightingales or dovesN2
-
They gazed upon the sunset 't is an hourV
Dear unto all but dearest to their eyesN2
For it had made them what they were the powerV
Of love had first o'erwhelm'd them from such skiesN2
When happiness had been their only dowerS2
And twilight saw them link'd in passion's tiesN2
Charm'd with each other all things charm'd that broughtT2
The past still welcome as the present thoughtT2
-
I know not why but in that hour to nightU2
Even as they gazed a sudden tremor cameN
And swept as 't were across their hearts' delightU2
Like the wind o'er a harp string or a flameN
When one is shook in sound and one in sightU2
And thus some boding flash'd through either frameN
And call'd from Juan's breast a faint low sighY
While one new tear arose in Haidee's eyeY
-
That large black prophet eye seem'd to dilateR2
And follow far the disappearing sunF
As if their last day of a happy dateR2
With his broad bright and dropping orb were goneV2
Juan gazed on her as to ask his fateR2
He felt a grief but knowing cause for noneF
His glance inquired of hers for some excuseN2
For feelings causeless or at leastW2

George Gordon Byron



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Don Juan: Canto The Fourth poem by George Gordon Byron


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 16 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets