Don Juan: Canto The Sixteenth Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABABCC D DEDEFF GHGHGHG IJIJIJGG KLKLKLK MNONMNPP QGQGQGRR FSFTUTVV WXWXWXYY ZA2ZA2ZB2RR RWRWRWC2C2 D2E2D2E2D2D2D2D2 VB2F2B2F2 G2G2 WD2WD2WD2GG D2RD2RD2RD2D2 H2D2H2D2H2D2RR WI2WJ2WJ2D2D2 D2K2D2K2D2K2L2L2 M2GM2GM2GG2G2 D2GN2GN2GGG D2D2D2D2D2D2N2N2 D2D2D2D2D2D2WW WGWGWG

The antique Persians taught three useful thingsA
To draw the bow to ride and speak the truthB
This was the mode of Cyrus best of kingsA
A mode adopted since by modern youthB
Bows have they generally with two stringsA
Horses they ride without remorse or ruthB
At speaking truth perhaps they are less cleverC
But draw the long bow better now than everC
-
The cause of this effect or this defectD
'For this effect defective comes by cause '-
Is what I have not leisure to inspectD
But this I must say in my own applauseE
Of all the Muses that I recollectD
Whate'er may be her follies or her flawsE
In some things mine's beyond all contradictionF
The most sincere that ever dealt in fictionF
-
And as she treats all things and ne'er retreatsG
From any thing this epic will containH
A wilderness of the most rare conceitsG
Which you might elsewhere hope to find in vainH
'Tis true there be some bitters with the sweetsG
Yet mix'd so slightly that you can't complainH
But wonder they so few are since my tale isG
'De rebus cunctis et quibusdam aliis '-
-
But of all truths which she has told the mostI
True is that which she is about to tellJ
I said it was a story of a ghostI
What then I only know it so befellJ
Have you explored the limits of the coastI
Where all the dwellers of the earth must dwellJ
'Tis time to strike such puny doubters dumb asG
The sceptics who would not believe ColumbusG
-
Some people would impose now with authorityK
Turpin's or Monmouth Geoffry's ChronicleL
Men whose historical superiorityK
Is always greatest at a miracleL
But Saint Augustine has the great priorityK
Who bids all men believe the impossibleL
Because 'tis so Who nibble scribble quibble heK
Quiets at once with 'quia impossibile '-
-
And therefore mortals cavil not at allM
Believe if 'tis improbable you mustN
And if it is impossible you shallO
'Tis always best to take things upon trustN
I do not speak profanely to recallM
Those holier mysteries which the wise and justN
Receive as gospel and which grow more rootedP
As all truths must the more they are disputedP
-
I merely mean to say what Johnson saidQ
That in the course of some six thousand yearsG
All nations have believed that from the deadQ
A visitant at intervals appearsG
And what is strangest upon this strange headQ
Is that whatever bar the reason rearsG
'Gainst such belief there's something stronger stillR
In its behalf let those deny who willR
-
The dinner and the soiree too were doneF
The supper too discuss'd the dames admiredS
The banqueteers had dropp'd off one by oneF
The song was silent and the dance expiredT
The last thin petticoats were vanish'd goneU
Like fleecy Clouds into the sky retiredT
And nothing brighter gleam'd through the saloonV
Than dying tapers and the peeping moonV
-
The evaporation of a joyous dayW
Is like the last glass of champagne withoutX
The foam which made its virgin bumper gayW
Or like a system coupled with a doubtX
Or like a soda bottle when its sprayW
Has sparkled and let half its spirit outX
Or like a billow left by storms behindY
Without the animation of the windY
-
Or like an opiate which brings troubled restZ
Or none or like like nothing that I knowA2
Except itself such is the human breastZ
A thing of which similitudes can showA2
No real likeness like the old Tyrian vestZ
Dyed purple none at present can tell howB2
If from a shell fish or from cochinealR
So perish every tyrant's robe piece mealR
-
But next to dressing for a rout or ballR
Undressing is a woe our robe de chambreW
May sit like that of Nessus and recallR
Thoughts quite as yellow but less clear than amberW
Titus exclaim'd 'I've lost a day ' Of allR
The nights and days most people can rememberW
I have had of both some not to be disdain'dC2
I wish they 'd state how many they have gain'dC2
-
And Juan on retiring for the nightD2
Felt restless and perplex'd and compromisedE2
He thought Aurora Raby's eyes more brightD2
Than Adeline such is advice advisedE2
If he had known exactly his own plightD2
He probably would have philosophisedD2
A great resource to all and ne'er deniedD2
Till wanted therefore Juan only sigh'dD2
-
He sigh'd the next resource is the full moonV
Where all sighs are deposited and nowB2
It happen'd luckily the chaste orb shoneF2
As clear as such a climate will allowB2
And Juan's mind was in the proper toneF2
To hail her with the apostrophe 'O thou '-
Of amatory egotism the TuismG2
Which further to explain would be a truismG2
-
But lover poet or astronomerW
Shepherd or swain whoever may beholdD2
Feel some abstraction when they gaze on herW
Great thoughts we catch from thence besides a coldD2
Sometimes unless my feelings rather errW
Deep secrets to her rolling light are toldD2
The ocean's tides and mortals' brains she swaysG
And also hearts if there be truth in laysG
-
Juan felt somewhat pensive and disposedD2
For contemplation rather than his pillowR
The Gothic chamber where he was enclosedD2
Let in the rippling sound of the lake's billowR
With all the mystery by midnight causedD2
Below his window waved of course a willowR
And he stood gazing out on the cascadeD2
That flash'd and after darken'd in the shadeD2
-
Upon his table or his toilet whichH2
Of these is not exactly ascertain'dD2
I state this for I am cautious to a pitchH2
Of nicety where a fact is to be gain'dD2
A lamp burn'd high while he leant from a nicheH2
Where many a Gothic ornament remain'dD2
In chisell'd stone and painted glass and allR
That time has left our fathers of their hallR
-
Then as the night was clear though cold he threwW
His chamber door wide open and went forthI2
Into a gallery of a sombre hueW
Long furnish'd with old pictures of great worthJ2
Of knights and dames heroic and chaste tooW
As doubtless should be people of high birthJ2
But by dim lights the portraits of the deadD2
Have something ghastly desolate and dreadD2
-
The forms of the grim knight and pictured saintD2
Look living in the moon and as you turnK2
Backward and forward to the echoes faintD2
Of your own footsteps voices from the urnK2
Appear to wake and shadows wild and quaintD2
Start from the frames which fence their aspects sternK2
As if to ask how you can dare to keepL2
A vigil there where all but death should sleepL2
-
And the pale smile of beauties in the graveM2
The charms of other days in starlight gleamsG
Glimmer on high their buried locks still waveM2
Along the canvas their eyes glance like dreamsG
On ours or spars within some dusky caveM2
But death is imaged in their shadowy beamsG
A picture is the past even ere its frameG2
Be gilt who sate hath ceased to be the sameG2
-
As Juan mused on mutabilityD2
Or on his mistress terms synonymousG
No sound except the echo of his sighN2
Or step ran sadly through that antique houseG
When suddenly he heard or thought so nighN2
A supernatural agent or a mouseG
Whose little nibbling rustle will embarrassG
Most people as it plays along the arrasG
-
It was no mouse but lo a monk array'dD2
In cowl and beads and dusky garb appear'dD2
Now in the moonlight and now lapsed in shadeD2
With steps that trod as heavy yet unheardD2
His garments only a slight murmur madeD2
He moved as shadowy as the sisters weirdD2
But slowly and as he pass'd Juan byN2
Glanced without pausing on him a bright eyeN2
-
Juan was petrified he had heard a hintD2
Of such a spirit in these halls of oldD2
But thought like most men there was nothing in'tD2
Beyond the rumour which such spots unfoldD2
Coin'd from surviving superstition's mintD2
Which passes ghosts in currency like goldD2
But rarely seen like gold compared with paperW
And did he see this or was it a vapourW
-
Once twice thrice pass'd repass'd the thing of airW
Or earth beneath or heaven or t'other placeG
And Juan gazed upon it with a stareW
Yet could not speak or move but on its baseG
As stands a statue stood he felt his hairW
Twine like a knot of snakesG

George Gordon Byron



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