Phaethon--attempted In Galliambic Measure Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKALMNAHJOA PQQRHSKTAUVWXOYZA2CA KOB2C2AD2ZAPE2HHDF2X HQG2H2G2KUG2I2AAG2G2 J2PG2K2G2L2M2HM2G2G2 MG2APG2AK AN2 O2KP2AG2AHP2P2P2G2P2 HAD2G2P2PAMC2 AAPG2HQ2HUP2KAR2PP2G 2P2G2G2HP2SPHG2P2S2A G2P2PHHHG2G2UAG2HP2G 2G2U

At the coming up of Phoebus the all luminous charioteerA
Double visaged stand the mountains in imperial multitudesB
And with shadows dappled men sing to him Hail O BeneficentC
For they shudder chill the earth vales at his clouding shudder toD
blackE
In the light of him there is music thro' the poplar and river sedgeF
Renovation chirp of brooks hum of the forest an ocean songG
Never pearl from ocean hollows by the diver exultinglyH
In his breathlessness above thrust is as earth to HeliosI
Who usurps his place there rashest Aphrodite's loved one it isJ
To his son the flaming Sun God to the tender youth PhaethonK
Rule of day this day surrenders as a thing hereditaryA
Having sworn by Styx tremendous for the proof of his parentageL
He would grant his son's petition whatsoever the sign thereofM
Then rejoiced the stripling answered 'Rule of day give me giveN
it meA
Give me place that men may see me how I blaze and transcendinglyH
I divine proclaim my birthright ' Darkened Helios and hisJ
utteranceO
Choked prophetic 'O half mortal ' he exclaimed in an agonyA
'O lost son of mine lost son No put a prayer for another thingP
Not for this insane to wish it and to crave the gift impiousQ
Cannot other gifts my godhead shed upon thee miraculousQ
Mighty gifts to prove a blessing that to earth thou shalt be a joyR
Gifts of healing wherewith men walk as the Gods beneficentlyH
As a God to sway to concord hearts of men reconciling themS
Gifts of verse the lyre the laurel therewithal that thine originK
Shall be known even as when I strike on the string'd shell withT
melodyA
And the golden notes like medicine darting straight to theU
cavitiesV
Fill them up till hearts of men bound as the billows the shipsW
thereon 'X
Thus intently urged the Sun God but the force of his eloquenceO
Was the pressing on of sea waves scattered broad from the rocksY
awayZ
What shall move a soul from madness Lost lost in deliriumA2
Rock fast the adolescent to his father irreverentC
'By the oath the oath thine oath ' cried The effulgent foreseerA
thenK
Quivering in his loins parental on the boy's beaming countenanceO
Looked and moaned and urged him for love's sake for sweet life'sB2
sake to yield the claimC2
To abandon his mad hunger and avert the calamityA
But he vehement passionate called out 'Let me show I am what ID2
sayZ
That the taunts I hear be silenced I am stung with theirA
whisperingP
Only Thou my Father Thou tell how aloft the revolving wheelsE2
How aloft the cleaving horse crests I may guide peremptorilyH
Till I drink the shadows fire hot like a flower celestialH
And my fellows see me curbing the fierce steeds the dear dewD
drinkersF2
Yea for this I gaze on life's light throw for this any sacrifice 'X
-
All the end foreseeing Phoebus to his oath irrevocableH
Bowed obedient deploring the insanity pitilessQ
Then the flame outsnorting horses were led forth it was soG2
decreedH2
They were yoked before the glad youth by his sister ancillariesG2
Swift the ripple ripples follow'd as of aureate HeliconK
Down their flanks while they impatient pawed desire of theU
distancesG2
And the bit with fury champed Oh unimaginable delightI2
Unimagined speed and splendour in the circle of upper airA
Glory grander than the armed host upon earth singing victoryA
Chafed the youth with their spirit surcharged as when blossom isG2
shaken by windsG2
Marked that labour by his sister Phaethontiades finished quickJ2
On the slope of the car his forefoot set assured and the morningP
roseG2
Seeing whom and what a day dawned stood the God as in harvestK2
fieldsG2
When the reaper grasps the full sheaf and the sickle that severs itL2
Hugged the withered head with one hand with the other to indicateM2
If this woe might be averted this immeasurable evilH
Laid the kindling course in view told how the reins to manipulateM2
Named the horses fondly fearful caution'd urgently betweenwhilesG2
Their diverging tempers dwelt on and their wantonness wickednessG2
That the voice of Gods alone held in restraint but the voice ofM
GodsG2
None but Gods can curb He spake vain were the words scarcelyA
listeningP
Mounted Phaethon swinging reins loose and 'Behold me companionsG2
It is I here I ' he shouted glancing down with supremacyA
'Not to any of you was this gift granted ever in annals of menK
I alone what only Gods can I alone am governing day '-
Short the triumph brief his rapture see a hurricane suddenlyA
Beat the lifting billow crestless roll it broken this way and thatN2
-
At the leap on yielding ether in despite of his reprimandO2
Swayed tumultuous the fire steeds plunging reckless hither and yonK
Unto men a great amazement all agaze at the Troubled EastP2
Pitifully for mastery striving in ascension the charioteerA
Reminiscent drifts of counsel caught confused in his arid witsG2
The reins stiff ahind his shoulder madly pulled for the masteryA
Till a thunder off the tense chords thro' his ears dinned horribleH
Panic seized him fled his vision of inviolabilityP2
Fled the dream that he of mortals rode mischances predominantP2
And he cried 'Had I petitioned for a cup of chill aconiteP2
My descent to awful Hades had been soft for now must I goG2
With the curse by father Zeus cast on ambition immoderateP2
Oh my sisters Thou my Goddess in whose love I was enviableH
From whose arms I rushed befrenzied what a wreck will this body beA
That admired of thee stood rose warm in the courts where thyD2
mysteriesG2
Celebration had from me me the most splendidly privilegedP2
Never more shall I thy temple fill with incenses bewilderingP
Not again hear thy half murmurs I am lost never never moreA
I am wrecked on seas of air hurled to my death in a vessel ofM
flameC2
Hither sisters Father save me Hither succour me Cypria '-
-
Now a wail of men to Zeus rang from Olympus the ThundererA
Saw the rage of the havoc wide mouthed the bright carA
superimpendingP
Over Asia Africa low down ruin flaming over the valesG2
Light disastrous rising savage out of smoke inveteratelyH
Beast black conflagration like a menacing shadow moveQ2
With voracious roaring southward where aslant insufferableH
The bright steeds careered their parched way down an arc of theU
firmamentP2
For the day grew like to thick night and the orb was its beaconK
fireA
And from hill to hill of darkness burst the day's apparition forthR2
Lo a wrestler not a God stood in the chariot ever loweringP
Lo the shape of one who raced there to outstrip the legitimateP2
hoursG2
Lo the ravish'd beams of Phoebus dragged in shame at the chariotP2
wheelsG2
Light of days of happy pipings by the mead singing rivuletsG2
Lo lo increasing lustre torrid breath to the nostrils loH
Torrid brilliancies thro' the vapours lighten swifter penetrateP2
themS
Fasten merciless ruminant hueless on earth's frame cracklingP
busilyH
He aloft the frenzied driver in the glow of the universeG2
Like the paling of the dawn star withers visibly he aloftP2
Bitter fury in his aspect bitter death in the heart of himS2
Crouch the herds contract the reptiles crouch the lions underA
their pawsG2
White as metal in the furnace are the faces of human kindP2
Inarticulate creatures of earth dumb all await the ultimate shockP
To the bolt he launched 'Strike dead thou ' uttered Zeus veryH
terribleH
'Perish folly else 'tis man's fate' and the bolt flew unerringlyH
Then the kindler stooped from the torch car down the measurelessG2
altitudesG2
Leaned his rayless head relinquished rein and footing raised not aU
cryA
Like the flower on the river's surface when expanding it vanishesG2
Gave his limbs to right and left quenched and so fell heH
precipitateP2
Seen of men as a glad rain fall sending coolness yet ere it comesG2
So he showered above them shadowed o'er the blue archipelagoesG2
O'er the silken shining pastures of the continents and theU

George Meredith



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