The Thrush In February Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DEDF GHGH IJIJ KLKL MNMN OPPP QRQR PSPS TPUP VPWP PPPP PXPX PPPP YXYX QZQZ A2PA2P PXPX B2C2B2C2 D2PD2P E2XE2X F2PF2P G2XG2X H2I2H2I2 PPPP XPXP PJ2PK2 XL2XL2 PPPP XPXP PXPX XPXP XPXP PM2PM2 A2N2A2N2 O2WO2W P2ZQ2L XXXX R2XR2X S2GS2T2

I know him February's thrushA
And loud at eve he valentinesB
On sprays that paw the naked bushC
Where soon will sprout the thorns and binesB
-
Now ere the foreign singer thrillsD
Our vale his plain song pipe he poursE
A herald of the million billsD
And heed him not the loss is yoursF
-
My study flanked with ivied firG
And budded beech with dry leaves curledH
Perched over yew and juniperG
He neighbours piping to his worldH
-
The wooded pathways dank on brownI
The branches on grey cloud a webJ
The long green roller of the downI
An image of the deluge ebbJ
-
And farther they may hear alongK
The stream beneath the poplar rowL
By fits like welling rocks the songK
Spouts of a blushful Spring in flowL
-
But most he loves to front the valeM
When waves of warm South western rainsN
Have left our heavens clear in paleM
With faintest beck of moist red veinsN
-
Vermilion wings by distance heldO
To pause aflight while fleeting swiftP
And high aloft the pearl inshelledP
Her lucid glow in glow will liftP
-
A little south of coloured skyQ
Directing gravely amorousR
The human of a tender eyeQ
Through pure celestial on usR
-
Remote not alien still not coldP
Unraying yet more pearl than starS
She seems a while the vale to holdP
In trance and homelier makes the farS
-
Then Earth her sweet unscented breathesT
An orb of lustre quits the heightP
And like blue iris flags in wreathsU
The sky takes darkness long ere quiteP
-
His Island voice then shall you hearV
Nor ever after separateP
From such a twilight of the yearW
Advancing to the vernal gateP
-
He sings me out of Winter's throatP
The young time with the life aheadP
And my young time his leaping noteP
Recalls to spirit mirth from deadP
-
Imbedded in a land of greedP
Of mammon quakings dire as Earth'sX
My care was but to soothe my needP
At peace among the littleworthsX
-
To light and song my yearning aimedP
To that deep breast of song and lightP
Which men have barrenest proclaimedP
As 'tis to senses pricked with frightP
-
So mine are these new fruitings richY
The simple to the common bringsX
I keep the youth of souls who pitchY
Their joy in this old heart of thingsX
-
Who feel the Coming young as ayeQ
Thrice hopeful on the ground we ploughZ
Alive for life awake to dieQ
One voice to cheer the seedling NowZ
-
Full lasting is the song though heA2
The singer passes lasting tooP
For souls not lent in usuryA2
The rapture of the forward viewP
-
With that I bear my senses fraughtP
Till what I am fast shoreward drivesX
They are the vessel of the ThoughtP
The vessel splits the Thought survivesX
-
Nought else are we when sailing braveB2
Save husks to raise and bid it burnC2
Glimpse of its livingness will waveB2
A light the senses can discernC2
-
Across the river of the deathD2
Their close Meanwhile O twilight birdP
Of promise bird of happy breathD2
I hear I would the City heardP
-
The City of the smoky frayE2
A prodded ox it drags and moansX
Its Morrow no man's child its DayE2
A vulture's morsel beaked to bonesX
-
It strives without a mark for strifeF2
It feasts beside a famished hostP
The loose restraint of wanton lifeF2
That threatened penance in the ghostP
-
Yet there our battle urges thereG2
Spring heroes many issuing thenceX
Names that should leave no vacant airG2
For fresh delight in confidenceX
-
Life was to them the bag of grainH2
And Death the weedy harrow's toothI2
Those warriors of the sighting brainH2
Give worn Humanity new youthI2
-
Our song and star are they to leadP
The tidal multitude and blindP
From bestial to the higher breedP
By fighting souls of love divinedP
-
They scorned the ventral dream of peaceX
Unknown in nature This they knewP
That life begets with fair increaseX
Beyond the flesh if life be trueP
-
Just reason based on valiant bloodP
The instinct bred afield would matchJ2
To pipe thereof a swelling floodP
Were men of Earth made wise in watchK2
-
Though now the numbers count as dropsX
An urn might bear they father TimeL2
She shapes anew her dusty cropsX
Her quick in their own likeness climbL2
-
Of their own force do they createP
They climb to light in her their rootP
Your brutish cry at muffled fateP
She smites with pangs of worse than bruteP
-
She judged of shrinking nerves appearsX
A Mother whom no cry can meltP
But read her past desires and fearsX
The letters on her breast are speltP
-
A slayer yea as when she pressedP
Her savage to the slaughter heapsX
To sacrifice she prompts her bestP
She reaps them as the sower reapsX
-
But read her thought to speed the raceX
And stars rush forth of blackest nightP
You chill not at a cold embraceX
To come nor dread a dubious mightP
-
Her double visage double voiceX
In oneness rise to quench the doubtP
This breath her gift has only choiceX
Of service breathe we in or outP
-
Since Pain and Pleasure on each handP
Led our wild steps from slimy rockM2
To yonder sweeps of gardenlandP
We breathe but to be sword or blockM2
-
The sighting brain her good decreeA2
Accepts obeys those guides in faithN2
By reason hourly fed that sheA2
To some the clod to some the wraithN2
-
Is more no mask a flame a streamO2
Flame stream are we in mid careerW
From torrent source delirious dreamO2
To heaven reflecting currents clearW
-
And why the sons of Strength have beenP2
Her cherished offspring ever howZ
The Spirit served by her is seenQ2
Through Law perusing love will showL
-
Love born of knowledge love that gainsX
Vitality as Earth it matesX
The meaning of the Pleasures PainsX
The Life the Death illuminatesX
-
For love we Earth then serve we allR2
Her mystic secret then is oursX
We fall or view our treasures fallR2
Unclouded as beholds her flowersX
-
Earth from a night of frosty wreckS2
Enrobed in morning's mounted fireG
When lowly with a broken neckS2
The crocus lays her cheek to mireT2

George Meredith



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