The Maid Of Gerringong Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABCDDEEFFGHIIJKLLFF MMNNOOPPFF GHQRSSTTFF UUVVWWXXFF RRYYZZDDFF A2A2B2B2C2DQRFF D2D2KKE2F2G2G2FF H2H2F2F2TTI2I2FF| Rolling through the gloomy gorges comes the roaring southern blast | A |
| With a sound of torrents flying like a routed army past | A |
| And beneath the shaggy forelands strange fantastic forms of surf | B |
| Fly like wild hounds at the darkness crouching over sea and earth | C |
| Swooping round the sunken caverns with an aggravated roar | D |
| Falling where the waters tumble foaming on a screaming shore | D |
| In a night like this we parted Eyes were wet though speech was low | E |
| And our thoughts were all in mourning for the dear dead Long Ago | E |
| In a night like this we parted Hearts were sad though they were young | F |
| And you left me very lonely dark haired Maid of Gerringong | F |
| Said my darling looking at me through the radiance of her tears | G |
| Many changes O my loved One we will meet in after years | H |
| Changes like to sudden sunbursts flashing down a rainy steep | I |
| Changes like to swift winged shadows falling on a moony deep | I |
| And they are so cheerless sometimes leaving when they pass us by | J |
| Deepening dolours on the sweet sad face of our Humanity | K |
| But you ll hope and fail and faint not with that heart so warm and true | L |
| Watching for the coming Morning that will flood the World for you | L |
| Listening through a thirsty silence till the low winds bear along | F |
| Eager footfalls pleasant voices said the Maid of Gerringong | F |
| - | |
| Said my darling when the wind came sobbing wildly round the eaves | M |
| Oh the Purpose scattered from me like the withered autumn leaves | M |
| Oh the wreck of Love s ambition Oh the fond and full belief | N |
| That I yet should hear them hail you in your land a God made chief | N |
| In the loud day they may slumber but my thoughts will not be still | O |
| When the weary world is sleeping and the moon is on the hill | O |
| Then your form will bend above me then your voice will rise and fall | P |
| Though I turn and hide in darkness with my face against the wall | P |
| And my Soul must rise and listen while those homeless memories throng | F |
| Moaning in the night for shelter said the Maid of Gerringong | F |
| - | |
| Ay she passed away and left me Rising through the dusk of tears | G |
| Came a vision of that parting every day for many years | H |
| Every day though she had told me not to court the strange sweet pain | Q |
| Something whispered something led me to our olden haunts again | R |
| And I used to wander nightly by the surges and the ships | S |
| Harping on those last fond accents that had trembled from her lips | S |
| Till a vessel crossed the waters and I heard a stranger say | T |
| One you loved has died in silence with her dear face turned away | T |
| Oh the eyes that flash upon me and the voice that comes along | F |
| Oh my light my life my darling dark haired Maid of Gerringong | F |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| Some one saith Oh you that mock at Passion with a worldly whine | U |
| Would you change the face of Nature would you limit God s design | U |
| Hide for shame from well raised clamour moderate fools who would be wise | V |
| Hide for shame the World will hoot you Love is Love and never dies | V |
| And another asketh doubting that my brother speaks the truth | W |
| Can we love in age as fondly as we did in days of youth | W |
| Will dead faces always haunt us in the time of faltering breath | X |
| Shall we yearn and we so feeble Ay for Love is Love in Death | X |
| Oh the Faith with sure foundation let the Ages roll along | F |
| You are mine and mine for ever dark haired Maid of Gerringong | F |
| - | |
| Last night dear I dreamt about you and I thought that far from men | R |
| We were walking both together in a fragrant seaside glen | R |
| Down where we could hear the surges wailing round the castled cliffs | Y |
| Down where we could see the sunset reddening on the distant skiffs | Y |
| There a fall of mountain waters tumbled through the knotted bowers | Z |
| Bright with rainbow colours reeling on the purple forest flowers | Z |
| And we rested on the benches of a cavern old and hoar | D |
| And I whispered this is surely her I loved in days of yore | D |
| False he was who brought sad tidings Why were you away so long | F |
| When you knew who waited for you dark haired Maid of Gerringong | F |
| - | |
| Did the strangers come around you in the far off foreign land | A2 |
| Did they lead you out of sorrow with kind face and loving hand | A2 |
| Had they pleasant ways to court you had they silver words to bind | B2 |
| Had they souls more fond and loyal than the soul you left behind | B2 |
| Do not think I blame you dear one Ah my heart is gushing o er | C2 |
| With the sudden joy and wonder thus to see your face once more | D |
| Happy is the chance which joins us after long long years of pain | Q |
| And oh blessed was whatever sent you back to me again | R |
| Now our pleasure will be real now our hopes again are young | F |
| Now we ll climb Life s brightest summits dark haired Maid of Gerringong | F |
| - | |
| In the sound of many footfalls did you falter with regret | D2 |
| For a step which used to gladden in the time so vivid yet | D2 |
| When they left you in the night hours did you lie awake like me | K |
| With the thoughts of what we had been what we never more could be | K |
| Ah you look but do not answer while I halt and question here | E2 |
| Wondering why I am so happy doubting that you are so near | F2 |
| Sure these eyes with love are blinded for your form is waxing faint | G2 |
| And a dreamy splendour crowns it like the halo round a saint | G2 |
| When I talk of what we will be and new aspirations throng | F |
| Why are you so sadly silent dark haired Maid of Gerringong | F |
| - | |
| But she faded into sunset and the sunset passed from sight | H2 |
| And I followed madly after through the misty moony night | H2 |
| Crying do not leave me lonely Life has been so cold and drear | F2 |
| You are all that God has left me and I want you to be near | F2 |
| Do not leave me in the darkness I have walked a weary way | T |
| Listening for your truant footsteps turn and stay my darling stay | T |
| But she came not though I waited watching through a splendid haze | I2 |
| Where the lovely Phantom halted ere she vanished from my gaze | I2 |
| Then I thought that rain was falling for there rose a stormy song | F |
| And I woke in gloom and tempest dark haired Maid of Gerringong | F |
Henry Kendall
(1)
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