The Auction Sale Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBCACADEEFEEEGHIJEK I LMNOHPEPEEEE QEQQEEERSEETECC EUVVWEEEEVVWIWCXCX YQYEVETCIEI CVZCEA2EEEEEZB2C2D2 EA2QE2EQ VEVF2EG2ED2EQCH2QWCC QWQI2QWH2IH2 VJ2FEK2OOK2D2EVVL2A2 M2M2EVA2XVEEQN2IEI ED2D2O2D2VD2 QQWHP2Q2WP2QA2R2QER2 EE A2OES2EER2ET2T2QVEVR OT2VU2MT2 T2VEEET2EEEEEEWV2EA2 WWW A2QT2EQT2T2EW2QO

Within the great grey flapping tentA
The damp crowd stood or stamped aboutB
And some came in and some went outB
To drink the moist November airC
None fainted though a few looked spentA
And eyed some empty unbought chairC
It was getting on And all had meantA
Not to go home with empty handsD
But full of gain at little costE
Of mirror vase or vinaigretteE
Yet often after certain salesF
Some looked relieved that they had lostE
Others at having won upsetE
Two men from London sat apartE
Both from the rest and each from eachG
One man in grey and one in brownH
And each ignored the others faceI
And both ignored the endless streamJ
Of bed and bedside cabinetE
Gazing intent upon the floorK
And they were strangers in that placeI
-
-
Two other men competing nowL
Locals whom everybody knewM
In shillings genially stroveN
For some small thing in ormoluO
Neither was eager one looked downH
Blankly at eighty four and thenP
Rallied again at eighty eightE
And took it off at four pounds tenP
The loser grimly shook his fistE
But friendly there was nothing meantE
Little gained was little missedE
And there was smiling in the tentE
-
-
The auctioneer paused to drinkQ
And wiped his lips and looked aboutE
Engaged in whispered colloquoyQ
The clerk who frowned and seemed to thinkQ
And murmured Why not do it nextE
The auctioneer though full of doubtE
Unacquiescent rather vexedE
At last agreed and at his signR
Two ministrants came softly forthS
And lifted in an ashen shroudE
Something extremely carefully packedE
Which might have been some sort of frameT
And was a picture frame in factE
They steadied it gently and with careC
And held it covered standing thereC
-
-
The auctioneer again looked roundE
And smiled uneasily at friendsU
And said Well friends I have to sayV
Something I have not said to dayV
There's a reserve upon this numberW
It is a picture which though unsignedE
Is thought to be of a superior kindE
So I am sure you gentlemen will not mindE
If I tell you at once before we startE
That what I have been asked to sayV
Is as I have said to sayV
There's a reserve upon this numberW
There was a rustle in that placeI
And some awoke as though from slumberW
And some disturbance fluttered thereC
And as if summoned to beginX
Those who had stepped outside for airC
Retrieved themselves and stepped back inX
-
-
The ministrants two local boysY
Experienced in this sort of workQ
And careful not to make too much noiseY
Reached forward to unhook the shroudE
Which slowly opening fell awayV
And on the public gaze releasedE
The prospect of a great gold frameT
That through the reluctant leaden airC
Flashed a mature unsullied graceI
Into the faces of the crowdE
And there was silence in that placeI
-
i Effulgent in the Paduan airC
Ardent to yield the Venus layV
Naked upon the sunwarmed earthZ
Bronze and bright and crisp her hairC
By the right hand of Mars caressedE
Who sunk beside her on his kneeA2
His mouth towards her mouth inclinedE
His left hand near her silken breastE
Flowers about them sprang and twinedE
Accomplished Cupids leaped and sportedE
And three with dimpled arms enlacedE
And brimming gaze of stifled mirthZ
Looked wisely on at Mars's napeB2
While others played with horns and pikesC2
Or smaller objects of like shape iD2
-
And there was silence in the tentE
They gazed in silence silentlyA2
The wind dropped down no longer shookQ
The flapping sides and gaping holesE2
And some moved back and others wentE
Closer to get a better lookQ
-
i In ritual amorous delayV
Venus deposed her sheltering handE
Where her bright belly's aureate dayV
Melted down to dusk about her groinF2
And as from words that Mars had saidE
Into that hidden subtle earG2
She turned away her shining headE
iD2
The auctioneer cleared his throatE
And said I am sure I'm right in feelingQ
You will not feel it is at all unfairC
For what when all is said and doneH2
Is a work of very artistic paintingQ
And not to be classed with common lumberW
And anyway extremely rareC
You will not feel it at all unfairC
If I mention again before proceedingQ
There's a reserve upon this numberW
Someone was heard to say with meaningQ
What did I hear him say reserveI2
Meaning of course a different meaningQ
This was a man from SturminsterW
Renowned for a quiet sense of funH2
And there was laughter in that placeI
Though not of course from everyoneH2
-
i A calm and gentle mile awayV
Among the trees a river ranJ2
Boated with blue and scarlet sailsF
A towered auburn city stoodE
Beyond them on the burnished heightsK2
And afar off and over allO
The azure day for mile on mileO
Unrolled towards the DolomitesK2
iD2
The auctioneer saidE
I very much fear I have to sayV
I'm afraid we cannot look all dayV
The reserve is seven hundred poundsL2
Will anyone offer me seven fiftyA2
Seven thirty Twenty fiveM2
Thank you sir Seven twenty fiveM2
It was the man in brown who noddedE
Soon to be joined by him in greyV
The bidding started quietlyA2
No one from locally joined inX
Left to the men from London wayV
The auctioneer took proper prideE
And knew the proper way to guideE
By pause by silence and by tappingQ
The bidding toward a proper priceN2
And each of the two with unmoved faceI
Would nod and pause and nod and waitE
And there was tension in that placeI
-
i And still within the Paduan fieldE
The silent summenr scene stood byD2
The sails the hill tops and the skyD2
And the bright warmth of Venus' glanceO2
That had for centuries caught the eyeD2
Of whosoever looked that wayV
And now caught theirs on this far day iD2
-
Two people only did not lookQ
They were the men so calmly noddingQ
Intently staring at the floorW
Though one of them the one in brownH
Would sometimes slowly lift his gazeP2
And stare up towards the canvas roofQ2
Whereat a few men standing nearW
Inquiring eyes would also raiseP2
To try and see what he was seeingQ
The bidding mounted steadilyA2
With silent nod or murmured yesR2
And passed the fifteen hundred markQ
And well beyond and far beyondE
A nodding strife without successR2
Till suddenly with one soft wordE
Something unusual occurredE
-
The auctioneer had asked politelyA2
With querying look and quiet smileO
Come then may I say two thousandE
There was the customary pauseS2
When suddenly with one soft wordE
Another voice was strangely heardE
To join in saying plainly YesR2
Not their voices but a thirdE
Everyone turned in some surpriseT2
To look and see and recogniseT2
A young man who some time agoQ
Had taken a farm out Stalbridge wayV
A very pleasant young man but quietE
Though always a friendly word to sayV
Though no one in the dealing lineR
But quiet and rather unsuccessfulO
And often seen about the placeT2
At outings or on market dayV
And very polite and inoffensiveU2
And quiet as anyone would tell youM
But not from round here in any caseT2
-
The auctioneer in some surpriseT2
Said Please sir did I hear you sayV
Yes to two thousand Is that bidE
Twenty hundred am I bidE
The two were silent and the thirdE
The young man answered plainly YesT2
Yes Two thousand Yes I didE
Meaning that he had said that wordE
Ah yes Yes thank you sir concurredE
The auctioneer surprised but gladE
To know that he had rightly heardE
And added Well then I may proceedE
I am bid two thousand for this pictureW
Any advance upon that sumV2
Any advance upon two thousandE
May I say two thousand twentyA2
Twenty Thirty Thank you sirW
May I say forty Thank you sirW
Fifty You sir Thank you sirW
-
And now instead of two the threeA2
Competed in the bargainingQ
There was amazement in that placeT2
But still it gave as someone saidE
A sort of interest to the thingQ
The young man nodded with the othersT2
And it was seen his nice young faceT2
Had lost its flush and now was whiteE
And those who stood quite near to himW2
Said later of course they did not speakQ
WhilO

Henry Reed



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