Curtius Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMDNOPQRJ GSTUQVWXIQJYXZQA2QQQ DDB2QB2C2QD2QB2E2JF2 DB2B2G2H2I2QI2QJ2K2Q B2D2QB2QCQB2SQJL2M2N 2O2B2DQP2QQQ2B2QB2B2 B2QD2H2B2R2QSS2B2QQA T2QQB2B2R2B2JB2U2KJ2 V2QQQQQW2QB2B2X2DQ

How spake the Oracle my Curtius howA
Methought while on the shadow'd terracesB
I walked and looked towards Rome an echo cameC
Of legion wails blent into one deep cryD
O Jove I thought the Oracles have saidE
And saying touched some swiftly answering chordF
Gen'ral to ev'ry soul And then my heartG
I being here alone beat strangely loudH
Responsive to the cry and my still soulI
Inform'd me thus Not such a harmonyJ
Could spring from aught within the souls of menK
But that which is most common to all soulsL
Lo that is sorrow Nay Curtius I could smileM
To tell thee as I listen'd to the cryD
How on the silver flax which blew aboutN
The ivory distaff in my languid handO
I found large tears such big and rounded dropsP
As gather thro' dark nights on cypress boughsQ
And I was sudden anger'd for I thoughtR
Why should a gen'ral wail come home to meJ
With such vibration in my trembling heartG
That such great tears should rise and overflowS
Then shook them on the marble where I pac'dT
Where instantly they vanished in the sunU
As di'monds fade in flames 'twas foolish CurtiusQ
And then methought how strange and lone it seem'dV
For till thou cam'st I seem'd to be aloneW
On the vin'd terrace prison'd in the goldX
Of that still noontide hour No widows stoleI
Up the snow glimmering marble of the stepsQ
To take my alms and bless the Gods and meJ
No orphans touched the fringes of my robeY
With innocent babe fingers nor dropped the goldX
I laid in their soft palms to laugh and strokeZ
The jewels on my neck or touch the roseQ
Thou sayest Curtius lives upon my cheekA2
Perchance all lingered in the Roman streetsQ
To catch first tidings from the OraclesQ
The very peacocks drows'd in distant shadesQ
Nor sought my hand for honey'd cake and highD
A hawk sailed blackly in the clear blue skyD
And kept my doves from cooing at my feetB2
My lute lay there bound with the small white budsQ
Which laughing this bright morn thou brought and wreath'dB2
Around it as I sang but with that wailC2
Dying across the vines and purple slopesQ
And breaking on its strings I did not careD2
To waken music nor in truth could forceQ
My voice or fingers to it so I stray'dB2
Where hangs thy best loved armour on the wallE2
And pleased myself by filling it with theeJ
'Tis yet the goodliest armour in proud RomeF2
Say all the armourers all Rome and ID
Know thee the lordliest bearer of a swordB2
Yet Curtius stay there is a rivet lostB2
From out the helmet and a ruby goneG2
From the short sword hilt trifles both which canH2
Be righted by to morrow's noon to morrow's noonI2
Was there a change my Curtius in my voiceQ
When spake I those three words to morrow's noonI2
O I am full of dreams methought there wasQ
Why love how darkly gaze thine eyes in mineJ2
If lov'd I dismal thoughts I well could deemK2
Thou saw'st not the blue of my fond eyesQ
But looked between the lips of that dread pitB2
O Jove to name it seems to curse the airD2
With chills of death we'll not speak of it CurtiusQ
When I had dimm'd thy shield with kissing itB2
I went between the olives to the stallsQ
White Audax neigh'd out to me as I cameC
As I had been Hippona to his eyesQ
New dazzling from the one small mystic cloudB2
That like a silver chariot floated lowS
In the ripe blue of noon and seem'd to pauseQ
Stay'd by the hilly round of yon aged treeJ
He stretch'd the ivory arch of his vast neckL2
Smiting sharp thunders from the marble floorM2
With hoofs impatient of a peaceful earthN2
Shook the long silver of his burnish'd maneO2
Until the sunbeams smote it into lightB2
Such as a comet trails across the skyD
I love him Curtius Such magnanimous firesQ
Leap from his eyes I do truly thinkP2
That with thee seated on him thy strong kneesQ
Against his sides the bridle in his jawsQ
In thy lov'd hand to pleasure thee he'd springQ2
Sheer from the verge of Earth into the breastB2
Of Death and Chaos of Death and ChaosQ
What omens seem to strike my soul to dayB2
What is there in this blossom hour should knitB2
An omen in with ev'ry simple wordB2
Should make yon willows with their hanging locksQ
Dusk sybils mutt'ring sorrows to the airD2
The roses clamb'ring round yon marble PanH2
Wave like red banners floating o'er the deadB2
The dead there 'tis again My Curtius comeR2
And thou shalt tell me of the OraclesQ
And what sent hither that long cry of woeS
Yet wait yet wait I care not much to hearS2
While on thy charger's throbbing neck I lean'dB2
Romeward there pass'd across the violet slopesQ
Five sacrificial bulls with silver hidesQ
And horns as cusp'd and white as Dian's bowA
And lordly breasts which laid the honey'd thymeT2
Into long swarths whence smoke of yellow beesQ
Rose up in puffs dispersing as it roseQ
For the great temple they and as they pass'dB2
With quiet gait I heard their drivers sayB2
The bulls were for the Altars when should comeR2
Word from the Oracles as to the PitB2
O Curtius Curtius in my soul I seeJ
How black and fearful is its glutton throatB2
I will not lookU2
O Soul be blind and see not Then the menK
Wav'd their long goads still juicy from the vineJ2
And plum'd with bronzy leaves and each to eachV2
Showed the sleek beauty of the rounded sidesQ
The mighty curving of the lordly breastsQ
The level lines of backs the small fine headsQ
And laugh'd and said The Gods will have it thusQ
The choicest of the earth for sacrificeQ
Let it be man or maid or lowing bullW2
Where lay the witchcraft in their clownish wordsQ
To shake my heart I know not but it thrill'dB2
As Daphne's leaves thrill to a wind so softB2
One might not feel it on the open palmX2
I cannot choose but laugh for what have ID
To do with altars and with sacrificeQ

Isabella Valancy Crawford



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