Vashti Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AB CD EF GC HI JK LM DN OP IQ RS TU VW XY ZA2 B2C2 OD2 E2F2 GH G2X| I sometimes take you in my dreams to a far off land I used to know | A |
| Back in the ages long ago a land of palms and languid streams | B |
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| A land by night of jeweled skies by day of shores that glistened bright | C |
| Within whose arms outstretched and white a sapphire sea lay crescent wise | D |
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| Where twilight fell like silver floss where rose the golden moon half hid | E |
| Behind a shadowy pyramid a land beneath the Southern Cross | F |
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| And there the days dreamed in their flight each one a poem chanted through | G |
| Which at its close was merged into the muted music of the night | C |
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| And you were a princess in those days And I I was your serving lad | H |
| But who ever served with heart so glad or lived so for a word of praise | I |
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| And if that word you chanced to speak how all my senses swayed and reeled | J |
| Till low beside your feet I kneeled with happiness o'erwrought and weak | K |
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| If when your golden cup I bore you deigned to lower your eyes to mine | L |
| Eyes cold yet fervid like the wine I knew not how to wish for more | M |
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| I trembled at the thought to dare to gaze upon to scrutinize | D |
| The deep sea mystery of your eyes the sun lit splendor of your hair | N |
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| To let my timid glances rest upon you long enough to note | O |
| How fair and slender was your throat how white the promise of your breast | P |
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| But though I did not dare to chance a lingering look an open gaze | I |
| Upon your beauty's blinding rays I ventured many a stolen glance | Q |
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| I fancy too but could not state what trick of mind the fancy caused | R |
| At times your eyes upon me paused and marked my figure lithe and straight | S |
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| Once when my eyes met yours it seemed that in your cheek despite your pride | T |
| A flush arose and swiftly died or was it something that I dreamed | U |
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| Within your radiance like the star of morning there I stood and served | V |
| Close by unheeded unobserved You were so near and yet so far | W |
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| Ah just to stretch my hand and touch the musky sandals on your feet | X |
| My breaking heart of rapture sweet it never could have held so much | Y |
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| Oh beauty haunted memory Your face so proud your eyes so calm | Z |
| Your body like a slim young palm and sinuous as a willow tree | A2 |
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| Caught up beneath your slender arms and girdled 'round your supple waist | B2 |
| A robe of curious silk that graced but only scarce concealed your charms | C2 |
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| A golden band about your head a crimson jewel at your throat | O |
| Which when the sunlight on it smote turned to a living heart and bled | D2 |
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| But oh that mystic bleeding stone that work of Nature's magic art | E2 |
| Which mimicked so a wounded heart could never bleed as did my own | F2 |
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| Now after ages long and sad in this stern land we meet anew | G |
| No more a princess proud are you and I I am no serving lad | H |
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| And yet dividing us I meet a wider gulf than that which stood | G2 |
| Between a princess of the blood and him who served low at her feet | X |
James Weldon Johnson
(1)
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