Dead Selves Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACBAA DBDDEAA FGFFGAA HIJJ AA KLKKLAA MNMMNAA OKOOKAA NPNNPAA AQACQAA| How many of my selves are dead | A |
| The ghosts of many haunt me Lo | B |
| The baby in the tiny bed | A |
| With rockers on is blanketed | C |
| And sleeping in the long ago | B |
| And so I ask with shaking head | A |
| How many of my selves are dead | A |
| - | |
| A little face with drowsy eyes | D |
| And lisping lips comes mistily | B |
| From out the faded past and tries | D |
| The prayers a mother breathed with sighs | D |
| Of anxious care in teaching me | E |
| But face and form and prayers have fled | A |
| How many of my selves are dead | A |
| - | |
| The little naked feet that slipped | F |
| In truant paths and led the way | G |
| Through dead'ning pasture lands and tripped | F |
| O'er tangled poison vines and dipped | F |
| In streams forbidden where are they | G |
| In vain I listen for their tread | A |
| How many of my selves are dead | A |
| - | |
| The awkward boy the teacher caught | H |
| Inditing letters filled with love | I |
| Who was compelled for all he fought | J |
| To read aloud each tender thought | J |
| Of 'Sugar Lump' and 'Turtle Dove ' | - |
| I wonder where he hides his head | A |
| How many of my selves are dead | A |
| - | |
| The earnest features of a youth | K |
| With manly fringe on lip and chin | L |
| With eager tongue to tell the truth | K |
| To offer love and life forsooth | K |
| So brave was he to woo and win | L |
| A prouder man was never wed | A |
| How many of my selves are dead | A |
| - | |
| The great strong hands so all inclined | M |
| To welcome toil or smooth the care | N |
| From mother brows or quick to find | M |
| A leisure scrap of any kind | M |
| To toss the baby in the air | N |
| Or clap at babbling things it said | A |
| How many of my selves are dead | A |
| - | |
| The pact of brawn and scheming brain | O |
| Conspiring in the plots of wealth | K |
| Still delving till the lengthened chain | O |
| Unwindlassed in the mines of gain | O |
| Recoils with dregs of ruined health | K |
| And pain and poverty instead | A |
| How many of my selves are dead | A |
| - | |
| The faltering step the faded hair | N |
| Head heart and soul all echoing | P |
| With maundering fancies that declare | N |
| That life and love were never there | N |
| Nor ever joy in anything | P |
| Nor wounded heart that ever bled | A |
| How many of my selves are dead | A |
| - | |
| So many of my selves are dead | A |
| That bending here above the brink | Q |
| Of my last grave with dizzy head | A |
| I find my spirit comforted | C |
| For all the idle things I think | Q |
| It can but be a peaceful bed | A |
| Since all my other selves are dead | A |
James Whitcomb Riley
(1)
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About Dead Selves
Dead Selves is a poem by James Whitcomb Riley. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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