The Maid Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBACCDDEAAFGGFHIIJJ KKLLMMNONOPEEHAQRRSS THUUVVWWXXYHZZXXVVA2 A2| A certain maid as proud as fair | A |
| A husband thought to find | B |
| Exactly to her mind | B |
| Well form'd and young genteel in air | A |
| Not cold nor jealous mark this well | C |
| Whoe'er would wed this dainty belle | C |
| Must have besides rank wealth and wit | D |
| And all good qualities to fit | D |
| A man 'twere difficult to get | E |
| Kind Fate however took great care | A |
| To grant if possible her prayer | A |
| There came a wooing men of note | F |
| The maiden thought them all | G |
| By half too mean and small | G |
| 'They marry me the creatures dote | F |
| Alas poor souls their case I pity ' | H |
| Here mark the bearing of the beauty | I |
| Some were less delicate than witty | I |
| Some had the nose too short or long | J |
| In others something else was wrong | J |
| Which made each in the maiden's eyes | K |
| An altogether worthless prize | K |
| Profound contempt is aye the vice | L |
| Which springs from being over nice | L |
| Thus were the great dismiss'd and then | M |
| Came offers from inferior men | M |
| The maid more scornful than before | N |
| Took credit to her tender heart | O |
| For giving then an open door | N |
| 'They think me much in haste to part | O |
| With independence God be thank'd | P |
| My lonely nights bring no regret | E |
| Nor shall I pine or greatly fret | E |
| Should I with ancient maids be rank'd ' | H |
| Such were the thoughts that pleased the fair | A |
| Age made them only thoughts that were | Q |
| Adieu to lovers passing years | R |
| Awaken doubts and chilling fears | R |
| Regret at last brings up the train | S |
| Day after day she sees with pain | S |
| Some smile or charm take final flight | T |
| And leave the features of a 'fright ' | H |
| Then came a hundred sorts of paint | U |
| But still no trick nor ruse nor feint | U |
| Avail'd to hide the cause of grief | V |
| Or bar out Time that graceless thief | V |
| A house when gone to wreck and ruin | W |
| May be repair'd and made a new one | W |
| Alas for ruins of the face | X |
| No such rebuilding e'er takes place | X |
| Her daintiness now changed its tune | Y |
| Her mirror told her 'Marry soon ' | H |
| So did a certain wish within | Z |
| With more of secrecy than sin | Z |
| A wish that dwells with even prudes | X |
| Annihilating solitudes | X |
| This maiden's choice was past belief | V |
| She soothing down her restless grief | V |
| And smoothing it of every ripple | A2 |
| By marrying a cripple | A2 |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
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