The Letter L Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBC DEDE FGFG BHBH FIFI JKJK LMNO GPGP QRQR STST CJCJ UPUP VTVT WXWX YOYO ZA2ZA2 B2C2B2C2 TJTJ CD2CD2 E2F2E2F2 G2TG2T H2CH2C JI2JI2 TJ2TJ2 K2HK2H EL2EL2 M2CM2C N2O2N2O2 MD2MD2 UVUV D2P2D2P2 Q2FQ2F R2OR2O S2T2S2U2 V2W2V2W2 FX2FX2 Q2Q2Q2Q2 Y2Y2Y2Y2 Q2LQ2L FZ2FZ2 A3Q2A3Q2 Q2DQ2D Q2A2Q2A2 Q2U2Q2 Q2B3Q2B3 FQ2FQ2 W2C3W2C3 Y2F2Y2F2 D3E3D3E3 JQ2JQ2 TB3T Q2Q2Q2Q2 Y2FY2F MJMJ C3F3C3F3 Y2JY2J Y2A2Y2A2 FQ2FQ2 Q2Q2Q2Q2 FFFF Q2Y2Q2Y2 PQ2PQ2 PMPM Q2QQ2Q Q2Y2Q2Y2 Y2Q2Y2Q2 D2Q2D2Q2 Q2G3Q2G3 Q2PQ2P MPMP Y2Y2Y2Y2 Q2Q2Q2Q2 H3I3H3I3 Q2PQ2P J3K3J3K3 FPFP Y2TY2T Q2Q2Q2Q2 D3FD3F Y2TY2T FQ2FQ2 PPPP Q2I3Q2I3 Q2Q2Q2Q2 TPTP Q2Q2Q2Q2 Q2PQ2 Q2L3Q2L3 PO2PO2 PFPF Y2JY2J Y2Y2Y2Y2 M3Q2M3Q2 QA3QA3 Q2FQ2F Q2Q2Q2Q2 FQ2FQ2 Q2O2Q2O2 Q2 W2Q2W2Q2 PY2PY2 Q2QQ2Q Q2PQ2P Q2Q2Q2Q2 N3Q2N3Q2 Q2PQ2P Q2Q2Q2Q2 Q2Y2Q2Y2 Q2QQ2Q Y2Y2Y2Y2 Y2MY2M Q2Q2Q2Q2 O3JO3J FJFJ O2TO2T Q2Q2Q2Q2 Y2FY2F PO2PO2 P3Q2P3Q2 Q3PQ3P PQ2PQ2 Q2PQ2P Q2PQ2P R3Y2R3Y2 O2TO2T S3Y2S3Y2 Q2Q2Q2Q2 Q2Q2Q2Q2 W2O2W2O2 PY2PY2 PQ2PQ2 Q2JQ2J TQ2TQ2 H3JH3J Q2Q2Q2Q2 Y2B3Y2B3 Q2D2Q2D2 Q2Y2Q2Y2 Y2Q2Y2Q2 MQ2MQ2 A3FA3F PY2PY2 Y2FY2F Q2Q2Q2Q2 Q2Y2Q2Y2 P3Q2P3Q2 Y2PY2P Q2JQ2J FY2FY2 Y2Q2Y2Q2 TQ2TQ2 A3PA3P I3Y2I3Y2 Q2Y2Q2Y2 PPPP Q2Q2Q2Q2 Q2I3Q2I3 D3Q2D3Q2 PY2PY2 W2I3W2I3 Q2Q2Y2Y2 Y2T3Y2T3 Y2TY2T PJ3PU3 Y2Y2Y2Y2 PQ2PQ2 W2Y2W2Y2 Y2Y2Y2Y2 Y2A3Y2A3 Y2B3Y2B3 V3Y2V3Y2 Y2Y2Y2Y2 TY2TY2 Y2W3Y2W3 MFMF Y2A3Y2A3 PY2PY2 Y2FY2F PPPP I3MA3M I3D2I3D2

ABSENT	A
	-
We sat on grassy slopes that meet	B
With sudden dip the level strand	C
The trees hung overhead our feet	B
Were on the sand	C
	-
Two silent girls a thoughtful man	D
We sunned ourselves in open light	E
And felt such April airs as fan	D
The Isle of Wight	E
	-
And smelt the wall flower in the crag	F
Whereon that dainty waft had fed	G
Which made the bell hung cowslip wag	F
Her delicate head	G
	-
And let alighting jackdaws fleet	B
Adown it open winged and pass	H
Till they could touch with outstretched feet	B
The warm d grass	H
	-
The happy wave ran up and rang	F
Like service bells a long way off	I
And down a little freshet sprang	F
From mossy trough	I
	-
And splashed into a rain of spray	J
And fretted on with daylight's loss	K
Because so many bluebells lay	J
Leaning across	K
	-
Blue martins gossiped in the sun	L
And pairs of chattering daws flew by	M
And sailing brigs rocked softly on	N
In company	O
	-
Wild cherry boughs above us spread	G
The whitest shade was ever seen	P
And flicker flicker came and fled	G
Sun spots between	P
	-
Bees murmured in the milk white bloom	Q
As babes will sigh for deep content	R
When their sweet hearts for peace make room	Q
As given not lent	R
	-
And we saw on we said no word	S
And one was lost in musings rare	T
One buoyant as the waft that stirred	S
Her shining hair	T
	-
His eyes were bent upon the sand	C
Unfathomed deeps within them lay	J
A slender rod was in his hand	C
A hazel spray	J
	-
Her eyes were resting on his face	U
As shyly glad by stealth to glean	P
Impressions of his manly grace	U
And guarded mien	P
	-
The mouth with steady sweetness set	V
And eyes conveying unaware	T
The distant hint of some regret	V
That harbored there	T
	-
She gazed and in the tender flush	W
That made her face like roses blown	X
And in the radiance and the hush	W
Her thought was shown	X
	-
It was a happy thing to sit	Y
So near nor mar his reverie	O
She looked not for a part in it	Y
So meek was she	O
	-
But it was solace for her eyes	Z
And for her heart that yearned to him	A2
To watch apart in loving wise	Z
Those musings dim	A2
	-
Lost lost and gone The Pelham woods	B2
Were full of doves that cooed at ease	C2
The orchis filled her purple hoods	B2
For dainty bees	C2
	-
He heard not all the delicate air	T
Was fresh with falling water spray	J
It mattered not he was not there	T
But far away	J
	-
Till with the hazel in his hand	C
Still drowned in thought it thus befell	D2
He drew a letter on the sand	C
The letter L	D2
	-
And looking on it straight there wrought	E2
A ruddy flush about his brow	F2
His letter woke him absent thought	E2
Rushed homeward now	F2
	-
And half abashed his hasty touch	G2
Effaced it with a tell tale care	T
As if his action had been much	G2
And not his air	T
	-
And she she watched his open palm	H2
Smooth out the letter from the sand	C
And rose with aspect almost calm	H2
And filled her hand	C
	-
With cherry bloom and moved away	J
To gather wild forget me not	I2
And let her errant footsteps stray	J
To one sweet spot	I2
	-
As if she coveted the fair	T
White lining of the silver weed	J2
And cuckoo pint that shaded there	T
Empurpled seed	J2
	-
She had not feared as I divine	K2
Because she had not hoped Alas	H
The sorrow of it for that sign	K2
Came but to pass	H
	-
And yet it robbed her of the right	E
To give who looked not to receive	L2
And made her blush in love's despite	E
That she should grieve	L2
	-
A shape in white she turned to gaze	M2
Her eyes were shaded with her hand	C
And half way up the winding ways	M2
We saw her stand	C
	-
Green hollows of the fring d cliff	N2
Red rocks that under waters show	O2
Blue reaches and a sailing skiff	N2
Were spread below	O2
	-
She stood to gaze perhaps to sigh	M
Perhaps to think but who can tell	D2
How heavy on her heart must lie	M
The letter L	D2
	-
	-
	-
She came anon with quiet grace	U
And What she murmured silent yet	V
He answered 'Tis a haunted place	U
And spell beset	V
	-
O speak to us and break the spell	D2
The spell is broken she replied	P2
I crossed the running brook it fell	D2
It could not bide	P2
	-
And I have brought a budding world	Q2
Of orchis spires and daisies rank	F
And ferny plumes but half uncurled	Q2
From yonder bank	F
	-
And I shall weave of them a crown	R2
And at the well head launch it free	O
That so the brook may float it down	R2
And out to sea	O
	-
There may it to some English hands	S2
From fairy meadow seem to come	T2
The fairyest of fairy lands	S2
The land of home	U2
	-
Weave on he said and as she wove	V2
We told how currents in the deep	W2
With branches from a lemon grove	V2
Blue bergs will sweep	W2
	-
And messages from shipwrecked folk	F
Will navigate the moon led main	X2
And painted boards of splintered oak	F
Their port regain	X2
	-
Then floated out by vagrant thought	Q2
My soul beheld on torrid sand	Q2
The wasteful water set at nought	Q2
Man's skilful hand	Q2
	-
And suck out gold dust from the box	Y2
And wash it down in weedy whirls	Y2
And split the wine keg on the rocks	Y2
And lose the pearls	Y2
	-
Ah why to that which needs it not	Q2
Methought should costly things be given	L
How much is wasted wrecked forgot	Q2
On this side heaven	L
	-
So musing did mine ears awake	F
To maiden tones of sweet reserve	Z2
And manly speech that seemed to make	F
The steady curve	Z2
	-
Of lips that uttered it defer	A3
Their guard and soften for the thought	Q2
She listened and his talk with her	A3
Was fancy fraught	Q2
	-
There is not much in liberty	Q2
With doubtful pauses he began	D
And said to her and said to me	Q2
There was a man	D
	-
There was a man who dreamed one night	Q2
That his dead father came to him	A2
And said when fire was low and light	Q2
Was burning dim	A2
	-
'Why vagrant thus my sometime pride	Q2
Unloved unloving wilt thou roam	U2
Sure home is best ' The son replied	Q2
'I have no home '	-
	-
'Shall not I speak ' his father said	Q2
'Who early chose a youthful wife	B3
And worked for her and with her led	Q2
My happy life	B3
	-
'Ay I will speak for I was young	F
As thou art now when I did hold	Q2
The prattling sweetness of thy tongue	F
Dearer than gold	Q2
	-
'And rosy from thy noonday sleep	W2
Would bear thee to admiring kin	C3
And all thy pretty looks would keep	W2
My heart within	C3
	-
'Then after mid thy young allies	Y2
For thee ambition flushed my brow	F2
I coveted the school boy prize	Y2
Far more than thou	F2
	-
'I thought for thee I thought for all	D3
My gamesome imps that round me grew	E3
The dews of blessing heaviest fall	D3
Where care falls too	E3
	-
'And I that sent my boys away	J
In youthful strength to earn their bread	Q2
And died before the hair was gray	J
Upon my head	Q2
	-
'I say to thee though free from care	T
A lonely lot an aimless life	B3
The crowning comfort is not there	T
Son take a wife '	-
	-
'Father beloved ' the son replied	Q2
And failed to gather to his breast	Q2
With arms in darkness searching wide	Q2
The formless guest	Q2
	-
'I am but free as sorrow is	Y2
To dry her tears to laugh to talk	F
And free as sick men are I wis	Y2
To rise and walk	F
	-
'And free as poor men are to buy	M
If they have nought wherewith to pay	J
Nor hope the debt before they die	M
To wipe away	J
	-
'What 'vails it there are wives to win	C3
And faithful hearts for those to yearn	F3
Who find not aught thereto akin	C3
To make return	F3
	-
'Shall he take much who little gives	Y2
And dwells in spirit far away	J
When she that in his presence lives	Y2
Doth never stray	J
	-
But waking guideth as beseems	Y2
The happy house in order trim	A2
And tends her babes and sleeping dreams	Y2
Of them and him	A2
	-
'O base O cold ' while thus he spake	F
The dream broke off the vision fled	Q2
He carried on his speech awake	F
And sighing said	Q2
	-
'I had ah happy man I had	Q2
A precious jewel in my breast	Q2
And while I kept it I was glad	Q2
At work at rest	Q2
	-
'Call it a heart and call it strong	F
As upward stroke of eagle's wing	F
Then call it weak you shall not wrong	F
The beating thing	F
	-
'In tangles of the jungle reed	Q2
Whose heats are lit with tiger eyes	Y2
In shipwreck drifting with the weed	Q2
'Neath rainy skies	Y2
	-
'Still youthful manhood fresh and keen	P
At danger gazed with awed delight	Q2
As if sea would not drown I ween	P
Nor serpent bite	Q2
	-
'I had ah happy but 'tis gone	P
The priceless jewel one came by	M
And saw and stood awhile to con	P
With curious eye	M
	-
'And wished for it and faintly smiled	Q2
From under lashes black as doom	Q
With subtle sweetness tender mild	Q2
That did illume	Q
	-
'The perfect face and shed on it	Q2
A charm half feeling half surprise	Y2
And brim with dreams the exquisite	Q2
Brown bless d eyes	Y2
	-
'Was it for this no more but this	Y2
I took and laid it in her hand	Q2
By dimples ruled to hint submiss	Y2
By frown unmanned	Q2
	-
'It was for this and O farewell	D2
The fearless foot the present mind	Q2
And steady will to breast the swell	D2
And face the wind	Q2
	-
'I gave the jewel from my breast	Q2
She played with it a little while	G3
As I sailed down into the west	Q2
Fed by her smile	G3
	-
'Then weary of it far from land	Q2
With sigh as deep as destiny	P
She let it drop from her fair hand	Q2
Into the sea	P
	-
'And watched it sink and I and I	M
What shall I do for all is vain	P
No wave will bring no gold will buy	M
No toil attain	P
	-
'Nor any diver reach to raise	Y2
My jewel from the blue abyss	Y2
Or could they still I should but praise	Y2
Their work amiss	Y2
	-
'Thrown thrown away But I love yet	Q2
The fair fair hand which did the deed	Q2
That wayward sweetness to forget	Q2
Were bitter meed	Q2
	-
'No let it lie and let the wave	H3
Roll over it for evermore	I3
Whelmed where the sailor hath his grave	H3
The sea her store	I3
	-
'My heart my sometime happy heart	Q2
And O for once let me complain	P
I must forego life's better part	Q2
Man's dearer gain	P
	-
'I worked afar that I might rear	J3
A peaceful home on English soil	K3
I labored for the gold and gear	J3
I loved my toil	K3
	-
'Forever in my spirit spake	F
The natural whisper Well 'twill be	P
When loving wife and children break	F
Their bread with thee	P
	-
'The gathered gold is turned to dross	Y2
The wife hath faded into air	T
My heart is thrown away my loss	Y2
I cannot spare	T
	-
'Not spare unsated thought her food	Q2
No not one rustle of the fold	Q2
Nor scent of eastern sandal wood	Q2
Nor gleam of gold	Q2
	-
'Nor quaint devices of the shawl	D3
Far less the drooping lashes meek	F
The gracious figure lithe and tall	D3
The dimpled cheek	F
	-
'And all the wonders of her eyes	Y2
And sweet caprices of her air	T
Albeit indignant reason cries	Y2
Fool have a care	T
	-
'Fool join not madness to mistake	F
Thou knowest she loved thee not a whit	Q2
Only that she thy heart might break	F
She wanted it	Q2
	-
'Only the conquered thing to chain	P
So fast that none might set it free	P
Nor other woman there might reign	P
And comfort thee	P
	-
'Robbed robbed of life's illusions sweet	Q2
Love dead outside her clos d door	I3
And passion fainting at her feet	Q2
To wake no more	I3
	-
'What canst thou give that unknown bride	Q2
Whom thou didst work for in the waste	Q2
Ere fated love was born and cried	Q2
Was dead ungraced	Q2
	-
'No more but this the partial care	T
The natural kindness for its own	P
The trust that waxeth unaware	T
As worth is known	P
	-
'Observance and complacent thought	Q2
Indulgent and the honor due	Q2
That many another man has brought	Q2
Who brought love too	Q2
	-
'Nay then forbid it Heaven ' he said	Q2
'The saintly vision fades from me	P
O bands and chains I cannot wed	Q2
I am not free '	-
	-
With that he raised his face to view	Q2
What think you asking of my tale	L3
And was he right to let the dew	Q2
Of morn exhale	L3
	-
And burdened in the noontide sun	P
The grateful shade of home forego	O2
Could he be right I ask as one	P
Who fain would know	O2
	-
He spoke to her and spoke to me	P
The rebel rose hue dyed her cheek	F
The woven crown lay on her knee	P
She would not speak	F
	-
And I with doubtful pause averse	Y2
To let occasion drift away	J
I answered If his case were worse	Y2
Than word can say	J
	-
Time is a healer of sick hearts	Y2
And women have been known to choose	Y2
With purpose to allay their smarts	Y2
And tend their bruise	Y2
	-
These for themselves Content to give	M3
In their own lavish love complete	Q2
Taking for sole prerogative	M3
Their tendance sweet	Q2
	-
Such meeting in their diadem	Q
Of crowning love's ethereal fire	A3
Himself he robs who robbeth them	Q
Of their desire	A3
	-
Therefore the man who dreaming cried	Q2
Against his lot that even song	F
I judge him honest and decide	Q2
That he was wrong	F
	-
When I am judged ah may my fate	Q2
He whispered in thy code be read	Q2
Be thou both judge and advocate	Q2
Then turned he said	Q2
	-
Fair weaver touching while he spoke	F
The woven crown the weaving hand	Q2
And do you this decree revoke	F
Or may it stand	Q2
	-
This friend you ever think her right	Q2
She is not wrong then Soft and low	O2
The little trembling word took flight	Q2
She answered No	O2
	-
	-
PRESENT	Q2
	-
A meadow where the grass was deep	W2
Rich square and golden to the view	Q2
A belt of elms with level sweep	W2
About it grew	Q2
	-
The sun beat down on it the line	P
Of shade was clear beneath the trees	Y2
There by a clustering eglantine	P
We sat at ease	Y2
	-
And O the buttercups that field	Q2
O' the cloth of gold where pennons swam	Q
Where France set up his lilied shield	Q2
His oriflamb	Q
	-
And Henry's lion standard rolled	Q2
What was it to their matchless sheen	P
Their million million drops of gold	Q2
Among the green	P
	-
We sat at ease in peaceful trust	Q2
For he had written Let us meet	Q2
My wife grew tired of smoke and dust	Q2
And London heat	Q2
	-
And I have found a quiet grange	N3
Set back in meadows sloping west	Q2
And there our little ones can range	N3
And she can rest	Q2
	-
Come down that we may show the view	Q2
And she may hear your voice again	P
And talk her woman's talk with you	Q2
Along the lane	P
	-
Since he had drawn with listless hand	Q2
The letter six long years had fled	Q2
And winds had blown about the sand	Q2
And they were wed	Q2
	-
Two rosy urchins near him played	Q2
Or watched entranced the shapely ships	Y2
That with his knife for them he made	Q2
Of elder slips	Y2
	-
And where the flowers were thickest shed	Q2
Each blossom like a burnished gem	Q
A creeping baby reared its head	Q2
And cooed at them	Q
	-
And calm was on the father's face	Y2
And love was in the mother's eyes	Y2
She looked and listened from her place	Y2
In tender wise	Y2
	-
She did not need to raise her voice	Y2
That they might hear she sat so nigh	M
Yet we could speak when 'twas our choice	Y2
And soft reply	M
	-
Holding our quiet talk apart	Q2
Of household things till all unsealed	Q2
The guarded outworks of the heart	Q2
Began to yield	Q2
	-
And much that prudence will not dip	O3
The pen to fix and send away	J
Passed safely over from the lip	O3
That summer day	J
	-
I should be happy with a look	F
Towards her husband where he lay	J
Lost in the pages of his book	F
Soft did she say	J
	-
I am and yet no lot below	O2
For one whole day eludeth care	T
To marriage all the stories flow	O2
And finish there	T
	-
As if with marriage came the end	Q2
The entrance into settled rest	Q2
The calm to which love's tossings tend	Q2
The quiet breast	Q2
	-
For me love played the low preludes	Y2
Yet life began but with the ring	F
Such infinite solicitudes	Y2
Around it cling	F
	-
I did not for my heart divine	P
Her destiny so meek to grow	O2
The higher nature matched with mine	P
Will have it so	O2
	-
Still I consider it and still	P3
Acknowledge it my master made	Q2
Above me by the steadier will	P3
Of nought afraid	Q2
	-
Above me by the candid speech	Q3
The temperate judgment of its own	P
The keener thoughts that grasp and reach	Q3
At things unknown	P
	-
But I look up and he looks down	P
And thus our married eyes can meet	Q2
Unclouded his and clear of frown	P
And gravely sweet	Q2
	-
And yet O good O wise and true	Q2
I would for all my fealty	P
That I could be as much to you	Q2
As you to me	P
	-
And knew the deep secure content	Q2
Of wives who have been hardly won	P
And long petitioned gave assent	Q2
Jealous of none	P
	-
But proudly sure in all the earth	R3
No other in that homage shares	Y2
Nor other woman's face or worth	R3
Is prized as theirs	Y2
	-
I said And yet no lot below	O2
For one whole day eludeth care	T
Your thought She answered Even so	O2
I would beware	T
	-
Regretful questionings be sure	S3
That very seldom do they rise	Y2
Nor for myself do I endure	S3
I sympathize	Y2
	-
For once she turned away her head	Q2
Across the grass she swept her hand	Q2
There was a letter once she said	Q2
Upon the sand	Q2
	-
There was in truth a letter writ	Q2
On sand I said and swept from view	Q2
But that same hand which fashioned it	Q2
Is given to you	Q2
	-
Efface the letter wherefore keep	W2
An image which the sands forego	O2
Albeit that fear had seemed to sleep	W2
She answered low	O2
	-
I could not choose but wake it now	P
For do but turn aside your face	Y2
A house on yonder hilly brow	P
Your eyes may trace	Y2
	-
The chestnut shelters it ah me	P
That I should have so faint a heart	Q2
But yester eve as by the sea	P
I sat apart	Q2
	-
I heard a name I saw a hand	Q2
Of passing stranger point that way	J
And will he meet her on the strand	Q2
When late we stray	J
	-
For she is come for she is there	T
I heard it in the dusk and heard	Q2
Admiring words that named her fair	T
But little stirred	Q2
	-
By beauty of the wood and wave	H3
And weary of an old man's sway	J
For it was sweeter to enslave	H3
Than to obey	J
	-
The voice of one that near us stood	Q2
The rustle of a silken fold	Q2
A scent of eastern sandal wood	Q2
A gleam of gold	Q2
	-
A lady In the narrow space	Y2
Between the husband and the wife	B3
But nearest him she showed a face	Y2
With dangers rife	B3
	-
A subtle smile that dimpling fled	Q2
As night black lashes rose and fell	D2
I looked and to myself I said	Q2
The letter L	D2
	-
He too looked up and with arrest	Q2
Of breath and motion held his gaze	Y2
Nor cared to hide within his breast	Q2
His deep amaze	Y2
	-
Nor spoke till on her near advance	Y2
His dark cheek flushed a ruddier hue	Q2
And with his change of countenance	Y2
Hers altered too	Q2
	-
Lenore his voice was like the cry	M
Of one entreating and he said	Q2
But that then paused with such a sigh	M
As mourns the dead	Q2
	-
And seated near with no demur	A3
Of bashful doubt she silence broke	F
Though I alone could answer her	A3
When first she spoke	F
	-
She looked her eyes were beauty's own	P
She shed their sweetness into his	Y2
Nor spared the married wife one moan	P
That bitterest is	Y2
	-
She spoke and lo her loveliness	Y2
Methought she damaged with her tongue	F
And every sentence made it less	Y2
All falsely rung	F
	-
The rallying voice the light demand	Q2
Half flippant half unsatisfied	Q2
The vanity sincere and bland	Q2
The answers wide	Q2
	-
And now her talk was of the East	Q2
And next her talk was of the sea	Y2
And has the love for it increased	Q2
You shared with me	Y2
	-
He answered not but grave and still	P3
With earnest eyes her face perused	Q2
And locked his lips with steady will	P3
As one that mused	Q2
	-
That mused and wondered Why his gaze	Y2
Should dwell on her methought was plain	P
But reason that should wonder raise	Y2
I sought in vain	P
	-
And near and near the children drew	Q2
Attracted by her rich array	J
And gems that trembling into view	Q2
Like raindrops lay	J
	-
He spoke the wife her baby took	F
And pressed the little face to hers	Y2
What pain soe'er her bosom shook	F
What jealous stirs	Y2
	-
Might stab her heart she hid them so	Y2
The cooing babe a veil supplied	Q2
And if she listened none might know	Y2
Or if she sighed	Q2
	-
Or if forecasting grief and care	T
Unconscious solace thence she drew	Q2
And lulled her babe and unaware	T
Lulled sorrow too	Q2
	-
The lady she interpreter	A3
For looks or language wanted none	P
If yet dominion stayed with her	A3
So lightly won	P
	-
If yet the heart she wounded sore	I3
Could yearn to her and let her see	Y2
The homage that was evermore	I3
Disloyalty	Y2
	-
If sign would yield that it had bled	Q2
Or rallied from the faithless blow	Y2
Or sick or sullen stooped to wed	Q2
She craved to know	Y2
	-
Now dreamy deep now sweetly keen	P
Her asking eyes would round him shine	P
But guarded lips and settled mien	P
Refused the sign	P
	-
And unbeguiled and unbetrayed	Q2
The wonder yet within his breast	Q2
It seemed a watchful part he played	Q2
Against her quest	Q2
	-
Until with accent of regret	Q2
She touched upon the past once more	I3
As if she dared him to forget	Q2
His dream of yore	I3
	-
And words of little weight let fall	D3
The fancy of the lower mind	Q2
How waxing life must needs leave all	D3
Its best behind	Q2
	-
How he had said that he would fain	P
One morning on the halcyon sea	Y2
That life would at a stand remain	P
Eternally	Y2
	-
And sails be mirrored in the deep	W2
As then they were for evermore	I3
And happy spirits wake and sleep	W2
Afar from shore	I3
	-
The well contented heart be fed	Q2
Ever as then and all the world	Q2
It were not small unshadow d	Y2
When sails were furled	Y2
	-
Your words a pause and quietly	Y2
With touch of calm self ridicule	T3
It may be so for then said he	Y2
I was a fool	T3
	-
With that he took his book and left	Y2
An awkward silence to my care	T
That soon I filled with questions deft	Y2
And debonair	T
	-
And slid into an easy vein	P
The favorite picture of the year	J3
The grouse upon her lord's domain	P
The salmon weir	U3
	-
Till she could fain a sudden thought	Y2
Upon neglected guests and rise	Y2
And make us her adieux with nought	Y2
In her dark eyes	Y2
	-
Acknowledging or shame or pain	P
But just unveiling for our view	Q2
A little smile of still disdain	P
As she withdrew	Q2
	-
Then nearer did the sunshine creep	W2
And warmer came the wafting breeze	Y2
The little babe was fast asleep	W2
On mother's knees	Y2
	-
Fair was the face that o'er it leant	Y2
The cheeks with beauteous blushes dyed	Y2
The downcast lashes shyly bent	Y2
That failed to hide	Y2
	-
Some tender shame She did not see	Y2
She felt his eyes that would not stir	A3
She looked upon her babe and he	Y2
So looked at her	A3
	-
So grave so wondering so content	Y2
As one new waked to conscious life	B3
Whose sudden joy with fear is blent	Y2
He said My wife	B3
	-
My wife how beautiful you are	V3
Then closer at her side reclined	Y2
The bold brown woman from afar	V3
Comes to me blind	Y2
	-
And by comparison I see	Y2
The majesty of matron grace	Y2
And learn how pure how fair can be	Y2
My own wife's face	Y2
	-
Pure with all faithful passion fair	T
With tender smiles that come and go	Y2
And comforting as April air	T
After the snow	Y2
	-
Fool that I was my spirit frets	Y2
And marvels at the humbling truth	W3
That I have deigned to spend regrets	Y2
On my bruised youth	W3
	-
Its idol mocked thee seated nigh	M
And shamed me for the mad mistake	F
I thank my God he could deny	M
And she forsake	F
	-
Ah who am I that God hath saved	Y2
Me from the doom I did desire	A3
And crossed the lot myself had craved	Y2
To set me higher	A3
	-
What have I done that He should bow	P
From heaven to choose a wife for me	Y2
And what deserved He should endow	P
My home with THEE	Y2
	-
My wife With that she turned her face	Y2
To kiss the hand about her neck	F
And I went down and sought the place	Y2
Where leaped the beck	F
	-
The busy beck that still would run	P
And fall and falter its refrain	P
And pause and shimmer in the sun	P
And fall again	P
	-
It led me to the sandy shore	I3
We sang together it and I	M
The daylight comes the dark is o'er	A3
The shadows fly	M
	-
I lost it on the sandy shore	I3
O wife its latest murmurs fell	D2
O wife be glad and fear no more	I3
The letter L	D2

Jean Ingelow

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About The Letter L

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