The Erl-king Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBCD EEFF GGHH BBII BBJJ IIHH KKHH HHHH LK HHCD BBFF HHHH BBKK IIJJ IIBB KKCC HHHH

A
WHO rides there so late through the night dark and drearB
The father it is with his infant so dearB
He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his armC
He holdeth him safely he keepeth him warmD
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My son wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hideE
Look father the Erl King is close by our sideE
Dost see not the Erl King with crown and with trainF
My son 'tis the mist rising over the plainF
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Oh come thou dear infant oh come thou with meG
Full many a game I will play there with theeG
On my strand lovely flowers their blossoms unfoldH
My mother shall grace thee with garments of goldH
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My father my father and dost thou not hearB
The words that the Erl King now breathes in mine earB
Be calm dearest child 'tis thy fancy deceivesI
'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering leavesI
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Wilt go then dear infant wilt go with me thereB
My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly careB
My daughters by night their glad festival keepJ
They'll dance thee and rock thee and sing thee to sleepJ
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My father my father and dost thou not seeI
How the Erl King his daughters has brought here for meI
My darling my darling I see it arightH
'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sightH
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I love thee I'm charm'd by thy beauty dear boyK
And if thou'rt unwilling then force I'll employK
My father my father he seizes me fastH
Full sorely the Erl King has hurt me at lastH
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The father now gallops with terror half wildH
He grasps in his arms the poor shuddering childH
He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dreadH
The child in his arms finds he motionless deadH
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from a translation byL
Edwin ZeydelK
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Who rides so late where winds blow wildH
It is the father grasping his childH
He holds the boy embraced in his armC
He clasps him snugly he keeps him warmD
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My son why cover your face in such fearB
O don't you see the ErlKing nearB
The ErlKing with his crown and trainF
My son the mist is on the plainF
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Sweet lad o come and join me doH
Such pretty games I'll play with youH
On the shore gay flowers their colors unfoldH
My mother has made you a garment of goldH
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My father my father o can you not hearB
The promise the ErlKing breathes in my earB
Be calm stay calm my child lie lowK
In withered leaves the night winds blowK
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Will you sweet lad come along with meI
My daughters shall care for you tenderlyI
In the night my daughters their revelry keepJ
They'll rock you and dance you and sing you to sleepJ
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My father my father o can you not traceI
The ErlKing's daughters in that gloomy placeI
My son my son I see it clearB
How grey the ancient willows appearB
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I love you your comeliness charms me my boyK
And if you're not willing then force I'll employK
Now father o father he's seizing my armC
The ErlKing has done me the cruelest harmC
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The father shudders his ride is wildH
In his arms he's holding the shivering childH
He reaches home with toil and dreadH
In his arms the child was deadH

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe



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