The False Knight's Tragedy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DEFG HIB JKHK FGLG MCNC NOMP BQRQ BSTS EBUB VWXW YQTQ ZA2NA2 B2C2D2C2 E2BF2B BBG2B H2BH2B I2F2J2F2 PPPP K2CL2C SCM2C PN2O2P2 Q2CM2C R2BKB BPS2P| A false knight wooed a maiden poor | A |
| And his high halls left he | B |
| To stoop in at her cottage door | C |
| When night left none to see | B |
| - | |
| And well a day it is a tale | D |
| For pity too severe | E |
| A tale would melt the sternest eye | F |
| And wake the deafest ear | G |
| - | |
| He stole her heart he stole her love | H |
| 'T was all the wealth she had | I |
| Her truth and fame likewise stole he | B |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| And they rode on and they rode on | J |
| Far on this pair did ride | K |
| Till the maiden's heart with fear and love | H |
| Beat quick against her side | K |
| - | |
| And on they rode till rocks grew high | F |
| Sir Knight what have we here | G |
| Unsaddle maid for here we stop | L |
| And death's tongue smote her ear | G |
| - | |
| Some ruffian rude she took him now | M |
| And wished she'd barred the door | C |
| Nor was it one that she could read | N |
| Of having heard before | C |
| - | |
| Thou art not my true love she said | N |
| But some rude robber loon | O |
| He'd take me from the saddle bow | M |
| Nor leave me to get down | P |
| - | |
| I ne'er was your true love said he | B |
| For I'm more bold than true | Q |
| Though I'm the knight that came at dark | R |
| To kiss and toy with you | Q |
| - | |
| I know you're not my love said she | B |
| That came at night and wooed | S |
| Although ye try and mock his speech | T |
| His way was ne'er so rude | S |
| - | |
| He ne'er said word but called me dear | E |
| And dear he is to me | B |
| Ye spake as ye ne'er knew the word | U |
| Rude ruffian as ye be | B |
| - | |
| Ye never was my knight I trow | V |
| Ye pay me no regard | W |
| But he would take my arm in his | X |
| If we but went a yard | W |
| - | |
| No matter whose true love I am | Y |
| I'm more than true to you | Q |
| For I'll ne'er wed a shepherd wench | T |
| Although I came to woo | Q |
| - | |
| And on to the rock's top they walked | Z |
| Till they stood o'er the salt sea's brim | A2 |
| And there said he 's your bridal bed | N |
| Where you may sink or swim | A2 |
| - | |
| A moonbeam shone upon his face | B2 |
| The maid sunk at his feet | C2 |
| For 't was her own false love she saw | D2 |
| That once so fond did greet | C2 |
| - | |
| And did ye promise love for this | E2 |
| Is the grave my priest to be | B |
| And did ye bring this silken dress | F2 |
| To wed me with the sea | B |
| - | |
| O never mind your dress quoth he | B |
| 'T is well to dress for sea | B |
| Mermaids will love to see you fine | G2 |
| Your bridesmaids they will be | B |
| - | |
| O let me cast this gown away | H2 |
| It's brought no good to me | B |
| And if my mother greets my clay | H2 |
| Too wretched will she be | B |
| - | |
| For she for my sad sake would keep | I2 |
| This guilty bridal dress | F2 |
| To break and tell her bursting heart | J2 |
| She had a daughter less | F2 |
| - | |
| So off she threw her bridal gown | P |
| Likewise her gold clasped shoon | P |
| His looks frowned hard as any stone | P |
| Hers pale turned as the moon | P |
| - | |
| O false false knight you've wrapped me warm | K2 |
| Ere I was cold before | C |
| And now you strip me unto death | L2 |
| Although I'm out of door | C |
| - | |
| O dash away those thistles rude | S |
| That crowd about the shore | C |
| They'll wound my tender feet that ne'er | M2 |
| Went barefoot thus before | C |
| - | |
| O dash those stinging nettles down | P |
| And cut away the brier | N2 |
| For deep they wound those lily arms | O2 |
| Which you did once admire | P2 |
| - | |
| And he nor briers nor thistles cut | Q2 |
| Although she grieved full sore | C |
| And he nor shed one single tear | M2 |
| Nor kiss took evermore | C |
| - | |
| She shrieked and sank and is at rest | R2 |
| All in the deep deep sea | B |
| And home in base and scornful pride | K |
| With haunted heart rode he | B |
| - | |
| Now o'er that rock there hangs a tree | B |
| And chains do creak thereon | P |
| And in those chains his memory hangs | S2 |
| Though all beside is gone | P |
John Clare
(1)
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