Eclogue Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABA CDCDC EFEFE GHIHG JKJKL MNMOM PQPQP RSRST UVWVW VXVYV ZA2ZB2Z C2D2E2D2C2 F2TF2F2F2 G2H2G2H2G2 LZLI2L| JANE SNEED BEGAN IT My poor John alas | A |
| Ten years ago pretty it was in a ring | B |
| To run as boys and girls do in the grass | A |
| At that time leap and hollo and skip and sing | B |
| Came easily to pass | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| JOHN BLACK SAID I ll interpret what you mean | C |
| Our infant selves played happily with our others | D |
| The cunning me and mine came not between | C |
| Which like a sword is O sweethearts and brothers | D |
| Numberless who have seen | C |
| - | |
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| JANE SNEED I tell you what I used to do | E |
| For joy I used to run by river or wood | F |
| To see with what speed all came trooping too | E |
| Those days I could not quit you if I would | F |
| Nor yet quit me could you | E |
| - | |
| - | |
| JOHN BLACK RETURNED But now Jane it appears | G |
| We are sly travelers keeping good lookout | H |
| Against the face whose ravage cries for tears | I |
| Old friends ill met and supposing I call out | H |
| Draw nigh friend of those years | G |
| - | |
| - | |
| Before he think of any reason why | J |
| The features of that man resolve and burn | K |
| For one long look but then the flame must die | J |
| The cold hearts in us mortally return | K |
| We must not fructify | L |
| - | |
| - | |
| JANE SNEED SAID BITTERLY Why John you are right | M |
| We were spendthrifts of joy when we were young | N |
| But we became usurious and in fright | M |
| Conceived that such a waste of days was wrong | O |
| For marchers unto night | M |
| - | |
| - | |
| JOHN BLACK SAID Yes exactly that was when | P |
| It happened For Time involved us in his toils | Q |
| We learned to fear And every day since then | P |
| We are mortals teasing for immortal spoils | Q |
| Desperate women and men | P |
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| JANE SNEED CONSENTED It was nothing but this | R |
| Love suffereth long is kind but not in fear | S |
| For boys run banded and simple sweethearts kiss | R |
| Till in one day the dream of Death appear | S |
| Then metamorphosis | T |
| - | |
| - | |
| JOHN BLACK SAID To explain mistrust and wars | U |
| Theogony has a black witch with hell s broth | V |
| Or a preposterous marriage of fleshless stars | W |
| Or the Fiend s own naked person or God wroth | V |
| Fingering his red scars | W |
| - | |
| - | |
| And philosophy an art of equal worth | V |
| Tells of a flaw in the firmament spots in the sun | X |
| A Third Day s error when the upheaving earth | V |
| Was young and prime a Fate reposed upon | Y |
| The born before their birth | V |
| - | |
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| JANE SNEED WITH GRIM LIPS MOCKED HIM Who can tell | Z |
| Not I not you about those mysteries | A2 |
| Something John Black came flapping out of hell | Z |
| And wrought between us and the chasm is | B2 |
| Digged and it digged it well | Z |
| - | |
| - | |
| JOHN BLACK IN DEPRECATION SAID Be sure | C2 |
| That love has suffered a most fatal eclipse | D2 |
| All brotherhoods filialities insecure | E2 |
| Lovers compounding honey on their lips | D2 |
| With deep doubts to endure | C2 |
| - | |
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| JANE SNEED SIGHED SLOWLY I suppose it stands | F2 |
| Just so Yet I can picture happiness | T |
| Perhaps there wander lovers in some lands | F2 |
| Who when Night comes when it is fathomless | F2 |
| Consort their little hands | F2 |
| - | |
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| And well John Black the darkened lovers may | G2 |
| The hands hold much of heat in little storage | H2 |
| The eyes are almost torches good as day | G2 |
| And one flame to the other flame cries Courage | H2 |
| When heart to heart slide they | G2 |
| - | |
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| JOHN BLACK S THE LAST SAY THEN O innocent dove | L |
| This is a dream We lovers mournfully | Z |
| Exchange our bleak despairs We are one part love | L |
| And nine parts bitter thought As well might be | I2 |
| Beneath ground as above | L |
John Crowe Ransom
(1)
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