The Chair Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCD CCEF EEGH GGIJ IIII IIIG IIFK LLMN MMII IIIO IILP QQCR CCST| The chair was made | A |
| By hands long dead | B |
| Polished by many bodies sitting there | C |
| Until the wood lines flowed as clean as waves | D |
| - | |
| Mine sat restless there | C |
| Or propped to stare | C |
| Hugged the low kitchen with fond eyes | E |
| Or tired eyes that looked at nothing at all | F |
| - | |
| Or watched from the smoke rise | E |
| The flame's snake eyes | E |
| Up the black bearded chimney leap | G |
| Then on my shoulder my dull head would drop | H |
| - | |
| And half asleep | G |
| I heard her creep | G |
| Her never singing lips shut fast | I |
| Fearing to wake me by a careless breath | J |
| - | |
| Then at last | I |
| My lids upcast | I |
| Our eyes met I smiled and she smiled | I |
| And I shut mine again and truly slept | I |
| - | |
| Was I that child | I |
| Fretful sick wild | I |
| Was that you moving soft and soft | I |
| Between the rooms if I but played at sleep | G |
| - | |
| Or if I laughed | I |
| Talked cried or coughed | I |
| You smiled too just perceptibly | F |
| Or your large kind brown eyes said O poor boy | K |
| - | |
| From the fireside I | L |
| Could see the narrow sky | L |
| Through the barred heavy window panes | M |
| Could hear the sparrows quarrelling round the lilac | N |
| - | |
| And hear the heavy rains | M |
| Choking in the roof drains | M |
| Else of the world I nothing heard | I |
| Or nothing remember now But most I loved | I |
| - | |
| To watch when you stirred | I |
| Busily like a bird | I |
| At household doings with hands floured | I |
| Mixing a magic with your cakes and tarts | O |
| - | |
| O into me sick froward | I |
| Yourself you poured | I |
| In all those days and weeks when I | L |
| Sat slept woke whimpered wondered and slept again | P |
| - | |
| Now but a memory | Q |
| To bless and harry me | Q |
| Remains of you still swathed with care | C |
| Myself your chief care sitting by the hearth | R |
| - | |
| Propped in the pillowed chair | C |
| Following you with tired stare | C |
| And my hand following the wood lines | S |
| By dead hands smoothed and followed many years | T |
John Freeman
(1)
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