Maud Muller Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AA BB CD EE FF GG HH II JJ KK EE LL MM NN EE OO CC DD PP LL CC QR CC LL SS CC TU VV LL WG XX CC YN CC OO LL ZZ HA2 CC QR HH LL CC A2H B2B2 C2C2 LL D2D2 E2E2 A2F2 G2G2 CC A2F2 OO CC

Maud Muller on a summer's dayA
Raked the meadow sweet with hayA
-
Beneath her torn hat glowed the wealthB
Of simple beauty and rustic healthB
-
Singing she wrought and her merry gleeeC
The mock bird echoed from his treeD
-
But when she glanced to the far off townE
White from its hill slope looking downE
-
The sweet song died and a vague unrestF
And a nameless longing filled her breastF
-
A wish that she hardly dared to ownG
For something better than she had knownG
-
The Judge rode slowly down the laneH
Smoothing his horse's chestnut maneH
-
He drew his bridle in the shadeI
Of the apple trees to greet the maidI
-
And asked a draught from the spring that flowedJ
Through the meadow across the roadJ
-
She stooped where the cool spring bubbled upK
And filled for him her small tin cupK
-
And blushed as she gave it looking downE
On her feet so bare and her tattered gownE
-
Thanks said the Judge a sweeter draughtL
From a fairer hand was never quaffedL
-
He spoke of the grass and flowers and treesM
Of the singing birds and the humming beesM
-
Then talked of the haying and wondered whetherN
The cloud in the west would bring foul weatherN
-
And Maud forgot her brier torn gownE
And her graceful ankles bare and brownE
-
And listened while a pleased surpriseO
Looked from her long lashed hazel eyesO
-
At last like one who for delayC
Seeks a vain excuse he rode awayC
-
Maud Muller looked and sighed Ah meD
That I the Judge's bride might beD
-
He would dress me up in silks so fineP
And praise and toast me at his wineP
-
My father should wear a broadcloth coatL
My brother should sail a pointed boatL
-
I'd dress my mother so grand and gayC
And the baby should have a new toy each dayC
-
And I'd feed the hungry and clothe the poorQ
And all should bless me who left our doorR
-
The Judge looked back as he climbed the hillC
And saw Maud Muller standing stillC
-
A form more fair a face more sweetL
Ne'er hath it been my lot to meetL
-
And her modest answer and graceful airS
Show her wise and good as she is fairS
-
Would she were mine and I to dayC
Like her a harvester of hayC
-
No doubtful balance of rights and wrongsT
Nor weary lawyers with endless tonguesU
-
But low of cattle and song of birdsV
And health and quiet and loving wordsV
-
But he thought of his sisters proud and coldL
And his mother vain of her rank and goldL
-
So closing his heart the Judge rode onW
And Maud was left in the field aloneG
-
But the lawyers smiled that afternoonX
When he hummed in court an old love tuneX
-
And the young girl mused beside the wellC
Till the rain on the unraked clover fellC
-
He wedded a wife of richest dowerY
Who lived for fashion as he for powerN
-
Yet oft in his marble hearth's bright glowC
He watched a picture come and goC
-
And sweet Maud Muller's hazel eyesO
Looked out in their innocent surpriseO
-
Oft when the wine in his glass was redL
He longed for the wayside well insteadL
-
And closed his eyes on his garnished roomsZ
To dream of meadows and clover bloomsZ
-
And the proud man sighed and with a secret painH
Ah that I were free againA2
-
Free as when I rode that dayC
Where the barefoot maiden raked her hayC
-
She wedded a man unlearned and poorQ
And many children played round her doorR
-
But care and sorrow and childbirth painH
Left their traces on heart and brainH
-
And oft when the summer sun shone hotL
On the new mown hay in the meadow lotL
-
And she heard the little spring brook fallC
Over the roadside through a wallC
-
In the shade of the apple tree againA2
She saw a rider draw his reinH
-
And gazing down with timid graceB2
She felt his pleased eyes read her faceB2
-
Sometimes her narrow kitchen wallsC2
Stretched away into stately hallsC2
-
The weary wheel to a spinet turnedL
The tallow candle an astral burnedL
-
And for him who sat by the chimney lugD2
Dozing and grumbling o'er pipe and mugD2
-
A manly form at her side she sawE2
And joy was duty and love was lawE2
-
Then she took up her burden of life againA2
Saying only It might have beenF2
-
Alas for the maiden alas for the JudgeG2
For rich repiner and househole drudgeG2
-
God pity them both and pity us allC
Who vainly the dreams of youth recallC
-
For of all sad words of tongue or penA2
The saddest are these It might have beenF2
-
Ah well for us all some sweet hope liesO
Deeply buried from human eyesO
-
And in the hereafter angels mayC
Roll the stone from its grave awayC

John Greenleaf Whittier



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