Memories Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAABCDCD EFEEFGHGH IJIKJLMLM NONNOPQPQ RJRRJFSFS TUTTUVOVO WXWWXBYBZ JA2JJA2OB2OB2 NC2NNC2D2OD2O

A beautiful and happy girlA
With step as light as summer airB
Eyes glad with smiles and brow of pearlA
Shadowed by many a careless curlA
Of unconfined and flowing hairB
A seeming child in everythingC
Save thoughtful brow and ripening charmsD
As Nature wears the smile of SpringC
When sinking into Summer's armsD
-
A mind rejoicing in the lightE
Which melted through its graceful bowerF
Leaf after leaf dew moist and brightE
And stainless in its holy whiteE
Unfolding like a morning flowerF
A heart which like a fine toned luteG
With every breath of feeling wokeH
And even when the tongue was muteG
From eye and lip in music spokeH
-
How thrills once more the lengthening chainI
Of memory at the thought of theeJ
Old hopes which long in dust have lainI
Old dreams come thronging back againK
And boyhood lives again in meJ
I feel its glow upon my cheekL
Its fulness of the heart is mineM
As when I leaned to hear thee speakL
Or raised my doubtful eye to thineM
-
I hear again thy low repliesN
I feel thy arm within my ownO
And timidly again upriseN
The fringed lids of hazel eyesN
With soft brown tresses overblownO
Ah memories of sweet summer evesP
Of moonlit wave and willowy wayQ
Of stars and flowers and dewy leavesP
And smiles and tones more dear than theyQ
-
Ere this thy quiet eye hath smiledR
My picture of thy youth to seeJ
When half a woman half a childR
Thy very artlessness beguiledR
And folly's self seemed wise in theeJ
I too can smile when o'er that hourF
The lights of memory backward streamS
Yet feel the while that manhood's powerF
Is vainer than my boyhood's dreamS
-
Years have passed on and left their traceT
Of graver care and deeper thoughtU
And unto me the calm cold faceT
Of manhood and to thee the graceT
Of woman's pensive beauty broughtU
More wide perchance for blame than praiseV
The school boy's humble name has flownO
Thine in the green and quiet waysV
Of unobtrusive goodness knownO
-
And wider yet in thought and deedW
Diverge our pathways one in youthX
Thine the Genevan's sternest creedW
While answers to my spirit's needW
The Derby dalesman's simple truthX
For thee the priestly rite and prayerB
And holy day and solemn psalmY
For me the silent reverence whereB
My brethren gather slow and calmZ
-
Yet hath thy spirit left on meJ
An impress Time has worn not outA2
And something of myself in theeJ
A shadow from the past I seeJ
Lingering even yet thy way aboutA2
Not wholly can the heart unlearnO
That lesson of its better hoursB2
Not yet has Time's dull footstep wornO
To common dust that path of flowersB2
-
Thus while at times before our eyesN
The shadows melt and fall apartC2
And smiling through them round us liesN
The warm light of our morning skiesN
The Indian Summer of the heartC2
In secret sympathies of mindD2
In founts of feeling which retainO
Their pure fresh flow we yet may findD2
Our early dreams not wholly vainO

John Greenleaf Whittier



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