Lamia. Part I Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBAACCDDEEFFGGHIAA EEJKLLMMNNOOAAAAPPQQ RRSSPP MMSSSSAATTUUSSUUUPPV V SSSSUUWWAASSSSSSAASS SSXWYZAASSA2A2SSAAB2 B2C2C2SSWD2E2E2E2SSU UAAUUE2E2E2AAF2F2SSG 2G2SSE2E2UUSSAAMM E2E2MMUUUE2E2AAMMAAM MMMSSH2

Upon a time before the faery broodsA
Drove Nymph and Satyr from the prosperous woodsA
Before King Oberon's bright diademB
Sceptre and mantle clasp'd with dewy gemB
Frighted away the Dryads and the FaunsA
From rushes green and brakes and cowslip'd lawnsA
The ever smitten Hermes empty leftC
His golden throne bent warm on amorous theftC
From high Olympus had he stolen lightD
On this side of Jove's clouds to escape the sightD
Of his great summoner and made retreatE
Into a forest on the shores of CreteE
For somewhere in that sacred island dweltF
A nymph to whom all hoofed Satyrs kneltF
At whose white feet the languid Tritons pouredG
Pearls while on land they wither d and adoredG
Fast by the springs where she to bathe was wontH
And in those meads where sometime she might hauntI
Were strewn rich gifts unknown to any MuseA
Though Fancy s casket were unlock d to chooseA
Ah what a world of love was at her feetE
So Hermes thought and a celestial heatE
Burnt from his winged heels to either earJ
That from a whiteness as the lily clearK
Blush d into roses mid his golden hairL
Fallen in jealous curls about his shoulders bareL
From vale to vale from wood to wood he flewM
Breathing upon the flowers his passion newM
And wound with many a river to its headN
To find where this sweet nymph prepar d her secret bedN
In vain the sweet nymph might nowhere be foundO
And so he rested on the lonely groundO
Pensive and full of painful jealousiesA
Of the Wood Gods and even the very treesA
There as he stood he heard a mournful voiceA
Such as once heard in gentle heart destroysA
All pain but pity thus the lone voice spakeP
When from this wreathed tomb shall I awakeP
When move in a sweet body fit for lifeQ
And love and pleasure and the ruddy strifeQ
Of hearts and lips Ah miserable meR
The God dove footed glided silentlyR
Round bush and tree soft brushing in his speedS
The taller grasses and full flowering weedS
Until he found a palpitating snakeP
Bright and cirque couchant in a dusky brakeP
-
She was a gordian shape of dazzling hueM
Vermilion spotted golden green and blueM
Striped like a zebra freckled like a pardS
Eyed like a peacock and all crimson barr dS
And full of silver moons that as she breathedS
Dissolv d or brighter shone or interwreathedS
Their lustres with the gloomier tapestriesA
So rainbow sided touch d with miseriesA
She seem d at once some penanced lady elfT
Some demon s mistress or the demon s selfT
Upon her crest she wore a wannish fireU
Sprinkled with stars like Ariadne s tiarU
Her head was serpent but ah bitter sweetS
She had a woman s mouth with all its pearls completeS
And for her eyes what could such eyes do thereU
But weep and weep that they were born so fairU
As Proserpine still weeps for her Sicilian airU
Her throat was serpent but the words she spakeP
Came as through bubbling honey for Love s sakeP
And thus while Hermes on his pinions layV
Like a stoop d falcon ere he takes his preyV
-
Fair Hermes crown d with feathers fluttering lightS
I had a splendid dream of thee last nightS
I saw thee sitting on a throne of goldS
Among the Gods upon Olympus oldS
The only sad one for thou didst not hearU
The soft lute finger d Muses chaunting clearU
Nor even Apollo when he sang aloneW
Deaf to his throbbing throat s long long melodious moanW
I dreamt I saw thee robed in purple flakesA
Break amorous through the clouds as morning breaksA
And swiftly as a bright Phoebean dartS
Strike for the Cretan isle and here thou artS
Too gentle Hermes hast thou found the maidS
Whereat the star of Lethe not delay dS
His rosy eloquence and thus inquiredS
Thou smooth lipp d serpent surely high inspiredS
Thou beauteous wreath with melancholy eyesA
Possess whatever bliss thou canst deviseA
Telling me only where my nymph is fledS
Where she doth breathe Bright planet thou hast saidS
Return d the snake but seal with oaths fair GodS
I swear said Hermes by my serpent rodS
And by thine eyes and by thy starry crownX
Light flew his earnest words among the blossoms blownW
Then thus again the brilliance feminineY
Too frail of heart for this lost nymph of thineZ
Free as the air invisibly she straysA
About these thornless wilds her pleasant daysA
She tastes unseen unseen her nimble feetS
Leave traces in the grass and flowers sweetS
From weary tendrils and bow d branches greenA2
She plucks the fruit unseen she bathes unseenA2
And by my power is her beauty veil dS
To keep it unaffronted unassail dS
By the love glances of unlovely eyesA
Of Satyrs Fauns and blear d Silenus sighsA
Pale grew her immortality for woeB2
Of all these lovers and she grieved soB2
I took compassion on her bade her steepC2
Her hair in weird syrops that would keepC2
Her loveliness invisible yet freeS
To wander as she loves in libertyS
Thou shalt behold her Hermes thou aloneW
If thou wilt as thou swearest grant my boonD2
Then once again the charmed God beganE2
An oath and through the serpent s ears it ranE2
Warm tremulous devout psalterianE2
Ravish d she lifted her Circean headS
Blush d a live damask and swift lisping saidS
I was a woman let me have once moreU
A woman s shape and charming as beforeU
I love a youth of Corinth O the blissA
Give me my woman s form and place me where he isA
Stoop Hermes let me breathe upon thy browU
And thou shalt see thy sweet nymph even nowU
The God on half shut feathers sank sereneE2
She breath d upon his eyes and swift was seenE2
Of both the guarded nymph near smiling on the greenE2
It was no dream or say a dream it wasA
Real are the dreams of Gods and smoothly passA
Their pleasures in a long immortal dreamF2
One warm flush d moment hovering it might seemF2
Dash d by the wood nymph s beauty so he burn dS
Then lighting on the printless verdure turn dS
To the swoon d serpent and with languid armG2
Delicate put to proof the lythe Caducean charmG2
So done upon the nymph his eyes he bentS
Full of adoring tears and blandishmentS
And towards her stept she like a moon in waneE2
Faded before him cower d nor could restrainE2
Her fearful sobs self folding like a flowerU
That faints into itself at evening hourU
But the God fostering her chilled handS
She felt the warmth her eyelids open d blandS
And like new flowers at morning song of beesA
Bloom d and gave up her honey to the leesA
Into the green recessed woods they flewM
Nor grew they pale as mortal lovers doM
-
Left to herself the serpent now beganE2
To change her elfin blood in madness ranE2
Her mouth foam d and the grass therewith besprentM
Wither d at dew so sweet and virulentM
Her eyes in torture fix d and anguish drearU
Hot glaz d and wide with lid lashes all searU
Flash d phosphor and sharp sparks without one cooling tearU
The colours all inflam d throughout her trainE2
She writh d about convuls d with scarlet painE2
A deep volcanian yellow took the placeA
Of all her milder mooned body s graceA
And as the lava ravishes the meadM
Spoilt all her silver mail and golden bredeM
Made gloom of all her frecklings streaks and barsA
Eclips d her crescents and lick d up her starsA
So that in moments few she was undrestM
Of all her sapphires greens and amethystM
And rubious argent of all these bereftM
Nothing but pain and ugliness were leftM
Still shone her crown that vanish d also sheS
Melted and disappear d as suddenlyS
And in the air her new voice lH2

John Keats



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