The Eve Of Saint Mark. A Fragment Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEECCAACCBBFF GG HHIICCCCCCHHJJCC BBCCKKCCLLMNJJOOCC KKCCCCCCCC PPQQBBCCBBRRCCCCSSCC TTUUCCCCCCVVCCCCCCCC CCFFSSW XXYYC| Upon a Sabbath day it fell | A |
| Twice holy was the Sabbath bell | A |
| That call'd the folk to evening prayer | B |
| The city streets were clean and fair | B |
| From wholesome drench of April rains | C |
| And on the western window panes | C |
| The chilly sunset faintly told | D |
| Of unmatur'd green vallies cold | D |
| Of the green thorny bloomless hedge | E |
| Of rivers new with spring tide sedge | E |
| Of primroses by shelter'd rills | C |
| And daisies on the aguish hills | C |
| Twice holy was the Sabbath bell | A |
| The silent streets were crowded well | A |
| With staid and pious companies | C |
| Warm from their fire side orat'ries | C |
| And moving with demurest air | B |
| To even song and vesper prayer | B |
| Each arched porch and entry low | F |
| Was fill'd with patient folk and slow | F |
| With whispers hush and shuffling feet | G |
| While play'd the organ loud and sweet | G |
| - | |
| The bells had ceas'd the prayers begun | H |
| And Bertha had not yet half done | H |
| A curious volume patch'd and torn | I |
| That all day long from earliest morn | I |
| Had taken captive her two eyes | C |
| Among its golden broideries | C |
| Perplex'd her with a thousand things | C |
| The stars of Heaven and angels' wings | C |
| Martyrs in a fiery blaze | C |
| Azure saints in silver rays | C |
| Moses' breastplate and the seven | H |
| Candlesticks John saw in Heaven | H |
| The winged Lion of Saint Mark | J |
| And the Covenantal Ark | J |
| With its many mysteries | C |
| Cherubim and golden mice | C |
| - | |
| Bertha was a maiden fair | B |
| Dwelling in the old Minster square | B |
| From her fire side she could see | C |
| Sidelong its rich antiquity | C |
| Far as the Bishop's garden wall | K |
| Where sycamores and elm trees tall | K |
| Full leav'd the forest had outstript | C |
| By no sharp north wind ever nipt | C |
| So shelter'd by the mighty pile | L |
| Bertha arose and read awhile | L |
| With forehead 'gainst the window pane | M |
| Again she try'd and then again | N |
| Until the dusk eve left her dark | J |
| Upon the legend of St Mark | J |
| From plaited lawn frill fine and thin | O |
| She lifted up her soft warm chin | O |
| With aching neck and swimming eyes | C |
| And daz'd with saintly imageries | C |
| - | |
| All was gloom and silent all | K |
| Save now and then the still foot fall | K |
| Of one returning homewards late | C |
| Past the echoing minster gate | C |
| The clamorous daws that all the day | C |
| Above tree tops and towers play | C |
| Pair by pair had gone to rest | C |
| Each in its ancient belfry nest | C |
| Where asleep they fall betimes | C |
| To music of the drowsy chimes | C |
| - | |
| All was silent all was gloom | P |
| Abroad and in the homely room | P |
| Down she sat poor cheated soul | Q |
| And struck a lamp from the dismal coal | Q |
| Lean'd forward with bright drooping hair | B |
| And slant book full against the glare | B |
| Her shadow in uneasy guise | C |
| hover'd about a giant size | C |
| On ceiling beam and old oak chair | B |
| The parrot's cage and panel square | B |
| And the warm angled winter screen | R |
| On which were many monsters seen | R |
| Call'd doves of Siam Lima mice | C |
| And legless birds of Paradise | C |
| Macaw and tender Avadavat | C |
| And silken furr'd Angora cat | C |
| Untir'd she read her shadow still | S |
| Glower'd about as it would fill | S |
| The room with wildest forms and shades | C |
| As though some ghostly queen of spades | C |
| Had come to mock behind her back | T |
| And dance and ruffle her garments black | T |
| Untir'd she read the legend page | U |
| Of holy Mark from youth to age | U |
| On land on sea in pagan chains | C |
| Rejoicing for his many pains | C |
| Sometimes the learned Eremite | C |
| With golden star or dagger bright | C |
| Referr'd to pious poesies | C |
| Written in smallest crow quill size | C |
| Beneath the text and thus the rhyme | V |
| Was parcell'd out from time to time | V |
| 'Als writith he of swevenis | C |
| Men han beforne they wake in bliss | C |
| Whanne that hir friendes thinke him bound | C |
| In crimped shroude farre under grounde | C |
| And how a litling child mote be | C |
| A saint er its nativitie | C |
| Gif that the modre God her blesse | C |
| Kepen in solitarinesse | C |
| And kissen devoute the holy croce | C |
| Of Goddes love and Sathan's force | C |
| He writith and thinges many mo | F |
| Of swiche thinges I may not show | F |
| Bot I must tellen verilie | S |
| Somdel of Sainte Cicilie | S |
| And chieftie what he auctorethe | W |
| Of Sainte Markis life and dethe ' | - |
| - | |
| At length her constant eyelids come | X |
| Upon the fervent martyrdom | X |
| Then lastly to his holy shrine | Y |
| Exalt amid the tapers' shine | Y |
| At Venice | C |
John Keats
(1)
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About The Eve Of Saint Mark. A Fragment
The Eve Of Saint Mark. A Fragment is a poem by John Keats. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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