The Eve Of Saint Mark. A Fragment Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEECCAACCBBFF GG HHIICCCCCCHHJJCC BBCCKKCCLLMNJJOOCC KKCCCCCCCC PPQQBBCCBBRRCCCCSSCC TTUUCCCCCCVVCCCCCCCC CCFFSSW XXYYCUpon 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)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about The Eve Of Saint Mark. A Fragment poem by John Keats
Best Poems of John Keats