Isola Comacina Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCDE FGFGHH IGIGJK LMLMNN OPOPQQ MIMIRN STSTUU VWVWXX QYQYGG ZA2ZA2B2B2 HC2HC2D2D2 E2F2E2F2G2G2 ZH2ZH2I2I2 J2K2J2K2H2H2 HL2HL2H2H2 M2PM2PHH

The only Island on Lake Como the Lake Larius of the RomansA
-
-
There sleeps beneath Italian skiesB
A lovely island rich in fameC
In days of old a longed for prizeB
And bearing still an honored nameC
A spot renowned from age to ageD
An ancient Roman heritageE
-
A valued stronghold for whose sakeF
Unnumbered men have fought and diedG
The Malta of the Larian lakeF
Forever armed and fortifiedG
To Como's shores the master keyH
The guardian of its libertyH
-
Half hidden in a sheltered bayI
Where tiny skiffs at anchor rideG
How different is the scene to dayI
Reflected in its waveless tideG
From that which this historic fossJ
Showed mailed soldiers of the CrossK
-
Yet still across the narrow straitL
Some remnants of the hospice standM
Whose ever hospitable gateL
Met pilgrims from the Holy LandM
Its finely carved millennial towerN
Enduring to the present hourN
-
One gem alone doth Como wearO
None other need adorn her breastP
'Tis this her emerald solitaireO
Her unique island of the blestP
The star beside her crescent shoreQ
A thing of beauty evermoreQ
-
On Comacina's peaceful strandM
The coldest heart is moved to prayI
As softly steals o'er lake and landM
The splendor of departing dayI
And scores of snowy peaks aspireR
To sparkle with supernal fireN
-
Then Lario paints for liquid milesS
The white robed monarchs' glittering crownsT
Transmutes at once to dimpled smilesS
The sternest of their glacial frownsT
And often holds with subtlest artU
Some Titan's likeness to her heartU
-
Fair Comacina through whose treesV
Earth's feathered songsters flit unharmedW
Where soft eyed cattle graze at easeV
And every whispering breeze seems charmedW
Can it be true that human bloodX
Hath ever stained thy limpid floodX
-
Alas too often drenched with goreQ
Thy cliffs have witnessed deadly strifeY
When hostile feet profaned thy shoreQ
And each advancing step cost lifeY
As prince and peasant side by sideG
Beat back the Goths' invading tideG
-
But why disturb the silent pastZ
Why rouse the island's sleeping ghostsA2
Or see in forms by ruins castZ
The phantoms of those warlike hostsA2
For centuries the gentle wavesB2
Have rolled oblivion o'er their gravesB2
-
And what will now thy future beH
Thou pristine refuge of the braveC2
Which Rome's last heroes fought to freeH
And vainly gave their lives to saveC2
Forget not thou wast once a gemD2
That graced a Caesar's diademD2
-
Wilt thou fulfil my fondest hopesE2
I sometimes long to check the streamF2
Of tourists hurrying by thy slopesE2
And tell them of my cherished dreamF2
To see upon thy storied heightG2
A palace worthy of the siteG2
-
Not meaningless not merely vastZ
Nor crudely modern in designH2
But something suited to thy pastZ
For highest art a hallowed shrineH2
A classic home of long agoI2
The Tusculum of CiceroI2
-
Then roses rich in sweet perfumeJ2
Shall wreathe with bloom each terraced wallK2
And scattered through the leafy gloomJ2
Of olive groves and laurels tallK2
Shall many a marble nymph and faunH2
Grow lovelier from the flush of dawnH2
-
So let me dream I may not seeH
That stately palace crown thy browL2
Those roses may not bloom for meH
But as thou art I love thee nowL2
Content thy future to resignH2
To abler portraiture than mineH2
-
Sweet Comacina fare thee wellM2
Across the water's placid breastP
The music of the vesper bellM2
Invites me to my port of restP
Fair jewel of this inland seaH
May all the gods be good to theeH

John L. Stoddard



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