Leo Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCD EFEF GHGI JBJBCD KHKH LMLM NKNK OPOP QRQR STST UVUV AWAWCD XJXJ YZYZ A2AA2A AFAF B2C2B2C2 D2E2D2E2 F2G2F2G2 H2PH2P AI2AI2 H2J2H2J2 WJWJ F2HF2H K2L2K2L2 M2GM2G N2TN2T F2L2F2L2

I made a journey o'er the seaA
I bade my faithful dog good byeB
I knew that he would grieve for meA
But did not dream that he would dieB
And how could I explainC
That I would come againD
-
At first he mourned as dogs will mournE
A life long master they adoreF
Till in his mind the fear was bornE
That he should never see me moreF
-
Ah then on every boat intentG
He watched the crowd upon the pierH
While every look and motion meantG
Will he not come Is he not hereI
-
At last he merely raised his headJ
To see the steamers passing byB
Then sank again upon his bedJ
And heaved a long drawn plaintive sighB
For how could one explainC
That I would come againD
-
I hastened back by sea and landK
Forced homeward by remorse and fearH
But no glad barking swept the strandK
Nor did he meet me on the pierH
-
I climbed the steps with footsteps fleetL
And then beheld him near the wallM
Though tottering still upon his feetL
And creeping toward me down the hallM
-
No wish had he to sulk or blameN
Nor did he need to understandK
But simply loved me just the sameN
In silence licking face and handK
-
In silence What could this portendO
Such muteness he had never shownP
Was he so very near the endO
Ah Leo had I only knownP
-
For his grand eyes so large and brightQ
Though turned through sound my form to findR
Were totally devoid of sightQ
He faced me in the darkness blindR
-
What could such gloom have been to himS
As weeks and months had crept awayT
While all the outer world grew dimS
Till endless night eclipsed the dayT
-
What had it meant to him to wakeU
And mid familiar things to gropeV
To hear old sounds on shore and lakeU
Yet wander darkly without hopeV
-
But now his head upon my kneeA
He tried in various ways to showW
That though my face he could not seeA
He knew the voice of long agoW
Yes now it was quite plainC
That I had come againD
-
Within my arms he breathed his lastX
In my embrace his noble headJ
Drooped back and left to me the PastX
With tender memories of the deadJ
-
He lies beneath the stately treesY
Whose ample shade he loved the bestZ
Mid flowers whose perfume every breezeY
Wafts lightly o'er his place of restZ
-
Yet somehow still I watch and waitA2
For him as he once watched for meA
At every footstep near my gateA2
I look his bounding form to seeA
-
Good night Good bye for I must leave theeA
My boat is waiting on the shoreF
May I not hope that it will grieve theeA
When thou shalt see me here no moreF
-
Such thoughts I know to day are floutedB2
Have statues souls the cynic sneersC2
But I am happier to have doubtedB2
And loved thee thus these many yearsC2
-
Behind the form is the idealD2
Forever high forever trueE2
Behind the false exists the realD2
Known only to the favored fewE2
-
Not all can hear the music stealingF2
From out that lightly lifted fluteG2
To those devoid of kindred feelingF2
Its melody is always muteG2
-
But thou to me hast been a tokenH2
Of classic legend wrought in stoneP
In thee the thread of Art unbrokenH2
Made all the storied past mine ownP
-
And I have felt still brooding o'er theeA
The old time Genius of the PlaceI2
Aware of those who still adore theeA
Unchanged by time or creed or raceI2
-
Through thee came also inspirationH2
For many a rare poetic thoughtJ2
And oh how much of resignationH2
Thy sweet unchanging smile hath taughtJ2
-
Though thine own past hath had its sorrowW
Though all thy sylvan friends have fledJ
Thou still canst smile at every morrowW
For Nature lives though Pan is deadJ
-
Thou didst not grieve with futile wailingF2
When altars crumbled far and nearH
When gods were scoffed and faith was failingF2
And worship lessened year by yearH
-
Above thee still rose lofty mountainsK2
Before thee lay the lake divineL2
Around thee sang the crystal fountainsK2
With all these treasures why repineL2
-
Religions changed and shrines were banishedM2
Years slipped away men came and wentG
But thou whatever pleasures vanishedM2
With what thou hadst wast still contentG
-
Not thine our fatal strain of sadnessN2
As cherished fancies fade awayT
For thee the simple soul of gladnessN2
The careless rapture of to dayT
-
Farewell within my heart abidingF2
I hear thy music gentle FaunL2
The wounds of disillusion hidingF2
The prelude to a happier dawnL2

John L. Stoddard



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