Extracts From Leon, An Unfinished Poem Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDEFFGGEEE HHIIJJKK LLMMNN JJAADDOOJJ PPJJQQJJRR EDSSJJTTUUVVAAWX YYZZJJZZJJDDVEWWA2B2 C2C2JJD2D2XWDEJJJJVV XX JJE2E2EC2F2F2DE B2A2C2C2JJWWVVDDC2C2 C2C2G2G2 H2H2I2I2VV J2K2L2H2M2M2N2N2DDEE I2I2O2O2P2P2JJC2C2JJ JJCC MMQ2Q2C2C2C2R2R2JJMM C2C2J2S2JJK2J2 MMC2C2C2C2MM T2T2O2O2JJJ2K2JJC2C2 VVMMQ2Q2 U2U2JJV2V2MMVVW2W2JJ JJX2Y2 EEXXJJDDMM MMMMZ2Z2VVMMMMMMJJMM MMFFC2C2MM A3FDDC2C2MMJ2K2VVJJM M MMO2O2C2C2MMJJ MMC2C2MMMJJ MMMMMMMMJJVVVVMMJ2K2 B3T2MMA2B2 H2H2C2C2JJFFJJEEJJMM O2O2S2C3WWMMEE D3D3A2B2MMC3S2JJ

It is a summer evening calm and fair	A
A warm yet freshening glow is in the air	A
Along its bank the cool stream wanders slow	B
Like parting friends that linger as they go	B
The willows as its waters meekly glide	C
Bend their dishevelled tresses to the tide	C
And seem to give it with a moaning sigh	D
A farewell touch of tearful sympathy	E
Each dusky copse is clad in darkest green	F
A blackening mass just edged with silver sheen	F
From yon clear moon who in her glassy face	G
Seems to reflect the risings of the place	G
For on her still pale orb the eye may see	E
Dim spots of shadowy brown like distant tree	E
Or far off hillocks on a moonlight lea	E
	-
The stars have lit in heaven their lamps of gold	H
The viewless dew falls lightly on the wold	H
The gentle air that softly sweeps the leaves	I
A strain of faint unearthly music weaves	I
As when the harp of heaven remotely plays	J
Or cygnet's wail or song of sorrowing fays	J
That float amid the moonshine glimmerings pale	K
On wings of woven air in some enchanted vale	K
	-
It is an eve that drops a heavenly balm	L
To lull the feelings to a sober calm	L
To bid wild passion's fiery flush depart	M
And smooth the troubled waters of the heart	M
To give a tranquil fixedness to grief	N
A cherished gloom that wishes not relief	N
	-
Torn is that heart and bitter are its throes	J
That cannot feel on such a night repose	J
And yet one breast there is that breathes this air	A
An eye that wanders o'er the prospect fair	A
That sees yon placid moon and the pure sky	D
Of mild unclouded blue and still that eye	D
Is thrown in restless vacancy around	O
Or cast in gloomy trance on the cold ground	O
And still that breast with maddening passion burns	J
And hatred love and sorrow rule by turns	J
	-
A lovely figure and in happier hour	P
When pleasure laugh'd abroad from hall and bower	P
The general eye had deem'd her smiling face	J
The brightest jewel in the courtly place	J
So glossy is her hair's ensabled wreath	Q
So glowing warm the eye that burns beneath	Q
With so much graceful sweetness of address	J
And such a form of rounded slenderness	J
Ah where is he on whom these beauties shine	R
But deems a spotless soul inhabits such a shrine	R
	-
And yet a keen observer might espy	E
Strange passions lurking in her deep black eye	D
And in the lines of her fine lip a soul	S
That in its every feeling spurned control	S
They passed unnoted who will stop to trace	J
A sullying spot on beauty's sparkling face	J
And no one deemed amid her glances sweet	T
Hers was a bosom of impetuous heat	T
A heart too wildly in its joys elate	U
Formed but to madly love or madly hate	U
A spirit of strong throbs and steadfast will	V
To doat detest to die for or to kill	V
Which like the Arab chief would fiercely dare	A
To stab the heart she might no longer share	A
And yet so tender if he loved again	W
Would die to save his breast one moment's pain	X
	-
But he who cast his gaze upon her now	Y
And read the traces written on her brow	Y
Had scarce believed hers was that form of light	Z
That beamed like fabled wonder on the sight	Z
Her raven hair hung down in loosen'd tress	J
Before her wan cheek's pallid ghastliness	J
And thro' its thick locks showed the deadly white	Z
Like marble glimpses of a tomb at night	Z
In fixed and horrid musings now she stands	J
Her eyes now bent to earth and her cold hands	J
Prest to her heart now wildly thrown on high	D
They wander o'er her brow and now a sigh	D
Breaks deep and full and more composedly	V
She half exclaims No no it cannot be	E
He loves not never loved not even when	W
He pressed my wedded hand I knew it then	W
And yet fool that I was I saw he strove	A2
In vain to kindle pity into love	B2
But Florence she so loved a sister too	C2
My earliest dearest playmate one who grew	C2
Upon my very heart to rend it so	J
His falsehood I could bear but hers ah no	J
She is not false I feel she loves me yet	D2
And if my boding bosom could forget	D2
Its wild imaginings with what sweet pain	X
I'd clasp my Florence to my breast again	W
With that came many a thought of days gone by	D
Remembered joys of mirthful infancy	E
And youth's gay frolic and the short lived flow	J
Of showering tears in childhood's fleeting wo	J
And life's maturer friendship and the sense	J
Of heart warm open fearless confidence	J
All these came thronging with a tender call	V
And her own Florence mingled with them all	V
And softened feelings rose amid her pain	X
While from her eyes the clouds melted in gentle rain	X
	-
A hectic pleasure flushed her faded face	J
It fled and deeper paleness took its place	J
Then a cold shudder thrill'd her and at last	E2
Her lip a smile of bitter sarcasm cast	E2
As if she scorned herself that she could be	E
A moment lulled by that sweet sophistry	C2
For in that little minute memory's sting	F2
Gave word and look sigh gesture every thing	F2
To bid these dear delusive phantoms fly	D
And fix her fears in dreadful certainty	E
	-
It traced the very progress of their love	B2
From the first meeting in the locust grove	A2
When from the chase Leon came bounding there	C2
Backing his courser with a noble air	C2
His brown cheek flushed with healthful exercise	J
And his warm spirits leaping in his eyes	J
It told how lovely looked her sister then	W
To long lost friends and home just come again	W
How on her cheek the tears of meeting lay	V
That tear which only feeling hearts can pay	V
While the quick pleasure glistened in her eye	D
Like clouds and sunshine in an April sky	D
And then it told as their acquaintance grew	C2
How close the unseen bonds of union drew	C2
Their souls together and how pleased they were	C2
The same blythe pastimes and delights to share	C2
How the same chord in each at once would strike	G2
Their taste their wishes and their joys alike	G2
	-
All this was innocent but soon there came	H2
Blushes and starts of consciousness and shame	H2
That when she entered upon either cheek	I2
The hasty blood in guilty red would speak	I2
Of something that should not be known and still	V
Sighs half suppressed seemed struggling with the will	V
	-
It told how oft at eve was Leon gone	J2
In moody wandering to the wood alone	K2
And in the night how many a broken dream	L2
Of bliss or terror seemed to shake his frame	H2
How Florence too in long abstracted fit	M2
Of soul wrapt musing for whole hours would sit	M2
Nor even the power of music friend or book	N2
Could chase her deep forgetfulness of look	N2
And how when questioned with an indrawn sigh	D
In vague and far off phrase she made reply	D
And smiled and struggled to be gay and free	E
And then relapsed in dreaming reverie	E
How when of Leon she was forced to speak	I2
Unbidden crimson mantled in her cheek	I2
And when he entered how her eye would swim	O2
And strive to look on every one but him	O2
Yet by unconscious fascination led	P2
In quick short glance each moment tow'rds him fled	P2
How he too seemed to shun her speech and gaze	J
And yet he always lingered where she was	J
Though nothing in his aspect or his air	C2
Told that he knew she was in presence there	C2
But an appearance of constrained distress	J
And a dull tongue of moveless silentness	J
And a down drooping eye of gloom and sadness	J
Oh how unlike his former face of gladness	J
'Tis plain too plain and I am lost she cried	C
And in that thought her last good feeling died	C
	-
That thought of hopeless sorrow seemed to dart	M
A thousand stings at once into her heart	M
But a strong effort quelled it and she gave	Q2
The next to hatred vengeance and the grave	Q2
Her face was calmly stern and but a glare	C2
Within her eyes there was no feature there	C2
That told what lashing fiends her inmates were	C2
Within there was no thought to bid her swerve	R2
From her intent but every strained nerve	R2
Was settled and bent up with terrible force	J
To some deep deed far far beyond remorse	J
No glimpse of mercy's light her purpose crost	M
Love nature pity in its depths were lost	M
Or lent an added fury to the ire	C2
That seared her soul with unconsuming fire	C2
All that was dear in the wide earth was gone	J2
She loved but two and these she doted on	S2
With passionate ardour and the close strong press	J
Of woman's heart cored clinging tenderness	J
These links were torn and now she stood alone	K2
Bereft of all her husband sister gone	J2
	-
Ah who can tell that ne'er has known such fate	M
What wild and dreadful strength it gives to hate	M
What had she left Revenge Revenge was there	C2
He crushed remorse and wrestled down despair	C2
Held his red torch to memory's page and threw	C2
A bloody stain on every line she drew	C2
She felt dark pleasure with her frenzy blend	M
And hugged him to her heart and called him friend	M
	-
When sorrowing clouds the face of heaven deform	T2
And hope's bright star sets darkly in the storm	T2
Around us ghastly shapes and phantoms swim	O2
And all beyond is formless vague and dim	O2
Or life's cold barren path before us lies	J
A wild and weary waste of tears and sighs	J
From the lorn heart each sweetening solace gone	J2
Abandoned friendless withered lost and lone	K2
And when with keener pangs we bleed to know	J
That hands beloved have struck the deepest blow	J
That friends we deemed most true and held most dear	C2
Have stretched the pall of death o'er pleasure's bier	C2
Repaid our trusting faith with serpent guile	V
Cursed with a kiss and stabbed beneath a smile	V
What then remains for souls of tender mould	M
One last and silent refuge calm and cold	M
A resting place for misery's gentle slave	Q2
Hearts break but once no wrongs can reach the grave	Q2
	-
Rest ye mild spirits of afflicted worth	U2
Sweet is your slumber in the quiet earth	U2
And soon the voice of heaven shall bid you rise	J
To meet rewarding smiles in yonder skies	J
But where for solace shall the bosom turn	V2
For death too strong for tears too proudly stern	V2
When shall the lulling dews of peace descend	M
On hearts that cannot break and will not bend	M
Ah never never they are doomed to feel	V
Pains that no balm of heaven or earth can heal	V
To live in groans and yield their parting breath	W2
Without a joy in life or hope in death	W2
Yet for a while one living hope remains	J
That nerves each fibre and the soul sustains	J
One desperate hope whose agonizing throes	J
Are bitterer far than all the worst of woes	J
A hope of crime and horrors wild and strange	X2
As demon thoughts that hope is thine Revenge	Y2
	-
'Twas this that gave oh Ellinor to thee	E
A strength to bear thy matchless misery	E
Though the hot blood ran boiling in her brain	X
And rolled a tide of fire through every vein	X
Though many a rushing voice of blighted bliss	J
Struck on her mental ears like adders' hiss	J
That hope gave gloomy fierceness to her eye	D
Dash'd down the tear repress'd the unloading sigh	D
Fixed her wan quivering lip and steeled her breast	M
To crush the hearts that robbed her own of rest	M
	-
She wound her way within a heavy shade	M
Of arching boughs in broad spread leaves arrayed	M
Which clustering close and thick shut out the light	M
And tinged with black the shadowy robe of night	M
Save here and there a melancholy spark	Z2
Of flickering moonshine glimmered through the dark	Z2
Cheerless and dim as when upon a pall	V
Through suffering tears the looks of sorrow fall	V
But opening farther on on either side	M
A wider space the severing trees divide	M
And longer gleams upon the pathway meet	M
And the soft grass is wet beneath her feet	M
And now emerging from the darksome shade	M
She pressed the silken carpet of the glade	M
Beyond the green within its western close	J
A little vine hung leafy arbor rose	J
Where the pale lustre of the moony flood	M
Dimm'd the vermillion'd woodbine's scarlet bud	M
And glancing through the foliage fluttering round	M
In tiny circles gemm'd the freckled ground	M
Beside the porch beneath the friendly screen	F
Of two tall trees a mossy bank was seen	F
And all around amid the silvery dew	C2
The wild wood pansy rear'd her petals blue	C2
And gold cups and the meadow cowslip red	M
Upon the evening air their odours shed	M
	-
Unheeded all the grove's deep gloom had been	A3
Unseen the moonlight brightness of the green	F
In vain the stream's blue burnish met her eye	D
Lovely its wave but pass'd unnoticed by	D
The airs of heaven had breath'd around her brow	C2
Their cooling sighs she felt them not but now	C2
That lonely bower appeared and with a start	M
Convulsive shudders thrill'd her throbbing heart	M
For there in days alas for ever gone	J2
When love's young torch with beams of rapture shone	K2
When she had felt her heart's impassioned swell	V
And almost deem'd her Leon loved as well	V
There had she sat beneath the evening skies	J
Felt his warm kiss and heard his murmur'd sighs	J
Hung on his breast caressing and carest	M
Her husband smiled and Ellinor was blest	M
	-
And when his injured country's rights to shield	M
Blazed his red banner on the battle field	M
There had she lingered in the shadows dim	O2
And sat till morning watch and thought of him	O2
And wept to think that she might not be there	C2
His toils his dangers and his wounds to share	C2
And when the foe had bowed beneath his brand	M
And to his home he led his conquering band	M
There she first caught his long expected face	J
And sprung to smile and weep in his embrace	J
	-
These scenes of bliss across her memory fled	M
Like lights that haunt the chambers of the dead	M
She saw the bower and read the image there	C2
Of joys that had been and of woes that were	C2
She clench'd her hand in agony and cast	M
A glance of tears upon it as she past	M
A look of weeping sorrow 'twas the last	M
She check'd the gush of feeling turned her face	J
And faster sped along her hurried pace	J
	-
No longer now from Leon's lips were heard	M
The sigh of bliss the rapture breathing word	M
No longer now upon his features dwelt	M
The glance that sweetly thrills the looks that melt	M
No speaking gaze of fond attachment told	M
But all was dull and gloomy sad and cold	M
Yet he was kind or laboured to be kind	M
And strove to hide the workings of his mind	M
And cloak'd his heart to soothe his wife's distress	J
Under a mask of tender gentleness	J
It was in vain for ah how light and frail	V
To love's keen eye is falsehood's gilded veil	V
Sweet winning words may for a time beguile	V
Professions lull and oaths deceive a while	V
But soon the heart in vague suspicion tost	M
Must feel a void unfilled a something lost	M
Something scarce heeded and unprized till gone	J2
Felt while unseen and tho' unnoticed known	K2
A hidden witchery a nameless charm	B3
Too fine for actions and for words too warm	T2
That passing all the worthless forms of art	M
Eludes the sense and only woos the heart	M
A hallowed spell by fond affection wove	A2
The mute but matchless eloquence of love	B2
	-
	-
	-
Oh there were times when to my heart there came	H2
All that the soul can feel or fancy frame	H2
The summer party in the open air	C2
When sunny eyes and cordial hearts were there	C2
Where light came sparkling thro' the greenwood eaves	J
Like mirthful eyes that laugh upon the leaves	J
Where every bush and tree in all the scene	F
In wind kiss'd wavings shake their wings of green	F
And all the objects round about dispense	J
Reviving freshness to the awakened sense	J
The golden corslet of the humble bee	E
The antic kid that frolics round the lea	E
Or purple lance flies circling round the place	J
On their light shards of green an airy race	J
Or squirrel glancing from the nut wood shade	M
An arch black eye half pleas'd and half afraid	M
Or bird quick darting through the foliage dim	O2
Or perched and twittering on the tendril slim	O2
Or poised in ether sailing slowly on	S2
With plumes that change and glisten in the sun	C3
Like rainbows fading into mist and then	W
On the bright cloud renewed and changed again	W
Or soaring upward while his full sweet throat	M
Pours clear and strong a pleasure speaking note	M
And sings in nature's language wild and free	E
His song of praise for light and liberty	E
	-
And when within with poetry and song	D3
Music and books led the glad hours along	D3
Worlds of the visioned minstrel fancy wove	A2
Tales of old time of chivalry and love	B2
Or converse calm or wit shafts sprinkled round	M
Like beams from gems too light and fine to wound	M
With spirits sparkling as the morning's sun	C3
Light as the dancing wave he smiles upon	S2
Like his own course alas too soon to know	J
Bright suns may set in storms and gay hearts sink in wo	J

Joseph Rodman Drake

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