The Boiling Water Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKGLMNOP QRQGASTQUVWXYZAEA2EB 2 C2D2E2IYEF2G2YCD2FH2 YMI2MMJ2CK2L2EEG MPAY APD2M2N2O2E P2Q2 QYYR2GGKS2T2U2| A serious moment for the water is | A |
| when it boils | B |
| And though one usually regards it | C |
| merely as a convenience | D |
| To have the boiling water | E |
| available for bath or table | F |
| Occasionally there is someone | G |
| around who understands | H |
| The importance of this moment | I |
| for the water maybe a saint | J |
| Maybe a poet maybe a crazy | K |
| man or just someone | G |
| temporarily disturbed | L |
| With his mind 'floating'in a | M |
| sense away from his deepest | N |
| Personal concerns to more | O |
| 'unreal' things | P |
| - | |
| A serious moment for the island | Q |
| is when its trees | R |
| Begin to give it shade and | Q |
| another is when the ocean | G |
| washes | A |
| Big heavy things against its side | S |
| One walks around and looks at | T |
| the island | Q |
| But not really at it at what is on | U |
| it and one thinks | V |
| It must be serious even to be this | W |
| island at all here | X |
| Since it is lying here exposed to | Y |
| the whole sea All its | Z |
| Moments might be serious It is | A |
| serious in such windy weather | E |
| to be a sail | A2 |
| Or an open window or a feather | E |
| flying in the street | B2 |
| - | |
| Seriousness how often I have | C2 |
| thought of seriousness | D2 |
| And how little I have understood | E2 |
| it except this serious is urgent | I |
| And it has to do with change You | Y |
| say to the water | E |
| It's not necessary to boil now | F2 |
| and you turn it off It stops | G2 |
| Fidgeting And starts to cool You | Y |
| put your hand in it | C |
| And say The water isn't serious | D2 |
| any more It has the potential | F |
| However that urgency to give | H2 |
| off bubbles to | Y |
| Change itself to steam And the | M |
| wind | I2 |
| When it becomes part of a | M |
| hurricane blowing up the | M |
| beach | J2 |
| And the sand dunes can't keep it | C |
| away | K2 |
| Fainting is one sign of | L2 |
| seriousness crying is another | E |
| Shuddering all over is another | E |
| one | G |
| - | |
| A serious moment for the | M |
| telephone is when it rings | P |
| And a person answers it is | A |
| Angelica or is it you | Y |
| - | |
| A serious moment for the fly is | A |
| when its wings | P |
| Are moving and a serious | D2 |
| moment for the duck | M2 |
| Is when it swims when it first | N2 |
| touches water then spreads | O2 |
| Its smile upon the water | E |
| - | |
| A serious moment for the match | P2 |
| is when it burst into flame | Q2 |
| - | |
| Serious for me that I met you and | Q |
| serious for you | Y |
| That you met me and that we do | Y |
| not know | R2 |
| If we will ever be close to anyone | G |
| again Serious the recognition | G |
| of the probability | K |
| That we will although time | S2 |
| stretches terribly in | T2 |
| between | U2 |
Kenneth Koch
(1)
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