Yesterday And Today Xii Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B A C D E A F G H B I J K

The gold hoarder walked in his palace park and with him walked his troubles And over his head hovered worries as a vulture hovers over a carcass until he reached a beautiful lake surrounded by magnificent marble statuaryA
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He sat there pondering the water which poured from the mouths of the statues like thoughts flowing freely from a lover's imagination and contemplating heavily his palace which stood upon a knoll like a birth mark upon the cheek of a maiden His fancy revealed to him the pages of his life's drama which he read with falling tears that veiled his eyes and prevented him from viewing man's feeble additions to NatureB
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He looked back with piercing regret to the images of his early life woven into pattern by the gods until he could no longer control his anguish He said aloud Yesterday I was grazing my sheep in the green valley enjoying my existence sounding my flute and holding my head high Today I am a prisoner of greed Gold leads into gold then into restlessness and finally into crushing miseryA
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Yesterday I was like a singing bird soaring freely here and there in the fields Today I am a slave to fickle wealth society's rules and city's customs and purchased friends pleasing the people by conforming to the strange and narrow laws of man I was born to be free and enjoy the bounty of life but I find myself like a beast of burden so heavily laden with gold that his back is breakingC
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Where are the spacious plains the singing brooks the pure breeze the closeness of Nature Where is my deity I have lost all Naught remains save loneliness that saddens me gold that ridicules me slaves who curse to my back and a palace that I have erected as a tomb for my happiness and in whose greatness I have lost my heartD
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Yesterday I roamed the prairies and the hills together with the Bedouin's daughter Virtue was our companion Love our delight and the moon our guardian Today I am among women with shallow beauty who sell themselves for gold and diamondsE
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Yesterday I was carefree sharing with the shepherds all the joy of life eating playing working singing and dancing together to the music of the heart's truth Today I find myself among the people like a frightened lamb among the wolves As I walk in the roads they gaze at me with hateful eyes and point at me with scorn and jealousy and as I steal through the park I see frowning faces all about meA
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Yesterday I was rich in happiness and today I am poor in goldF
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Yesterday I was a happy shepherd looking upon his head as a merciful king looks with pleasure upon his contented subjects Today I am a slave standing before my wealth my wealth which robbed me of the beauty of life I once knewG
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Forgive me my Judge I did not know that riches would put my life in fragments and lead me into the dungeons of harshness and stupidity What I thought was glory is naught but an eternal infernoH
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He gathered himself wearily and walked slowly toward the palace sighing and repeating Is this what people call wealth Is this the god I am serving and worshipping Is this what I seek of the earth Why can I not trade it for one particle of contentment Who would sell me one beautiful thought for a ton of gold Who would give me one moment of love for a handful of gems Who would grant me an eye that can see others' hearts and take all my coffers in barterB
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As he reached the palace gates he turned and looked toward the city as Jeremiah gazed toward Jerusalem He raised his arms in woeful lament and shouted Oh people of the noisome city who are living in darkness hastening toward misery preaching falsehood and speaking with stupidity until when shall you remain ignorant Unit when shall you abide in the filth of life and continue to desert its gardens Why wear you tattered robes of narrowness while the silk raiment of Nature's beauty is fashioned for you The lamp of wisdom is dimming it is time to furnish it with oil The house of true fortune is being destroyed it is time to rebuild it and guard it The thieves of ignorance have stolen the treasure of your peace it is time to retake itI
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At that moment a poor man stood before him and stretched forth his hand for alms As he looked at the beggar his lips parted his eyes brightened with a softness and his face radiated kindness It was as if the yesterday he had lamented by the lake had come to greet him He embraced the pauper with affection and filled his hands with gold and with a voice sincere with the sweetness of love he said Come back tomorrow and bring with you your fellow sufferers All your possessions will be restoredJ
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He entered his palace saying Everything in life is good even gold for it teaches a lesson Money is like a stringed instrument he who does not know how to use it properly will hear only discordant music Money is like love it kills slowly and painfully the one who withholds it and it enlivens the other who turns it upon his fellow manK

Khalil Gibran



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