The Water Witch Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCCAC DEDEFFEF GEGEEEGE HIHIJJHK HLHLGGHG MGMGEEME EFEFNNEN MEMEOOMO OOOOEEOE EOEOOOEO PEPEEEPE EGEGQQEQ HRHREEHE SESETTST

See the milk white doe is woundedA
He will follow as it boundsB
Through the woods His horn has soundedA
Echoing for his men and houndsB
But no answering bugle blewC
He has lost his retinueC
For the shapely deer that boundedA
Past him when his bow he drewC
-
Not one hound or huntsman followsD
Through the underbrush and mossE
Goes the slot and in the hollowsD
Of the hills that he must crossE
He has lost it He must fareF
Over rocks where she wolves lairF
Wood pools where the wild boar wallowsE
So he leaves his good steed thereF
-
Through his mind then flashed an oldenG
Legend told him by the monksE
Of a girl whose hair is goldenG
Haunting fountains and the trunksE
Of the woodland who they sayE
Is a white doe all the dayE
But when woods are night enfoldenG
Turns into an evil fayE
-
Then the story oft his teacherH
Told him of a mountain lakeI
Demons dwell in vague of featureH
Human like but each a snakeI
She is queen of Did he hearJ
Laughter at his startled earJ
Or a bird And now what creatureH
Is it or the wind stirs nearK
-
Fever of the hunt This waterH
Murmuring here will cool his headL
Through the forest fierce as slaughterH
Slants the sunset ruby redL
Are the drops that slip betweenG
His cupped hands while on the greenG
Like the couch of some wild daughterH
Of the forest he doth leanG
-
But the runnel bubbling drippingM
Seems to bid him to be goneG
As with crystal words and trippingM
Steps of sparkle luring onG
Now a spirit in the rocksE
Calls him now a face that mocksE
From behind some bowlder slippingM
Laughs at him with lilied locksE
-
So he follows through the flowersE
Blue and gold that blossom thereF
Thridding twilight haunted bowersE
Where each ripple seems the bareF
Beauty of white limbs that gleamN
Rosy through the running streamN
Or bright shaken hair that showersE
Starlight in the sunset's beamN
-
Till far in the forest sleepingM
Like a luminous darkness layE
A deep water wherein leapingM
Fell the Fountain of the FayE
With a singing sighing soundO
As of spirit things aroundO
Musically laughing weepingM
In the air and undergroundO
-
Not a ripple o'er it merriedO
Like the round moon 'neath a cloudO
In its rocks the lake lay buriedO
And strange creatures seemed to crowdO
Its dark depths vague limbs and eyesE
To the surface seemed to riseE
Spawn like and as formless ferriedO
Through the water shadow wiseE
-
Foliage things with human facesE
Demon dreadful pale and wildO
As the forms the lightning tracesE
On the clouds the storm has piledO
Seeming now to draw to landO
Now away Then up the strandO
Comes a woman and she placesE
On his arm a spray white handO
-
Ah an untold world of sorrowP
Were her eyes her hair a placeE
Whence the moon its gold might borrowP
And a dream of ice her faceE
'Round her hair and throat in rimsE
Pearls of foam hung and through whimsE
Of her robe as breaks the morrowP
Shone the rose light of her limbsE
-
Who could help but look with gladnessE
On such beauty though withinG
Deep within the beryl sadnessE
Of those eyes the serpent sinG
Coil When she hath placed her cheekQ
Chilly upon his and weakQ
With love longing and its madnessE
Is his will grown then she'll speakQ
-
Dost thou love me If surrenderH
Is to love thee then I loveR
Hast no fear then In the splendorH
Of thy gaze who knows thereofR
Yet I fear I fear to loseE
Thee thy love And thou dost chooseE
Aye to be my heart's defenderH
Take me I am thine to useE
-
Follow then Ah love no lowlyS
Home I give thee With fixed eyesE
To the water's edge she slowlyS
Drew him And he did surmiseE
'Twas her lips on his untilT
O'er his face the foam closed chillT
Whisp'ring and the lake unholyS
Rippled rippled and was stillT

Madison Julius Cawein



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