The Water Witch Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCCAC DEDEFFEF GEGEEEGE HIHIJJHK HLHLGGHG MGMGEEME EFEFNNEN MEMEOOMO OOOOEEOE EOEOOOEO PEPEEEPE EGEGQQEQ HRHREEHE SESETTSTSee the milk white doe is wounded | A |
He will follow as it bounds | B |
Through the woods His horn has sounded | A |
Echoing for his men and hounds | B |
But no answering bugle blew | C |
He has lost his retinue | C |
For the shapely deer that bounded | A |
Past him when his bow he drew | C |
- | |
Not one hound or huntsman follows | D |
Through the underbrush and moss | E |
Goes the slot and in the hollows | D |
Of the hills that he must cross | E |
He has lost it He must fare | F |
Over rocks where she wolves lair | F |
Wood pools where the wild boar wallows | E |
So he leaves his good steed there | F |
- | |
Through his mind then flashed an olden | G |
Legend told him by the monks | E |
Of a girl whose hair is golden | G |
Haunting fountains and the trunks | E |
Of the woodland who they say | E |
Is a white doe all the day | E |
But when woods are night enfolden | G |
Turns into an evil fay | E |
- | |
Then the story oft his teacher | H |
Told him of a mountain lake | I |
Demons dwell in vague of feature | H |
Human like but each a snake | I |
She is queen of Did he hear | J |
Laughter at his startled ear | J |
Or a bird And now what creature | H |
Is it or the wind stirs near | K |
- | |
Fever of the hunt This water | H |
Murmuring here will cool his head | L |
Through the forest fierce as slaughter | H |
Slants the sunset ruby red | L |
Are the drops that slip between | G |
His cupped hands while on the green | G |
Like the couch of some wild daughter | H |
Of the forest he doth lean | G |
- | |
But the runnel bubbling dripping | M |
Seems to bid him to be gone | G |
As with crystal words and tripping | M |
Steps of sparkle luring on | G |
Now a spirit in the rocks | E |
Calls him now a face that mocks | E |
From behind some bowlder slipping | M |
Laughs at him with lilied locks | E |
- | |
So he follows through the flowers | E |
Blue and gold that blossom there | F |
Thridding twilight haunted bowers | E |
Where each ripple seems the bare | F |
Beauty of white limbs that gleam | N |
Rosy through the running stream | N |
Or bright shaken hair that showers | E |
Starlight in the sunset's beam | N |
- | |
Till far in the forest sleeping | M |
Like a luminous darkness lay | E |
A deep water wherein leaping | M |
Fell the Fountain of the Fay | E |
With a singing sighing sound | O |
As of spirit things around | O |
Musically laughing weeping | M |
In the air and underground | O |
- | |
Not a ripple o'er it merried | O |
Like the round moon 'neath a cloud | O |
In its rocks the lake lay buried | O |
And strange creatures seemed to crowd | O |
Its dark depths vague limbs and eyes | E |
To the surface seemed to rise | E |
Spawn like and as formless ferried | O |
Through the water shadow wise | E |
- | |
Foliage things with human faces | E |
Demon dreadful pale and wild | O |
As the forms the lightning traces | E |
On the clouds the storm has piled | O |
Seeming now to draw to land | O |
Now away Then up the strand | O |
Comes a woman and she places | E |
On his arm a spray white hand | O |
- | |
Ah an untold world of sorrow | P |
Were her eyes her hair a place | E |
Whence the moon its gold might borrow | P |
And a dream of ice her face | E |
'Round her hair and throat in rims | E |
Pearls of foam hung and through whims | E |
Of her robe as breaks the morrow | P |
Shone the rose light of her limbs | E |
- | |
Who could help but look with gladness | E |
On such beauty though within | G |
Deep within the beryl sadness | E |
Of those eyes the serpent sin | G |
Coil When she hath placed her cheek | Q |
Chilly upon his and weak | Q |
With love longing and its madness | E |
Is his will grown then she'll speak | Q |
- | |
Dost thou love me If surrender | H |
Is to love thee then I love | R |
Hast no fear then In the splendor | H |
Of thy gaze who knows thereof | R |
Yet I fear I fear to lose | E |
Thee thy love And thou dost choose | E |
Aye to be my heart's defender | H |
Take me I am thine to use | E |
- | |
Follow then Ah love no lowly | S |
Home I give thee With fixed eyes | E |
To the water's edge she slowly | S |
Drew him And he did surmise | E |
'Twas her lips on his until | T |
O'er his face the foam closed chill | T |
Whisp'ring and the lake unholy | S |
Rippled rippled and was still | T |
Madison Julius Cawein
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about The Water Witch poem by Madison Julius Cawein
Best Poems of Madison Julius Cawein