Journey To The Dead Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEDAFGHIJKLMNJAOP QRSTPUAJ JVWXBYZA2B2C2D2E2 F2G2H2I2D2 J2F2DF2K2L2M2SF2N2O2 D2P2Q2R2D2O2S2TT2F2H 2U2 L2OTBF2TTV2TTTW2DX2Y 2Z2A3TTB3C3D3E3TWF3T DXWT G3A3H3C3I3C2J3XT K3ATO2TL3 TO2TDTI3TXM3TY2DAC2N 3T O3C3YDATTH3X2JTX2X2P 3I3TJX2ABQ3X2X2E2X2X 2X2X2X2TX2R3TF2I3S3T 3D3U3 V3YC2TW3X3 Y3TX2A3F2 Z3X2T XX2C2ADA4X2B4I3X2B4 X3AC4TTD4OX2TC4TS3JR 3E4TX2JX2X2JX2X2C4D3 TC4S3X2F4TX2TG4X2H4V 3X2T TX2JJ I4T E2JC4C4TX2JI3J4C4TT C3T UC4JTK4L4UTM4UQ3C4C4 T Q3C4N4F2C4TC4TX2TTA3 C4TC4C4C4X2UJX2C4C4X S3X2X2N4X2TTH2

Forth from the East up the ascent of HeavenA
Day drove his courser with the Shining ManeB
And in Valhalla from his gable perchC
The golden crested Cock began to crowD
Hereafter in the blackest dead of nightE
With shrill and dismal cries that Bird shall crowD
Warning the Gods that foes draw nigh to HeavenA
But now he crew at dawn a cheerful noteF
To wake the Gods and Heroes to their tasksG
And all the Gods and all the Heroes wokeH
And from their beds the Heroes rose and donn'dI
Their arms and led their horses from the stallJ
And mounted them and in Valhalla's courtK
Were rang'd and then the daily fray beganL
And all day long they there are hack'd and hewnM
'Mid dust and groans and limbs lopp'd off and bloodN
But all at night return to Odin's hallJ
Woundless and fresh such lot is theirs in HeavenA
And the Valkyries on their steeds went forthO
Toward Earth and fights of men and at their sideP
Skulda the youngest of the Nornies rodeQ
And over Bifrost where is Heimdall's watchR
Past Midgard Fortress down to Earth they cameS
There through some battle field where men fall fastT
Their horses fetlock deep in blood they rideP
And pick the bravest warriors out for deathU
Whom they bring back with them at night to HeavenA
To glad the Gods and feast in Odin's hallJ
-
But the Gods went not now as otherwhileJ
Into the Tilt Yard where the Heroes foughtV
To feast their eyes with looking on the frayW
Nor did they to their Judgement Place repairX
By the ash Igdrasil in Ida's plainB
Where they hold council and give laws for menY
But they went Odin first the rest behindZ
To the hall Gladheim which is built of goldA2
Where are in circle rang'd twelve golden chairsB2
And in the midst one higher Odin's throneC2
There all the Gods in silence sate them downD2
And thus the Father of the Ages spakeE2
-
Go quickly Gods bring wood to the seashoreF2
With all which it beseems the dead to haveG2
And make a funeral pile on Balder's shipH2
On the twelfth day the Gods shall burn his corpseI2
But Hermod thou take Sleipner and ride downD2
To Hela's kingdom to ask Balder back '-
-
So said he and the Gods arose and tookJ2
Axes and ropes and at their head came ThorF2
Shouldering his Hammer which the Giants knowD
Forth wended they and drove their steeds beforeF2
And up the dewy mountain tracks they far'dK2
To the dark forests in the early dawnL2
And up and down and side and slant they roam'dM2
And from the glens all day an echo cameS
Of crashing falls for with his hammer ThorF2
Smote 'mid the rocks the lichen bearded pinesN2
And burst their roots while to their tops the GodsO2
Made fast the woven ropes and hal'd them downD2
And lopp'd their boughs and clove them on the swardP2
And bound the logs behind their steeds to drawQ2
And drove them homeward and the snorting steedsR2
Went straining through the crackling brushwood downD2
And by the darkling forest paths the GodsO2
Follow'd and on their shoulders carried boughsS2
And they came out upon the plain and pass'dT
Asgard and led their horses to the beachT2
And loos'd them of their loads on the seashoreF2
And rang'd the wood in stacks by Balder's shipH2
And every God went home to his own houseU2
-
But when the Gods were to the forest goneL2
Hermod led Sleipner from Valhalla forthO
And saddled him before that Sleipner brook'dT
No meaner hand than Odin's on his maneB
On his broad back no lesser rider boreF2
Yet docile now he stood at Hermod's sideT
Arching his neck and glad to be bestrodeT
Knowing the God they went to seek how dearV2
But Hermod mounted him and sadly far'dT
In silence up the dark untravell'd roadT
Which branches from the north of Heaven and wentT
All day and Daylight wan'd and Night came onW2
And all that night he rode and journey'd soD
Nine days nine nights towards the northern iceX2
Through valleys deep engulph'd by roaring streamsY2
And on the tenth morn ho beheld the bridgeZ2
Which spans with golden arches Giall's streamA3
And on the bridge a Damsel watching arm'dT
In the strait passage at the further endT
Where the road issues between walling rocksB3
Scant space that Warder left for passers byC3
But as when cowherds in October driveD3
Their kine across a snowy mountain passE3
To winter pasture on the southern sideT
And on the ridge a wagon chokes the wayW
Wedg'd in the snow then painfully the hindsF3
With goad and shouting urge their cattle pastT
Plunging through deep untrodden banks of snowD
To right and left and warm steam fills the airX
So on the bridge that Damsel block'd the wayW
And question'd Hermod as he came and saidT
-
'Who art thou on thy black and fiery horseG3
Under whose hoofs the bridge o'er Giall's streamA3
Rumbles and shakes Tell me thy race and homeH3
But yestermorn five troops of dead pass'd byC3
Bound on their way below to Hela's realmI3
Nor shook the bridge so much as thou aloneC2
And thou hast flesh and colour on thy cheeksJ3
Like men who live and draw the vital airX
Nor look'st thou pale and wan like men deceas'dT
Souls bound below my daily passers here '-
-
And the fleet footed Hermod answer'd herK3
'O Damsel Hermod am I call'd the sonA
Of Odin and my high roof'd house is builtT
Far hence in Asgard in the City of GodsO2
And Sleipner Odin's horse is this I rideT
And I come sent this road on Balder's trackL3
Say then if he hath cross'd thy bridge or no '-
-
He spake the Warder of the bridge repliedT
'O Hermod rarely do the feet of GodsO2
Or of the horses of the Gods resoundT
Upon my bridge and when they cross I knowD
Balder hath gone this way and ta'en the roadT
Below there to the north toward Hela's realmI3
From here the cold white mist can be discern'dT
Not lit with sun but through the darksome airX
By the dim vapour blotted light of starsM3
Which hangs over the ice where lies the roadT
For in that ice are lost those northern streamsY2
Freezing and ridging in their onward flowD
Which from the fountain of Vergelmer runA
The spring that bubbles up by Hela's throneC2
There are the joyless seats the haunt of ghostsN3
Hela's pale swarms and there was Balder boundT
Ride on pass free but he by this is there '-
-
She spake and stepp'd aside and left him roomO3
And Hermod greeted her and gallop'd byC3
Across the bridge then she took post againY
But northward Hermod rode the way belowD
And o'er a darksome tract which knows no sunA
But by the blotted light of stars he far'dT
And he came down to Ocean's northern strandT
At the drear ice beyond the Giants' homeH3
Thence on he journey'd o'er the fields of iceX2
Still north until he met a stretching wallJ
Barring his way and in the wall a grateT
Then he dismounted and drew tight the girthsX2
On the smooth ice of Sleipner Odin's horseX2
And made him leap the grate and came withinP3
And he beheld spread round him Hela's realmI3
The plains of Niflheim where dwell the deadT
And heard the thunder of the streams of HellJ
For near the wall the river of Roaring flowsX2
Outmost the others near the centre runA
The Storm the Abyss the Howling and the PainB
Those flow by Hela's throne and near their springQ3
And from the dark flock'd up the shadowy tribesX2
And as the swallows crowd the bulrush bedsX2
Of some clear river issuing from a lakeE2
On autumn days before they cross the seaX2
And to each bulrush crest a swallow hangsX2
Swinging and others skim the river streamsX2
And their quick twittering fills the banks and shoresX2
So around Hermod swarm'd the twittering ghostsX2
Women and infants and young men who diedT
Too soon for fame with white ungraven shieldsX2
And old men known to Glory but their starR3
Betray'd them and of wasting age they diedT
Not wounds yet dying they their armour woreF2
And now have chief regard in Hela's realmI3
Behind flock'd wrangling up a piteous crewS3
Greeted of none disfeatur'd and forlornT3
Cowards who were in sloughs interr'd aliveD3
And round them still the wattled hurdles hungU3
-
Wherewith they stamp'd them down and trod them deepV3
To hide their shameful memory from menY
But all he pass'd unhail'd and reach'd the throneC2
Of Hela and saw near it Balder crown'dT
And Hela sat thereon with countenance sternW3
And thus bespake him first the solemn QueenX3
-
'Unhappy how hast thou endur'd to leaveY3
The light and journey to the cheerless landT
Where idly flit about the feeble shadesX2
How didst thou cross the bridge o'er Giall's streamA3
Being alive and come to Ocean's shoreF2
Or how o'erleap the grate that bars the wall '-
-
She spake but down off Sleipner Hermod sprangZ3
And fell before her feet and clasp'd her kneesX2
And spake and mild entreated her and saidT
-
'O Hela wherefore should the Gods declareX
Their errands to each other or the waysX2
They go the errand and the way is knownC2
Thou know'st thou know'st what grief we have in HeavenA
For Balder whom thou hold'st by right belowD
Restore him for what part fulfils he hereA4
Shall he shed cheer over the cheerless seatsX2
And touch the apathetic ghosts with joyB4
Not for such end O Queen thou hold'st thy realmI3
For Heaven was Balder born the City of GodsX2
And Heroes where they live in light and joyB4
Thither restore him for his place is there '-
-
He spoke and grave replied the solemn QueenX3
'Hermod for he thou art thou Son of HeavenA
A strange unlikely errand sure is thineC4
Do the Gods send to me to make them blestT
Small bliss my race hath of the Gods obtain'dT
Three mighty children to my Father LokD4
Did Angerbode the Giantess bring forthO
Fenris the Wolf the Serpent huge and MeX2
Of these the Serpent in the sea ye castT
Who since in your despite hath wax'd amainC4
And now with gleaming ring enfolds the worldT
Me on this cheerless nether world ye threwS3
And gave me nine unlighted realms to ruleJ
While on his island in the lake afarR3
Made fast to the bor'd crag by wile not strengthE4
Subdu'd with limber chains lives Fenris boundT
Lok still subsists in Heaven our Father wiseX2
Your mate though loath'd and feasts in Odin's hallJ
But him too foes await and netted snaresX2
And in a cave a bed of needle rocksX2
And o'er his visage serpents dropping gallJ
Yet he shall one day rise and burst his bondsX2
And with himself set us his offspring freeX2
When he guides Muspel's children to their bourneC4
Till then in peril or in pain we liveD3
Wrought by the Gods and ask the Gods our aidT
Howbeit we abide our day till thenC4
We do not as some feebler haters doS3
Seek to afflict our foes with petty pangsX2
Helpless to better us or ruin themF4
Come then if Balder was so dear belov'dT
And this is true and such a loss is Heaven'sX2
Hear how to Heaven may Balder be restor'dT
Show me through all the world the signs of griefG4
Fails but one thing to grieve here Balder stopsX2
Let all that lives and moves upon the earthH4
Weep him and all that is without life weepV3
Let Gods men brutes beweep him plants and stonesX2
So shall I know the lost was dear indeedT
And bend my heart and give him back to Heaven '-
-
She spake and Hermod answer'd her and saidT
'Hela such as thou say'st the terms shall beX2
But come declare me this and truly tellJ
May I ere I depart bid Balder hailJ
Or is it here withheld to greet the dead '-
-
He spake and straightway Hela answer'd himI4
'Hermod greet Balder if thou wilt and holdT
Converse his speech remains though he he dead '-
-
And straight to Balder Hermod turn'd and spakeE2
'Even in the abode of Death O Balder hailJ
Thou hear'st if hearing like as speech is thineC4
The terms of thy releasement hence to HeavenC4
Fear nothing but that all shall be fulfill'dT
For not unmindful of thee are the GodsX2
Who see the light and blest in Asgard dwellJ
Even here they seek thee out in Hela's realmI3
And sure of all the happiest far art thouJ4
Who ever have been known in Earth or HeavenC4
Alive thou wert of Gods the most belov'dT
And now thou sittest crown'd by Hela's sideT
Here and hast honour among all the dead '-
-
He spake and Balder utter'd him replyC3
But feebly as a voice far off he saidT
-
'Hermod the nimble gild me not my deathU
Better to live a slave a captur'd manC4
Who scatters rushes in a master's ballJ
Than be a crown'd king here and rule the deadT
And now I count not of these terms as safeK4
To be fulfill'd nor my return as sureL4
Though I be lov'd and many mourn my deathU
For double minded ever was the seedT
Of Lok and double are the gifts they giveM4
Howbeit report thy message and therewithU
To Odin to my Father take this ringQ3
Memorial of me whether sav'd or noC4
And tell the Heaven born Gods how thou hast seenC4
Me sitting here below by Hela s sideT
Crown'd having honour among all the dead '-
-
He spake and rais'd his hand and gave the ringQ3
And with inscrutable regard the QueenC4
Of Hell beheld them and the ghosts stood dumbN4
But Hermod took the ring and yet once moreF2
Kneel'd and did homage to the solemn QueenC4
Then mounted Sleipner and set forth to rideT
Back through the astonish'd tribes of dead to HeavenC4
And to the wall he came and found the grateT
Lifted and issued on the fields of iceX2
And o'er the ice he far'd to Ocean's strandT
And up from thence a wet and misty roadT
To the arm'd Damsel's bridge and Giall's streamA3
Worse was that way to go than to returnC4
For him for others all return is barr'dT
Nine days he took to go two to returnC4
And on the twelfth morn saw the light of HeavenC4
And as a traveller in the early dawnC4
To the steep edge of some great valley comesX2
Through which a river flows and sees beneathU
Clouds of white rolling vapours fill the valeJ
But o'er them on the farther slope descriesX2
Vineyards and crofts and pastures bright with sunC4
So Hermod o'er the fog between saw HeavenC4
And Sleipner snorted for he smelt the airX
Of Heaven and mightily as wing'd he flewS3
And Hermod saw the towers of Asgard riseX2
And he drew near and heard no living voiceX2
In Asgard and the golden halls were dumbN4
Then Hermod knew what labour held the GodsX2
And through the empty streets he rode and pass'dT
Under the gate house to the sands and foundT
The Gods on the seashore by Balder's shipH2

Matthew Arnold



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