The Neckan Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB AADA EFAF AGHG IJAK LMN I OP LQAQ RSA ATAU RVCV USWS UCA CCC AVMV AAX ABCBIn summer on the headlands | A |
The Baltic Sea along | B |
Sits Neckan with his harp of gold | C |
And sings his plaintive song | B |
- | |
Green rolls beneath the headlands | A |
Green rolls the Baltic Sea | A |
And there below the Neckan's feet | D |
His wife and children be | A |
- | |
He sings not of the ocean | E |
Its shells and roses pale | F |
Of earth of earth the Neckan sings | A |
He hath no other tale | F |
- | |
He sits upon the headlands | A |
And sings a mournful stave | G |
Of all he saw and felt on earth | H |
Far from the green sea wave | G |
- | |
Sings how a knight he wander'd | I |
By castle field and town | J |
But earthly knights have harder hearts | A |
Than the Sea Children own | K |
- | |
Sings of his earthly bridal | L |
Priest knights and ladies gay | M |
'And who art thou ' the priest began | N |
'Sir Knight who wedd'st to day ' | - |
- | |
'I am no knight ' he answer'd | I |
'From the sea waves I come ' | - |
The knights drew sword the ladies scream'd | O |
The surplic'd priest stood dumb | P |
- | |
He sings how from the chapel | L |
He vanish'd with his bride | Q |
And bore her down to the sea halls | A |
Beneath the cold sea tide | Q |
- | |
He sings how she sits weeping | R |
'Mid shells that round her lie | S |
'False Neckan shares my bed ' she weeps | A |
'No Christian mate have I ' | - |
- | |
He sings how through the billows | A |
He rose to earth again | T |
And sought a priest to sign the cross | A |
That Neckan Heaven might gain | U |
- | |
He sings how on an evening | R |
Beneath the birch trees cool | V |
He sate and play d his harp of gold | C |
Beside the river pool | V |
- | |
Beside the pool sate Neckan | U |
Tears fill'd his cold blue eye | S |
On his white mule across the bridge | W |
A cassock'd priest rode by | S |
- | |
'Why sitt'st thou there O Neckan | U |
And play'st thy harp of gold | C |
Sooner shall this my staff bear leaves | A |
Than thou shalt Heaven behold ' | - |
- | |
But lo the staff it budded | C |
It green'd it branch'd it waved | C |
'O ruth of God ' the preist cried out | C |
'This lost sea creature saved ' | - |
- | |
The cassock'd priest rode onwards | A |
And vanish'd with his mule | V |
And Neckan in the twilight grey | M |
Wept by the river pool | V |
- | |
He wept 'The earth hath kindness | A |
The sea the starry poles | A |
Earth sea and sky and God above | X |
But ah not human souls ' | - |
- | |
In summer on the headlands | A |
The Baltic Sea along | B |
Sits Neckan with his harp of gold | C |
And sings this plaintive song | B |
Matthew Arnold
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