Epilogue To The Breakfast-table Series Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C BBDDEEFF GGHHIIJJ KKLLMMNN OOPPQQCC RRSSEED TTUUVVWW XXYYPPZA2 B2B2DDNNC2C2 MMD2D2VVCC E2E2NNF2F2FF| AUTOCRAT PROFESSOR POET | A |
| - | |
| AT A BOOKSTORE | B |
| - | |
| Anno Domini | C |
| - | |
| A CRAZY bookcase placed before | B |
| A low price dealer's open door | B |
| Therein arrayed in broken rows | D |
| A ragged crew of rhyme and prose | D |
| The homeless vagrants waifs and strays | E |
| Whose low estate this line betrays | E |
| Set forth the lesser birds to lime | F |
| YOUR CHOICE AMONG THESE BOORS DIME | F |
| - | |
| Ho dealer for its motto's sake | G |
| This scarecrow from the shelf I take | G |
| Three starveling volumes bound in one | H |
| Its covers warping in the sun | H |
| Methinks it hath a musty smell | I |
| I like its flavor none too well | I |
| But Yorick's brain was far from dull | J |
| Though Hamlet pah 'd and dropped his skull | J |
| - | |
| Why here comes rain The sky grows dark | K |
| Was that the roll of thunder Hark | K |
| The shop affords a safe retreat | L |
| A chair extends its welcome seat | L |
| The tradesman has a civil look | M |
| I 've paid impromptu for my book | M |
| The clouds portend a sudden shower | N |
| I 'll read my purchase for an hour | N |
| - | |
| What have I rescued from the shelf | O |
| A Boswell writing out himself | O |
| For though he changes dress and name | P |
| The man beneath is still the same | P |
| Laughing or sad by fits and starts | Q |
| One actor in a dozen parts | Q |
| And whatsoe'er the mask may be | C |
| The voice assures us This is he | C |
| - | |
| I say not this to cry him down | R |
| I find my Shakespeare in his clown | R |
| His rogues the selfsame parent own | S |
| Nay Satan talks in Milton's tone | S |
| Where'er the ocean inlet strays | E |
| The salt sea wave its source betrays | E |
| Where'er the queen of summer blows | D |
| She tells the zephyr 'I'm the rose ' | - |
| - | |
| And his is not the playwright's page | T |
| His table does not ape the stage | T |
| What matter if the figures seen | U |
| Are only shadows on a screen | U |
| He finds in them his lurking thought | V |
| And on their lips the words he sought | V |
| Like one who sits before the keys | W |
| And plays a tune himself to please | W |
| - | |
| And was he noted in his day | X |
| Read flattered honored Who shall say | X |
| Poor wreck of time the wave has cast | Y |
| To find a peaceful shore at last | Y |
| Once glorying in thy gilded name | P |
| And freighted deep with hopes of fame | P |
| Thy leaf is moistened with a tear | Z |
| The first for many a long long year | A2 |
| - | |
| For be it more or less of art | B2 |
| That veils the lowliest human heart | B2 |
| Where passion throbs where friendship glows | D |
| Where pity's tender tribute flows | D |
| Where love has lit its fragrant fire | N |
| And sorrow quenched its vain desire | N |
| For me the altar is divine | C2 |
| Its flame its ashes all are mine | C2 |
| - | |
| And thou my brother as I look | M |
| And see thee pictured in thy book | M |
| Thy years on every page confessed | D2 |
| In shadows lengthening from the west | D2 |
| Thy glance that wanders as it sought | V |
| Some freshly opening flower of thought | V |
| Thy hopeful nature light and free | C |
| I start to find myself in thee | C |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| Come vagrant outcast wretch forlorn | E2 |
| In leather jerkin stained and torn | E2 |
| Whose talk has filled my idle hour | N |
| And made me half forget the shower | N |
| I'll do at least as much for you | F2 |
| Your coat I'll patch your gilt renew | F2 |
| Read you perhaps some other time | F |
| Not bad my bargain Price one dime | F |
Oliver Wendell Holmes
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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