Even-song Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHI JJKKAALLMMNNBBJJ OOPPQQRRSSTTUUH VVWWXXYYBBZZQQDD A2A2B2B2EELLB2B2C2C2 D2D2 E2E2F2F2G2G2ZZVVCCLL Q H2H2I2I2PPH2H2JJJ2J2 K2K2L2L2 OOM2M2N2N2G2G2JJO2O2 P2Q2GG

IT may be yes it must be Time that bringsA
An end to mortal thingsA
That sends the beggar Winter in the trainB
Of Autumn's burdened wainB
Time that is heir of all our earthly stateC
And knoweth well to waitC
Till sea hath turned to shore and shore to seaD
If so it need must beD
Ere he make good his claim and call his ownE
Old empires overthrownE
Time who can find no heavenly orb too largeF
To hold its fee in chargeF
Nor any motes that fill its beam so smallG
But he shall care for allG
It may be must be yes he soon shall tireH
This hand that holds the lyreI
-
Then ye who listened in that earlier dayJ
When to my careless layJ
I matched its chords and stole their first born thrillK
With untaught rudest skillK
Vexing a treble from the slender stringsA
Thin as the locust singsA
When the shrill crying child of summer's heatL
Pipes from its leafy seatL
The dim pavilion of embowering greenM
Beneath whose shadowy screenM
The small sopranist tries his single noteN
Against the song bird's throatN
And all the echoes listen but in vainB
They hear no answering strainB
Then ye who listened in that earlier dayJ
Shall sadly turn awayJ
-
Saying 'The fire burns low the hearth is coldO
That warmed our blood of oldO
Cover its embers and its half burnt brandsP
And let us stretch our handsP
Over a brighter and fresh kindled flameQ
Lo this is not the sameQ
The joyous singer of our morning timeR
Flushed high with lusty rhymeR
Speak kindly for he bears a human heartS
But whisper him apartS
Tell him the woods their autumn robes have shedT
And all their birds have fledT
And shouting winds unbuild the naked nestsU
They warmed with patient breastsU
Tell him the sky is dark the summer o'erH
And bid him sing no more '-
-
Ah welladay if words so cruel kindV
A listening ear might findV
But who that hears the music in his soulW
Of rhythmic waves that rollW
Crested with gleams of fire and as they flowX
Stir all the deeps belowX
Till the great pearls no calm might ever reachY
Leap glistening on the beachY
Who that has known the passion and the painB
The rush through heart and brainB
The joy so like a pang his hand is pressedZ
Hard on his throbbing breastZ
When thou whose smile is life and bliss and fameQ
Hast set his pulse aflameQ
Muse of the lyre can say farewell to theeD
Alas and must it beD
-
In many a clime in many a stately tongueA2
The mighty bards have sungA2
To these the immemorial thrones belongB2
And purple robes of songB2
Yet the slight minstrel loves the slender toneE
His lips may call his ownE
And finds the measure of the verse more sweetL
Timed by his pulse's beatL
Than all the hymnings of the laurelled throngB2
Say not I do him wrongB2
For Nature spoils her warblers them she feedsC2
In lotus growing meadsC2
And pours them subtle draughts from haunted streamsD2
That fill their souls with dreamsD2
-
Full well I know the gracious mother's wilesE2
And dear delusive smilesE2
No callow fledgling of her singing broodF2
But tastes that witching foodF2
And hearing overhead the eagle's wingG2
And how the thrushes singG2
Vents his exiguous chirp and from his nestZ
Flaps forth we know the restZ
I own the weakness of the tuneful kindV
Are not all harpers blindV
I sang too early must I sing too lateC
The lengthening shadows waitC
The first pale stars of twilight yet how sweetL
The flattering whisper's cheatL
'Thou hast the fire no evening chill can tameQ
Whose coals outlast its flame '-
-
Farewell ye carols of the laughing mornH2
Of earliest sunshine bornH2
The sower flings the seed and looks not backI2
Along his furrowed trackI2
The reaper leaves the stalks for other handsP
To gird with circling bandsP
The wind earth's careless servant truant bornH2
Blows clean the beaten cornH2
And quits the thresher's floor and goes his wayJ
To sport with ocean's sprayJ
The headlong stumbling rivulet scrambling downJ2
To wash the sea girt townJ2
Still babbling of the green and billowy wasteK2
Whose salt he longs to tasteK2
Ere his warm wave its chilling clasp may feelL2
Has twirled the miller's wheelL2
-
The song has done its task that makes us boldO
With secrets else untoldO
And mine has run its errand through the dewsM2
I tracked the flying MuseM2
The daughter of the morning touched my lipsN2
With roseate finger tipsN2
Whether I would or would not I must singG2
With the new choirs of springG2
Now as I watch the fading autumn dayJ
And trill my softened layJ
I think of all that listened and of oneO2
For whom a brighter sunO2
Dawned at high summer's noon Ah comrades dearP2
Are not all gathered hereQ2
Our hearts have answered Yes they hear our callG
All gathered here all allG

Oliver Wendell Holmes



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Even-song poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 0 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets