The Angel-thief Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CCCC CDCD EFEF EGEG HCHC| TIME is a thief who leaves his tools behind him | A |
| He comes by night he vanishes at dawn | B |
| We track his footsteps but we never find him | A |
| Strong locks are broken massive bolts are drawn | B |
| - | |
| And all around are left the bars and borers | C |
| The splitting wedges and the prying keys | C |
| Such aids as serve the soft shod vault explorers | C |
| To crack wrench open rifle as they please | C |
| - | |
| Ah these are tools which Heaven in mercy lends us | C |
| When gathering rust has clenched our shackles fast | D |
| Time is the angel thief that Nature sends us | C |
| To break the cramping fetters of our past | D |
| - | |
| Mourn as we may for treasures he has taken | E |
| Poor as we feel of hoarded wealth bereft | F |
| More precious are those implements forsaken | E |
| Found in the wreck his ruthless hands have left | F |
| - | |
| Some lever that a casket's hinge has broken | E |
| Pries off a bolt and lo our souls are free | G |
| Each year some Open Sesame is spoken | E |
| And every decade drops its master key | G |
| - | |
| So as from year to year we count our treasure | H |
| Our loss seems less and larger look our gains | C |
| Time's wrongs repaid in more than even measure | H |
| We lose our jewels but we break our chains | C |
Oliver Wendell Holmes
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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About The Angel-thief
The Angel-thief is a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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