The First Fan Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AB CDC EFEF GHGH I I JKJL EBEB BFB MNMN BNB BBBB OLOL PBOB NQNQ BHBH MBMB RBRB LFLF LOLO BBBB HNHN LSL BHBH BBBB ETET UNUN LLLL VFVF BHBH WCWC XYXF BFBF

READ AT A MEETING OF THE BOSTON BRIC A BRACA
CLUB FEBRUARYB
-
WHEN rose the cry 'Great Pan is dead '-
And Jove's high palace closed its portalC
The fallen gods before they fledD
Sold out their frippery to a mortalC
-
'To whom ' you ask I ask of youE
The answer hardly needs suggestionF
Of course it was the Wandering JewE
How could you put me such a questionF
-
A purple robe a little wornG
The Thunderer deigned himself to offerH
The bearded wanderer laughed in scornG
You know he always was a scofferH
-
'Vife shillins 't is a monstrous priceI
Say two and six and further talk shun '-
'Take it ' cried Jove 'we can't be niceI
'T would fetch twice that at Leonard's auction '-
-
The ice was broken up they cameJ
All sharp for bargains god and goddessK
Each ready with the price to nameJ
For robe or head dress scarf or bodiceL
-
First Juno out of temper tooE
Her queenly forehead somewhat cloudyB
Then Pallas in her stockings blueE
Imposing but a little dowdyB
-
The scowling queen of heaven unrolledB
Before the Jew a threadbare turbanF
'Three shillings ' 'One 'T will suit some oldB
Terrific feminine suburban '-
-
But as for Pallas how to tellM
In seemly phrase a fact so shockingN
She pointed pray excuse me wellM
She pointed to her azure stockingN
-
And if the honest truth were toldB
Its heel confessed the need of darningN
'Gods ' low bred Vulcan cried 'beholdB
There that's what comes of too much larning '-
-
Pale Proserpine came groping roundB
Her pupils dreadfully dilatedB
With too much living undergroundB
A residence quite overratedB
-
This kerchief's what you want I knowO
Don't cheat poor Venus of her cestusL
You'll find it handy when you goO
To you know where it's pure asbestusL
-
Then Phoebus of the silverr bowP
And Hebe dimpled as a babyB
And Dian with the breast of snowO
Chaser and chased and caught it may beB
-
One took the quiver from her backN
One held the cap he spent the night inQ
And one a bit of bric a bracN
Such as the gods themselves delight inQ
-
Then Mars the foe of human kindB
Strode up and showed his suit of armorH
So none at last was left behindB
Save Venus the celestial charmerH
-
Poor Venus What had she to sellM
For all she looked so fresh and jauntyB
Her wardrobe as I blush' to tellM
Already seemed but quite too scantyB
-
Her gems were sold her sandals goneR
She always would be rash and flightyB
Her winter garments all in pawnR
Alas for charming AphroditeB
-
The lady of a thousand lovesL
The darling of the old religionF
Had only left of all the dovesL
That drew her car one fan tailed pigeonF
-
How oft upon her finger tipsL
He perched afraid of Cupid's arrowO
Or kissed her on the rosebud lipsL
Like Roman Lesbia's loving sparrowO
-
'My bird I want your train ' she criedB
'Come don't let's have a fuss about itB
I'll make it beauty's pet and prideB
And you'll be better off without itB
-
'So vulgar Have you noticed prayH
An earthly belle or dashing bride walkN
And how her flounces track her wayH
Like slimy serpents on the sidewalkN
-
'A lover's heart it quickly coolsL
In mine it kindles up enough rageS
To wring their necks How can such foolsL
Ask men to vote for woman suffrage '-
-
The goddess spoke and gently strippedB
Her bird of every caudal featherH
A strand of gold bright hair she clippedB
And bound the glossy plumes togetherH
-
And lo the Fan for beauty's handB
The lovely queen of beauty made itB
The price she named was hard to standB
But Venus smiled the Hebrew paid itB
-
Jove Juno Venus where are youE
Mars Mercury Phoebus Neptune SaturnT
But o'er the world the Wandering JewE
Has borne the Fan's celestial patternT
-
So everywhere we find the FanU
In lonely isles of the PacificN
In farthest China and JapanU
Wherever suns are sudorificN
-
Nay even the oily EsquimauxL
In summer court its cooling breezesL
In fact in every clime 't is soL
No matter if it fries or freezesL
-
And since from Aphrodite's doveV
The pattern of the fan was givenF
No wonder that it breathes of loveV
And wafts the perfumed gales of heavenF
-
Before this new Pandora's giftB
In slavery woman's tyrant kept herH
But now he kneels her glove to liftB
The fan is mightier than the sceptreH
-
The tap it gives how arch and slyW
The breath it wakes how fresh and gratefulC
Behind its shield how soft the sighW
The whispered tale of shame how fatefulC
-
Its empire shadows every throneX
And every shore that man is tost onY
It rules the lords of every zoneX
Nay even the bluest blood of BostonF
-
But every one that swings to nightB
Of fairest shape from farthest regionF
May trace its pedigree arightB
To Aphrodite's fan tailed pigeonF

Oliver Wendell Holmes



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