The Parting Word Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDD EEFFGHII JJKKLLMM NNOOPPQQ RREESSTT UUVVWWLL FFFFDDXX IIYYFFXX FFAAFFZZ| I must leave thee lady sweet | A |
| Months shall waste before we meet | A |
| Winds are fair and sails are spread | B |
| Anchors leave their ocean bed | B |
| Ere this shining day grow dark | C |
| Skies shall gird my shoreless bark | C |
| Through thy tears O lady mine | D |
| Read thy lover s parting line | D |
| - | |
| When the first sad sun shall set | E |
| Thou shalt tear thy locks of jet | E |
| When the morning star shall rise | F |
| Thou shalt wake with weeping eyes | F |
| When the second sun goes down | G |
| Thou more tranquil shalt be grown | H |
| Taught too well that wild despair | I |
| Dims thine eyes and spoils thy hair | I |
| - | |
| All the first unquiet week | J |
| Thou shalt wear a smileless cheek | J |
| In the first month s second half | K |
| Thou shalt once attempt to laugh | K |
| Then in Pickwick thou shalt dip | L |
| Slightly puckering round the lip | L |
| Till at last in sorrow s spite | M |
| Samuel makes thee laugh outright | M |
| - | |
| While the first seven mornings last | N |
| Round thy chamber bolted fast | N |
| Many a youth shall fume and pout | O |
| Hang the girl she s always out | O |
| While the second week goes round | P |
| Vainly shall they ring and pound | P |
| When the third week shall begin | Q |
| Martha let the creature in | Q |
| - | |
| Now once more the flattering throng | R |
| Round thee flock with smile and song | R |
| But thy lips unweaned as yet | E |
| Lisp Oh how can I forget | E |
| Men and devils both contrive | S |
| Traps for catching girls alive | S |
| Eve was duped and Helen kissed | T |
| How oh how can you resist | T |
| - | |
| First be careful of your fan | U |
| Trust it not to youth or man | U |
| Love has filled a pirate s sail | V |
| Often with its perfumed gale | V |
| Mind your kerchief most of all | W |
| Fingers touch when kerchiefs fall | W |
| Shorter ell than mercers clip | L |
| Is the space from hand to lip | L |
| - | |
| Trust not such as talk in tropes | F |
| Full of pistols daggers ropes | F |
| All the hemp that Russia bears | F |
| Scarce would answer lovers prayers | F |
| Never thread was spun so fine | D |
| Never spider stretched the line | D |
| Would not hold the lovers true | X |
| That would really swing for you | X |
| - | |
| Fiercely some shall storm and swear | I |
| Beating breasts in black despair | I |
| Others murmur with a sigh | Y |
| You must melt or they will die | Y |
| Painted words on empty lies | F |
| Grubs with wings like butterflies | F |
| Let them die and welcome too | X |
| Pray what better could they do | X |
| - | |
| Fare thee well if years efface | F |
| From thy heart love s burning trace | F |
| Keep oh keep that hallowed seat | A |
| From the tread of vulgar feet | A |
| If the blue lips of the sea | F |
| Wait with icy kiss for me | F |
| Let not thine forget the vow | Z |
| Sealed how often Love as now | Z |
Oliver Wendell Holmes
(1)
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