Saint Edmond's Eve Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CCCC DEDF GFGF CHCH CEC FIFI JKKK CLCC CCCC CMCM CCCC NMN OIOI FKFK CPCP QCQ KCKC KRK Q QK KCKC HQH CKCK CQCQ CEC SOSO CCCC CCCC TNTN CQCQ

Oh did you observe the Black Canon passA
And did you observe his frownB
He goeth to say the midnight massA
In holy St Edmond's townB
-
He goeth to sing the burial chauntC
And to lay the wandering spriteC
Whose shadowy restless form doth hauntC
The Abbey's drear aisle this nightC
-
It saith it will not its wailing ceaseD
'Till that holy man come nearE
'Till he pour o er its grave the prayer of peaceD
And sprinkle the hallowed tearF
-
The Canon's horse is stout and strongG
The road is plain and fairF
But the Canon slowly wends alongG
And his brow is gloomed with careF
-
Who is it thus late at the Abbey gateC
Sullen echoes the portal bellH
It sounds like the whispering voice of fateC
It sounds like a funeral knellH
-
The Canon his faltering knee thrice bowedC
And his frame was convulsed with fearE
When a voice was heard distinct and loudC
'Prepare for thy hour is near '-
-
He crosses his breast he mutters a prayerF
To Heaven he lifts his eyeI
He heeds not the Abbot's gazing stareF
Nor the dark Monks who murmured byI
-
Bare headed he worships the sculptured saintsJ
That frown on the sacred wallsK
His face it grows pale he trembles he faintsK
At the Abbot s feet he fallsK
-
And straight the father s robe he kissedC
Who cried 'Grace dwells with theeL
The spirit will fade like the morning mistC
At your benediciteC
-
'Now haste within the board is spreadC
Keen blows the air and coldC
The spectre sleeps in its earthy bedC
'Till St Edmond s bell hath tolledC
-
'Yet rest your wearied limbs to nightC
You ve journeyed many a mileM
To morrow lay the wailing spriteC
That shrieks in the moonlight aisleM
-
'Oh faint are my limbs and my bosom is coldC
Yet to night must the sprite be laidC
Yet to night when the hour of horror's toldC
Must I meet the wandering shadeC
-
'Nor food nor rest may now delayN
For hark the echoing pileM
A bell loud shakes Oh haste awayN
O lead to the haunted aisle '-
-
The torches slowly move beforeO
The cross is raised on highI
A smile of peace the Canon woreO
But horror dimmed his eyeI
-
And now they climb the footworn stairF
The chapel gates uncloseK
Now each breathed low a fervent prayerF
And fear each bosom frozeK
-
Now paused awhile the doubtful bandC
And viewed the solemn sceneP
Full dark the clustered columns standC
The moon gleams pale betweenP
-
'Say father say what cloisters' gloomQ
Conceals the unquiet shadeC
Within what dark unhallowed tombQ
The corse unblessed was laid '-
-
'Through yonder drear aisle alone it walksK
And murmurs a mournful plaintC
Of thee Black Canon it wildly talksK
And call on thy patron saintC
-
The pilgrim this night with wondering eyesK
As he prayed at St Edmond's shrineR
From a black marble tomb hath seen it riseK
And under yon arch recline '-
-
Oh say upon that black marble tombQ
What memorial sad appears '-
Undistinguished it lies in the chancel's gloomQ
No memorial sad it bears'K
-
The Canon his paternoster readsK
His rosary hung by his sideC
Now swift to the chancel doors he leadsK
And untouched they open wideC
-
Resistless strange sounds his steps impelH
To approach to the black marble tombQ
'Oh enter Black Canon ' a whisper fellH
'Oh enter thy hour is come '-
-
He paused told his beads and the threshold passedC
Oh horror the chancel doors closeK
A loud yell was borne on the rising blastC
And a deep dying groan aroseK
-
The Monks in amazement shuddering standC
They burst through the chancel's gloomQ
From St Edmond s shrine lo a skeleton s handC
Points to the black marble tombQ
-
Lo deeply engraved an inscription blood redC
In characters fresh and clearE
'The guilty Black Canon of Elmham's deadC
And his wife lies buried here '-
-
In Elmham s tower he wedded a NunS
To St Edmond s his bride he boreO
On this eve her noviciate here was begunS
And a Monk s gray weeds she woreO
-
O deep was her conscience dyed with guiltC
Remorse she full oft revealedC
Her blood by the ruthless Black Canon was spiltC
And in death her lips he sealedC
-
Her spirit to penance this night was doomedC
'Till the Canon atoned the deedC
Here together they now shall rest entombedC
'Till their bodies from dust are freedC
-
Hark a loud peal of thunder shakes the roofT
Round the altar bright lightnings playN
Speechless with horror the Monks stand aloofT
And the storm dies sudden awayN
-
The inscription was gone a cross on the groundC
And a rosary shone through the gloomQ
But never again was the Canon there foundC
Or the Ghost on the black marble tombQ

Percy Bysshe Shelley



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