The Retrospect: Cwm Elan, 1812 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABCDDEFGGHHIIJJKKGG JJIILMLMNOPOQQ BCRRSTUUVWVWKKXXYLYL EFZA2ZZA2JJ LLB2B2PPKKC2C2XXPP D2D2E2E2GGF2F2G2H2VI 2PPJ2BGGK2K2 L2L2M2M2N2IN2I EFO2O2 P2P2PPQQOOQ2R2H2H2S2 S2PPT2T2U2U2H2G2V2W2 X2EEX2FW2W2PPB2N2B2N 2A2A2B2B2Y2Y2GG

A scene which 'wildered fancy viewedA
In the soul's coldest solitudeA
With that same scene when peaceful loveB
Flings rapture's colour o'er the groveC
When mountain meadow wood and streamD
With unalloying glory gleamD
And to the spirit's ear and eyeE
Are unison and harmonyF
The moonlight was my dearer dayG
Then would I wander far awayG
And lingering on the wild brook's shoreH
To hear its unremitting roarH
Would lose in the ideal flowI
All sense of overwhelming woeI
Or at the noiseless noon of nightJ
Would climb some heathy mountain's heightJ
And listen to the mystic soundK
That stole in fitful gasps aroundK
I joyed to see the streaks of dayG
Above the purple peaks decayG
And watch the latest line of lightJ
Just mingling with the shades of nightJ
For day with me was time of woeI
When even tears refused to flowI
Then would I stretch my languid frameL
Beneath the wild woods' gloomiest shadeM
And try to quench the ceaseless flameL
That on my withered vitals preyedM
Would close mine eyes and dream I wereN
On some remote and friendless plainO
And long to leave existence thereP
If with it I might leave the painO
That with a finger cold and leanQ
Wrote madness on my withering mienQ
-
It was not unrequited loveB
That bade my wildered spirit roveC
'Twas not the pride disdaining lifeR
That with this mortal world at strifeR
Would yield to the soul's inward senseS
Then groan in human impotenceT
And weep because it is not givenU
To taste on Earth the peace of HeavenU
'Twas not that in the narrow sphereV
Where Nature fixed my wayward fateW
There was no friend or kindred dearV
Formed to become that spirit's mateW
Which searching on tired pinion foundK
Barren and cold repulse aroundK
Oh no yet each one sorrow gaveX
New graces to the narrow graveX
For broken vows had early quelledY
The stainless spirit's vestal flameL
Yes whilst the faithful bosom swelledY
Then the envenomed arrow cameL
And Apathy's unaltering eyeE
Beamed coldness on the miseryF
And early I had learned to scornZ
The chains of clay that bound a soulA2
Panting to seize the wings of mornZ
And where its vital fires were bornZ
To soar and spur the cold controlA2
Which the vile slaves of earthly nightJ
Would twine around its struggling flightJ
-
Oh many were the friends whom fameL
Had linked with the unmeaning nameL
Whose magic marked among mankindB2
The casket of my unknown mindB2
Which hidden from the vulgar glareP
Imbibed no fleeting radiance thereP
My darksome spirit sought it foundK
A friendless solitude aroundK
For who that might undaunted standC2
The saviour of a sinking landC2
Would crawl its ruthless tyrant's slaveX
And fatten upon Freedom's graveX
Though doomed with her to perish whereP
The captive clasps abhorred despairP
-
They could not share the bosom's feelingD2
Which passion's every throb revealingD2
Dared force on the world's notice coldE2
Thoughts of unprofitable mouldE2
Who bask in Custom's fickle rayG
Fit sunshine of such wintry dayG
They could not in a twilight walkF2
Weave an impassioned web of talkF2
Till mysteries the spirits pressG2
In wild yet tender awfulnessH2
Then feel within our narrow sphereV
How little yet how great we areI2
But they might shine in courtly glareP
Attract the rabble's cheapest stareP
And might command where'er they moveJ2
A thing that bears the name of loveB
They might be learned witty gayG
Foremost in fashion's gilt arrayG
On Fame's emblazoned pages shineK2
Be princes' friends but never mineK2
-
Ye jagged peaks that frown sublimeL2
Mocking the blunted scythe of TimeL2
Whence I would watch its lustre paleM2
Steal from the moon o'er yonder valeM2
Thou rock whose bosom black and vastN2
Bared to the stream's unceasing flowI
Ever its giant shade doth castN2
On the tumultuous surge belowI
-
Woods to whose depths retires to dieE
The wounded Echo's melodyF
And whither this lone spirit bentO2
The footstep of a wild intentO2
-
Meadows whose green and spangled breastP2
These fevered limbs have often pressedP2
Until the watchful fiend DespairP
Slept in the soothing coolness thereP
Have not your varied beauties seenQ
The sunken eye the withering mienQ
Sad traces of the unuttered painO
That froze my heart and burned my brainO
How changed since Nature's summer formQ2
Had last the power my grief to charmR2
Since last ye soothed my spirit's sadnessH2
Strange chaos of a mingled madnessH2
Changed not the loathsome worm that fedS2
In the dark mansions of the deadS2
Now soaring through the fields of airP
And gathering purest nectar thereP
A butterfly whose million huesT2
The dazzled eye of wonder viewsT2
Long lingering on a work so strangeU2
Has undergone so bright a changeU2
How do I feel my happinessH2
I cannot tell but they may guessG2
Whose every gloomy feeling goneV2
Friendship and passion feel aloneW2
Who see mortality's dull cloudsX2
Before affection's murmur flyE
Whilst the mild glances of her eyeE
Pierce the thin veil of flesh that shroudsX2
The spirit's inmost sanctuaryF
O thou whose virtues latest knownW2
First in this heart yet claim'st a throneW2
Whose downy sceptre still shall shareP
The gentle sway with virtue thereP
Thou fair in form and pure in mindB2
Whose ardent friendship rivets fastN2
The flowery band our fates that bindB2
Which incorruptible shall lastN2
When duty's hard and cold controlA2
Has thawed around the burning soulA2
The gloomiest retrospects that bindB2
With crowns of thorn the bleeding mindB2
The prospects of most doubtful hueY2
That rise on Fancy's shuddering viewY2
Are gilt by the reviving rayG
Which thou hast flung upon my dayG

Percy Bysshe Shelley



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