The Death Of Euclid Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABC DEDEFG HIHIJK HHHH HLHLMNMN OOPPQHQHRDRDD SSDDDTDTDD DDUDUDEuclid we are told is at last dead after two thousand | A |
years of an immortality that he never much | B |
deserved The Times Literary Supplement | C |
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A THRENODY for EUCLID This is he | D |
Who with his learning made our youth a waste | E |
Holding our souls in fee | D |
A god whose high set crystal throne was based | E |
Beyond the reach of tears | F |
Deeper than time and his relentless years | G |
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Come then ye Angle Nymphs and make lament | H |
Ye little Postulates and all the throng | I |
Of Definitions with your heads besprent | H |
In funeral ashes ye who long | I |
Worshipped the King and followed in his train | J |
For he is dead and cannot rise again | K |
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Then from the shapes that beat their breasts and wept | H |
Soft to the light a gentle Problem stepped | H |
And lo her clinging robe she swiftly loosed | H |
And with majestic hands her side produced | H |
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Sweet Theorem she said and called her mate | H |
Sweet Theorem be with me at this hour | L |
How oft together in a dear debate | H |
We two bore witness to our Sovereign's power | L |
But he is dead and henceforth all our days | M |
Are wrapped in gloom | N |
And we who never ceased to sing his praise | M |
May weep our lord but cannot call him from his tomb | N |
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And as they bowed their heads and to and fro | O |
Wove in a mournful gait their web of woe | O |
Two sentinels forth came | P |
Their hearts aflame | P |
And moved behind the pair | Q |
Warders we are they cried | H |
Of these two sisters who were once so fair | Q |
So joyous in their pride | H |
And now their massy shields they lifted high | R |
Embossed with letters three | D |
And though a mist of tears bedimmed each eye | R |
The sorrowing Nymphs could see | D |
Q E and F on one and on the other Q E D | D |
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But on a sudden with a hideous noise | S |
Of joy and laughter rushed a rout of boys | S |
And all the mourners in affright | D |
Scattered to left and right | D |
Problems and Theorems and Angles too | D |
Postulates Definitions Circles Planes | T |
A jibbering crew | D |
With all their hoary gains | T |
Of knowledge from their monarch dead | D |
Into the outer darkness shrieking fled | D |
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And now with festal dance and laughter loud | D |
Broke in the boyish and intruding crowd | D |
Nor did they fail | U |
Seeing that all the painful throng was sped | D |
To let high mirth prevail | U |
And raise the song of joy for EUCLID dead | D |
R. C. Lehmann
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