Development Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDDCECCFGHCIJKLCMC NCBCC COPQCRCSTU VCCWXYCCZC CA2LB2 CC2CCD2E2RF2CCG2 H2I2 J2CK2L2M2I2N2O2P2CCQ 2CR2CS2T2CM2U2V2W2 X2Y2CGZ2A3D2Y2O2B3CG C3GD3D3I2E2CD3M2 CD3D3D3CM2E3D3CF3M2

My father was a scholar and knew GreekA
When I was five years old I asked him onceB
What do you read aboutC
The siege of TroyD
What is a siege and what is TroyD
WhereatC
He piled up chairs and tables for a townE
Set me a top for Priam called our catC
Helen enticed away from home he saidC
By wicked Paris who couched somewhere closeF
Under the footstool being cowardlyG
But whom since she was worth the pains poor pussH
Towzer and Tray our dogs the Atreidai soughtC
By taking Troy to get possession ofI
Always when great Achilles ceased to sulkJ
My pony in the stable forth would pranceK
And put to flight Hector our page boy's selfL
This taught me who was who and what was whatC
So far I rightly understood the caseM
At five years old a huge delight it provedC
And still proves thanks to that insructor sageN
My Father who knew better than turn straightC
Learning's full flare on weak eyed ignoranceB
Or worse yet leave weak eyes to grow sand blindC
Content with darkness and vacuityC
-
It happened two or three years afterwardC
That I and playmates playing at Troy' SiegeO
My Father came upon our make believeP
How would you like to read yourself the taleQ
Properly told of which I gave you firstC
Merely such notion as a boy could bearR
Pope now would give you the precise accountC
Of what some day by dint of scholarshipS
You'll hear who knows from Homer' very mouthT
Learn Greek by all means read the Blind Old ManU
Sweetest of Singers' tuphlos which means 'blind '-
Hedistos which means 'sweetest ' Time enoughV
Try anyhow to master him some dayC
Until when take what serves for substituteC
Read Pope by all meansW
So I ran through PopeX
Enjoyed the tale what history so trueY
Also attacked my Primer duly drudgedC
Grew fitter thus for what was promised nextC
The very thing itself the actual wordsZ
When I could turn say Buttmann to accountC
-
Time passed I ripened somewhat one fine dayC
Quite ready for the Iliad nothing lessA2
There's Heine where the big books block the shelfL
Don't skip a word thumb well the LexiconB2
-
I thumbed well and skipped nowise till I learnedC
Who was who what was what from Homer's tongueC2
And there an end of learning Had you askedC
The all accomplished scholar twelve years oldC
Who was it wrote the Iliad what a laughD2
Why Homer all the world knows of his lifeE2
Doubtless some facts exist it's everywhereR
We have not settled though his place of birthF2
He begged for certain and was blind besideC
Seven cities claimed him Scio with best rightC
Thinks Byron What he wrote Those Hymns we haveG2
Then there's the 'Battle of the Frogs and Mice '-
That's all unless they dig 'Margites' upH2
I'd like that nothing more remains to knowI2
-
Thus did youth spend a comfortable timeJ2
Until What's this the Germans say in factC
That Wolf found out first It's unpleasant workK2
Their chop and change unsettling one's beliefL2
All the same where we live we learn that's sureM2
So I bent brow o'er ProlegomenaI2
And after Wolf a dozen of his likeN2
Proved there was never any Troy at allO2
Neither Besiegers nor Besieged nay worseP2
No actual Homer no authentic textC
No warrant for the fiction I as factC
Had treasured in my heart and soul so longQ2
Ay mark you and as fact held still still holdC
Spite of new knowledge in my heart of heartsR2
And soul of souls fact's essence freed and fixedC
From accidental fancy's guardian sheathS2
Assuredly thenceforward thank my starsT2
However it got there deprive who couldC
Wring from the shrine my precious tenantryM2
Helen Ulysses Hector and his SpouseU2
Achilles and his Friend though Wolf ah WolfV2
Why must he needs come doubting spoil a dreamW2
-
But then No dream's worth waking Browning saysX2
And here's the reason why I tell thus muchY2
I now mature man you anticipateC
May blame my Father justifiablyG
For letting me dream out my nonage thusZ2
And only by such slow and sure degreesA3
Permitting me to sift the grain from chaffD2
Get truth and falsehood known and named as suchY2
Why did he ever let me dream at allO2
Not bid me taste the story in its strengthB3
Suppose my childhood was scarce qualifiedC
To rightly understand mythologyG
Silence at least was in his power to keepC3
I might have somehow correspondinglyG
Well who knows by what method gained my gainsD3
Been taught by forthrights not meanderingsD3
My aim should be to loathe like Peleus' sonI2
A lie as Hell's Gate love my wedded wifeE2
Like Hector and so on with all the restC
Could not I have excogitated thisD3
Without believing such man really wereM2
-
That is he might have put into my handC
The Ethics In translation if you pleaseD3
Exact no pretty lying that improvesD3
To suit the modern taste no more no lessD3
The Ethics 'tis a treatise I find hardC
To read aright now that my hair is grayM2
And I can manage the originalE3
At five years old how ill had fared its leavesD3
Now growing double o'er the StagiriteC
At least I soil no page with bread and milkF3
Nor crumple dogs ear and deface boys' wayM2

Robert Browning



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