Porphyria's Lover Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABBCDCDDEFEFFGHGHH IJIIIKLKLLMNMNNIOIOO ILIPLQIRIISTSTTUVUVVThe rain set early in tonight | A |
The sullen wind was soon awake | B |
It tore the elm tops down for spite | A |
And did its worst to vex the lake | B |
I listened with heart fit to break | B |
When glided in Porphyria straight | C |
She shut the cold out and the storm | D |
And kneeled and made the cheerless grate | C |
Blaze up and all the cottage warm | D |
Which done she rose and from her form | D |
Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl | E |
And laid her soiled gloves by untied | F |
Her hat and let the damp hair fall | E |
And last she sat down by my side | F |
And called me When no voice replied | F |
She put my arm about her waist | G |
And made her smooth white shoulder bare | H |
And all her yellow hair displaced | G |
And stooping made my cheek lie there | H |
And spread o'er all her yellow hair | H |
Murmuring how she loved me she | I |
Too weak for all her heart's endeavor | J |
To set its struggling passion free | I |
From pride and vainer ties dissever | I |
And give herself to me forever | I |
But passion sometimes would prevail | K |
Nor could tonight's gay feast restrain | L |
A sudden thought of one so pale | K |
For love of her and all in vain | L |
So she was come through wind and rain | L |
Be sure I looked up at her eyes | M |
Happy and proud at last I knew | N |
Porphyria worshiped me surprise | M |
Made my heart swell and still it grew | N |
While I debated what to do | N |
That moment she was mine mine fair | I |
Perfectly pure and good I found | O |
A thing to do and all her hair | I |
In one long yellow string I wound | O |
Three times her little throat around | O |
And strangled her No pain felt she | I |
I am quite sure she felt no pain | L |
As a shut bud that holds a bee | I |
I warily oped her lids again | P |
Laughed the blue eyes without a stain | L |
And I untightened next the tress | Q |
About her neck her cheek once more | I |
Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss | R |
I propped her head up as before | I |
Only this time my shoulder bore | I |
Her head which droops upon it still | S |
The smiling rosy little head | T |
So glad it has its utmost will | S |
That all it scorned at once is fled | T |
And I its love am gained instead | T |
Porphyria's love she guessed not how | U |
Her darling one wish would be heard | V |
And thus we sit together now | U |
And all night long we have not stirred | V |
And yet God has not said a word | V |
Robert Browning
(2)
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