Too Late Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBBDEFBFBGE AHIHIJBKLKLJB ABMBMNOBPBPNO NQRQRSEBBBBTE NUBUBVWNJNJVW NXYXZA2B2NC2NC2A2B2 NBBBBBNED2ED2BN NE2BE2BBNBF2BF2BN EG2H2C2H2BBBI2BI2BB EEJ2EJ2BGNBNBBD EEBEBBK2EEEEBK2 EJ2EJ2EEEBL2BL2EE

IA
Here was I with my arm and heartB
And brain all yours for a word a wantC
Put into a look just a look your partB
While mine to repay it vainest vauntB
Were the woman that's dead alive to hearD
Had her lover that's lost love's proof to showE
But I cannot show it you cannot speakF
From the churchyard neither miles removedB
Though I feel by a pulse within my cheekF
Which stabs and stops that the woman I lovedB
Needs help in her grave and finds none nearG
Wants warmth from the heart which sends it soE
-
IIA
Did I speak once angrily all the drear daysH
You lived you woman I loved so wellI
Who married the other Blame or praiseH
Where was the use then Time would tellI
And the end declare what man for youJ
What woman for me was the choice of GodB
But Edith dead no doubting moreK
I used to sit and look at my lifeL
As it rippled and ran till right beforeK
A great stone stopped it oh the strifeL
Of waves at the stone some devil threwJ
In my life's midcurrent thwarting GodB
-
IIIA
But either I thought They may churn and chideB
Awhile my waves which came for their joyM
And found this horrible stone full tideB
Yet I see just a thread escape deployM
Through the evening country silent and safeN
And it suffers no more till it finds the seaO
Or else I would think Perhaps some nightB
When new things happen a meteor ballP
May slip through the sky in a line of lightB
And earth breathe hard and landmarks fallP
And my waves no longer champ nor chafeN
Since a stone will have rolled from its place let beO
-
IVN
But dead All's done with wait who mayQ
Watch and wear and wonder who willR
Oh my whole life that ends to dayQ
Oh my soul's sentence sounding stillR
The woman is dead that was none of hisS
And the man that was none of hers may goE
There's only the past left worry thatB
Wreak like a bull on the empty coatB
Rage its late wearer is laughing atB
Tear the collar to rags having missed his throatB
Strike stupidly on This this and thisT
Where I would that a bosom received the blowE
-
VN
I ought to have done more once my speechU
And once your answer and there the endB
And Edith was henceforth out of reachU
Why men do more to deserve a friendB
Be rid of a foe get rich grow wiseV
Nor folding their arms stare fate in the faceW
Why better even have burst like a thiefN
And borne you away to a rock for us twoJ
In a moment's horror bright bloody and briefN
Then changed to myself again I slewJ
Myself in that moment a ruffian liesV
Somewhere your slave see born in his placeW
-
VIN
What did the other do You be judgeX
Look at us Edith Here are we bothY
Give him his six whole years I grudgeX
None of the life with you nay loatheZ
Myself that I grudged his start in advanceA2
Of me who could overtake and passB2
But as if he loved you No not heN
Nor anyone else in the world 't is plainC2
Who ever heard that another freeN
As I young prosperous sound and saneC2
Poured life out proffered it Half a glanceA2
Of those eyes of yours and I drop the glassB2
-
VIIN
Handsome were you 'T is more than they heldB
More than they said I was 'ware and watchedB
I was the 'scapegrace this rat belledB
The cat this fool got his whiskers scratchedB
The others No head that was turned no heartB
Broken my lady assure yourselfN
Each soon made his mind up so and soE
Married a dancer such and suchD2
Stole his friend's wife stagnated slowE
Or maundered unable to do as muchD2
And muttered of peace where he had no partB
While hid in the closet laid on the shelfN
-
VIIIN
On the whole you were let alone I thinkE2
So you looked to the other who acquiescedB
My rival the proud man prize your pinkE2
Of poets A poet he was I've guessedB
He rhymed you his rubbish nobody readB
Loved you and doved you did not I laughN
There was a prize But we both were triedB
Oh heart of mine marked broad with her markF2
Tekel found wanting set asideB
Scorned See I bleed these tears in the darkF2
Till comfort come and the last he bledB
He He is tagging your epitaphN
-
IXE
If it would only come over againG2
Time to be patient with me and probeH2
This heart till you punctured the proper veinC2
Just to learn what blood is twitch the robeH2
From that blank lay figure your fancy drapedB
Prick the leathern heart till the verses spirtB
And late it was easy late you walkedB
Where a friend might meet you Edith's nameI2
Arose to one's lip if one laughed or talkedB
If I heard good news you heard the sameI2
When I woke I knew that your breath escapedB
I could bide my time keep alive alertB
-
XE
And alive I shall keep and long you will seeE
I knew a man was kicked like a dogJ2
From gutter to cesspool what cared heE
So long as he picked from the filth his progJ2
He saw youth beauty and genius dieB
And jollily lived to his hundredth yearG
But I will live otherwise none of such lifeN
At once I begin as I mean to endB
Go on with the world get gold in its strifeN
Give your spouse the slip and betray your friendB
There are two who decline a woman and IB
And enjoy our death in the darkness hereD
-
XIE
I liked that way you had with your curlsE
Wound to a ball in a net behindB
Your cheek was chaste as a quaker girl'sE
And your mouth there was never to my mindB
Such a funny mouth for it would not shutB
And the dented chin too what a chinK2
There were certain ways when you spoke some wordsE
That you know you never could pronounceE
You were thin however like a bird'sE
Your hand seemed some would say the pounceE
Of a scaly footed hawk all butB
The world was right when it called you thinK2
-
XIIE
But I turn my back on the world I takeJ2
Your hand and kneel and lay to my lipsE
Bid me live Edith Let me slakeJ2
Thirst at your presence Fear no slipsE
'T is your slave shall pay while his soul enduresE
Full due love's whole debt summum jusE
My queen shall have high observance plannedB
Courtship made perfect no least lineL2
Crossed without warrant There you standB
Warm too and white too would this wineL2
Had washed all over that body of yoursE
Ere I drank it and you down with it thusE

Robert Browning



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