Up At A Villa' Down In The City Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BBB CCC DEDD A A FFGG HIJJJ KKKKK LLEEMMM I NNNOOPPIIIIQQRR I SSAAIIII

As Distinguished by an Italian Person of QualityA
-
I-
-
Had I but plenty of money money enough and to spareB
The house for me no doubt were a house in the city squareB
Ah such a life such a life as one leads at the window thereB
-
II-
-
Something to see by Bacchus something to hear at leastC
There the whole day long one's life is a perfect feastC
While up at a villa one lives I maintain it no more than a beastC
-
III-
-
Well now look at our villa stuck like the horn of a bullD
Just on a mountain's edge as bare as the creature's skullE
Save a mere shag of a bush with hardly a leaf to pullD
I scratch my own sometimes to see if the hair's turned woolD
-
IV-
-
But the city oh the city the square with the houses Why-
They are stone faced white as a curd there's something to take the eye-
Houses in four straight lines not a single front awry-
You watch who crosses and gossips who saunters who hurries by-
Green blinds as a matter of course to draw when the sun gets high-
And the shops with fanciful signs which are painted properlyA
-
VA
-
What of a villa Though winter be over in March by rightsF
'Tis May perhaps ere the snow shall have withered well off the heightsF
You've the brown ploughed land before where the oxen steam and wheezeG
And the hills over smoked behind by the faint grey olive treesG
-
VI-
-
Is it better in May I ask you You've summer all at onceH
In a day he leaps complete with a few strong April sunsI
'Mid the sharp short emerald wheat scarce risen three fingers wellJ
The wild tulip at end of its tube blows out its great red bellJ
Like a thin clear bubble of blood for the children to pick and sellJ
-
VII-
-
Is it ever hot in the square There's a fountain to spout and splashK
In the shade it sings and springs in the shine such foam bows flashK
On the horses with curling fish tails that prance and paddle and pashK
Round the lady atop in her conch fifty gazers do not abashK
Though all that she wears is some weeds round her waist in a sort of sashK
-
VIII-
-
All the year long at the villa nothing to see though you lingerL
Except yon cypress that points like Death's lean lifted forefingerL
Some think fireflies pretty when they mix in the corn and mingleE
Or thrid the stinking hemp till the stalks of it seem a tingleE
Late August or early September the stunning cicala is shrillM
And the bees keep their tiresome whine round the resinous firs on the hillM
Enough of the seasons I spare you the months of the fever and chillM
-
IXI
-
Ere opening your eyes in the city the blessed church bells beginN
No sooner the bells leave off than the diligence rattles inN
You get the pick of the news and it costs you never a pinN
By and by there's the travelling doctor gives pills lets blood draws teethO
Or the Pulcinello trumpet breaks up the market beneathO
At the post office such a scene picture the new play piping hotP
And a notice how only this morning three liberal thieves were shotP
Above it behold the Archbishop's most fatherly of rebukesI
And beneath with his crown and his lion some little new law of the Duke'sI
Or a sonnet with flowery marge to the Reverend Don So and soI
Who is Dante Boccaccio Petrarca Saint Jerome and CiceroI
And moreover the sonnet goes rhyming the skirts of Saint Paul has reachedQ
Having preached us those six Lent lectures more unctuous than ever he preachedQ
Noon strikes here sweeps the procession our Lady borne smiling and smartR
With a pink gauze gown all spangles and seven swords stuck in her heartR
Bang whang whang goes the drum tootle te tootle the fife-
No keeping one's haunches still it's the greatest pleasure in life-
-
XI
-
But bless you it's dear it's dear fowls wine at double the rateS
They have clapped a new tax upon salt and what oil pays passing the gateS
It's a horror to think of And so the villa for me not the cityA
Beggars can scarcely be choosers but still ah the pity the pityA
Look two and two go the priests then the monks with cowls and sandalsI
And the penitents dressed in white shirts a holding the yellow candlesI
One he carries a flag up straight and another a cross with handlesI
And the Duke's guard brings up the rear for the better prevention of scandalsI
Bang whang whang goes the drum tootle te tootle the fife-
Oh a day in the city square there is no such pleasure in life-

Robert Browning



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Up At A Villa' Down In The City poem by Robert Browning


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 5 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets