Proem. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEAFGHIJKIFLDMNOG PQRSDTUVKCWLXIYZIA2U B2C2UD2IUE2F2ID2F2UI F2FF2IG2ILH2YUI2IJ2F 2UIK2L2M2F2IUG2IUIII IN2IIO2F2P2Q2R2UE2F2 UF2IUDF2

I only knew one poet in my lifeA
BROWNINGB
I have not known a poet but myselfC
If I'm indeed one as I ought to beD
Considering how these many years I've madeE
The Muse now such a woman in my lifeA
No flesh and blood could put to proof the artF
With which I wooed her ay and woo her stillG
Though as I deem ere this she has been wonH
I have not known another as I sayI
Who could be called a poet or has beenJ
Acclaimed such by the not too wise in witK
Who label literature's itinerantsI
Professed discerners as in every artF
With sheer cock surety there be those whoL
Deem their diploma Fame's own warrantyD
Who in this journal or in that take stockM
O' the issue of thought's making song at bestN
A poor result not to much tending or ifO
Esteemed good e'en though flawed in some way stillG
So these crumb gatherers for the multitudeP
Still dole their wit or wisdom week by weekQ
Piece out our imperfections choose electR
In this or that craft him or her as firstS
Second or third whatever the degreeD
Arrived at in the inkling of a whimT
And so with their diploma set the sealU
To the rank world's preferment failing whichV
Mere poets must have a bad time of itK
Or haply some one in song's craft himselfC
Elects himself the chief musician andW
The other nine and ninety jugglers whoL
Jig ape like in the halo of his vogueX
'Tis then song does become ridiculousI
And the proud name of poet poor indeedY
Proud name Alas the power of pride is goneZ
And the dull world's humility is theirsI
The new bards who unlike the old gauge notA2
The grandeur of the office they fulfilU
The old knight errantry of Song who rodeB2
Triumphant with God's targe in the world's eyeC2
Emblazoned with the heraldry of soulU
In this wise or in that the squires of TruthD2
Love's worshippers or Beauty's votariesI
Whose mere life was the melody of allU
It may in fact be song at best is butE2
The rind of this life's apple not its coreF2
And the chief singers still but mendicantsI
Of the world's love and yet it is in soothD2
The one thing sweet to its own votaryF2
As to the painter his art too is allU
And to the sculptor his Ay though but rindsI
At best allowed of our life's apples hereF2
Yet the rind no less than the core is partF
O' the perfect fruit more toothsome than the coreF2
So the white flesh is eaten with it soI
Song includes life as life including songG2
Retains the sweetness of its strength and yieldsI
To all sustainment and fruition tooL
Though as within the earthy fruit thought's pulpH2
Is th' first thing still and failing which indeedY
The eater then deems his enjoyment nullU
Song without life is such a withered fruitI2
Ah but thou sayest that song's subserviencyI
To life the mere foot on the daily factJ2
Treading not the imaginary airF2
But the mire of the actual breeds alloyU
Too gross for beauty that 'tis not in theseI
The soilure of the animal the slagK2
Of the material or custom's packL2
Ay not in these the effluent wings dilateM2
The breath diviner has its issue norF2
Spirit to heaven finds the nearest wayI
And rightly sayest Life in these is allU
And has with these its ending too but songG2
That more than life of which the poet singsI
With power authentic in each syllableU
As the moon sends a gleam down watery gloomsI
To hint of heaven song as it were unwrapsI
All the dense folds of life one by one soI
To find a spark of the divine or tearsI
The bodily vesture from the breathing manN2
And on the soul's escape pursuing singsI
Of th' more than life which 'neath the earthy ragsI
For years it may be blind and deaf and dumbO2
Was so uncognisant that God was nearF2
That heaven was possible and the escapeP2
So easy when His sesame was saidQ2
As thou I then on song this value setR2
That it can leaven life a yeast of soulU
So quickening us we are not mere dough butE2
Dough with a resurrection in it hereF2
And capable of any miracleU
At that we'll let it stand sometime elsewhereF2
With other eyes and other ears we mayI
Perceive a higher meaning in it allU
Song perfect then or so life perfect weD
Shall be the song not make it any moreF2

Robert Crawford



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