An Epithalamy To Sir Thomas Southwell And His Lady Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCDDEFGG A HHIIIIJJII A KLMMNNIIII O IIAHPPQRII H IISSTTUUII A IIVVOOWWOO O IIXYZZYYII O IIYYUUA2B2C2C2 Y D2D2IIIIE2E2F2F2 Y G2G2IIAAYYC2C2 Y YYIIIIQH2II Y I2I2UUJ2J2YYYY Y YYK2K2IIYYL2L2 O M2N2C2C2IIOOUU O B2B2YYO2O2P2P2II O YYOOIIIIII O Q2Q2IIIIYYR2R2I | A |
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Now now's the time so oft by truth | B |
Promis'd should come to crown your youth | B |
Then fair ones do not wrong | C |
Your joys by staying long | C |
Or let love's fire go out | D |
By lingering thus in doubt | D |
But learn that time once lost | E |
Is ne'er redeem'd by cost | F |
Then away come Hymen guide | G |
To the bed the bashful bride | G |
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II | A |
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Is it sweet maid your fault these holy | H |
Bridal rites go on so slowly | H |
Dear is it this you dread | I |
The loss of maidenhead | I |
Believe me you will most | I |
Esteem it when 'tis lost | I |
Then it no longer keep | J |
Lest issue lie asleep | J |
Then away come Hymen guide | I |
To the bed the bashful bride | I |
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III | A |
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These precious pearly purling tears | K |
But spring from ceremonious fears | L |
And 'tis but native shame | M |
That hides the loving flame | M |
And may a while control | N |
The soft and am'rous soul | N |
But yet love's fire will waste | I |
Such bashfulness at last | I |
Then away come Hymen guide | I |
To the bed the bashful bride | I |
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IV | O |
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Night now hath watch'd herself half blind | I |
Yet not a maidenhead resign'd | I |
'Tis strange ye will not fly | A |
To love's sweet mystery | H |
Might yon full moon the sweets | P |
Have promised to your sheets | P |
She soon would leave her sphere | Q |
To be admitted there | R |
Then away come Hymen guide | I |
To the bed the bashful bride | I |
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V | H |
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On on devoutly make no stay | I |
While Domiduca leads the way | I |
And Genius who attends | S |
The bed for lucky ends | S |
With Juno goes the Hours | T |
And Graces strewing flowers | T |
And the boys with sweet tunes sing | U |
Hymen O Hymen bring | U |
Home the turtles Hymen guide | I |
To the bed the bashful bride | I |
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VI | A |
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Behold how Hymen's taper light | I |
Shows you how much is spent of night | I |
See see the bridegroom's torch | V |
Half wasted in the porch | V |
And now those tapers five | O |
That show the womb shall thrive | O |
Their silv'ry flames advance | W |
To tell all prosp'rous chance | W |
Still shall crown the happy life | O |
Of the goodman and the wife | O |
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VII | O |
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Move forward then your rosy feet | I |
And make whate'er they touch turn sweet | I |
May all like flowery meads | X |
Smell where your soft foot treads | Y |
And everything assume | Z |
To it the like perfume | Z |
As Zephyrus when he 'spires | Y |
Through woodbine and sweetbriars | Y |
Then away come Hymen guide | I |
To the bed the bashful bride | I |
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VIII | O |
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And now the yellow veil at last | I |
Over her fragrant cheek is cast | I |
Now seems she to express | Y |
A bashful willingness | Y |
Showing a heart consenting | U |
As with a will repenting | U |
Then gently lead her on | A2 |
With wise suspicion | B2 |
For that matrons say a measure | C2 |
Of that passion sweetens pleasure | C2 |
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IX | Y |
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You you that be of her nearest kin | D2 |
Now o'er the threshold force her in | D2 |
But to avert the worst | I |
Let her her fillets first | I |
Knit to the posts this point | I |
Remembering to anoint | I |
The sides for 'tis a charm | E2 |
Strong against future harm | E2 |
And the evil deads the which | F2 |
There was hidden by the witch | F2 |
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X | Y |
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O Venus thou to whom is known | G2 |
The best way how to loose the zone | G2 |
Of virgins tell the maid | I |
She need not be afraid | I |
And bid the youth apply | A |
Close kisses if she cry | A |
And charge he not forbears | Y |
Her though she woo with tears | Y |
Tell them now they must adventure | C2 |
Since that love and night bid enter | C2 |
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XI | Y |
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No fatal owl the bedstead keeps | Y |
With direful notes to fright your sleeps | Y |
No furies here about | I |
To put the tapers out | I |
Watch or did make the bed | I |
'Tis omen full of dread | I |
But all fair signs appear | Q |
Within the chamber here | H2 |
Juno here far off doth stand | I |
Cooling sleep with charming wand | I |
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XII | Y |
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Virgins weep not 'twill come when | I2 |
As she so you'll be ripe for men | I2 |
Then grieve her not with saying | U |
She must no more a maying | U |
Or by rosebuds divine | J2 |
Who'll be her valentine | J2 |
Nor name those wanton reaks | Y |
You've had at barley breaks | Y |
But now kiss her and thus say | Y |
Take time lady while ye may | Y |
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XIII | Y |
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Now bar the doors the bridegroom puts | Y |
The eager boys to gather nuts | Y |
And now both love and time | K2 |
To their full height do climb | K2 |
Oh give them active heat | I |
And moisture both complete | I |
Fit organs for increase | Y |
To keep and to release | Y |
That which may the honour'd stem | L2 |
Circle with a diadem | L2 |
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XIV | O |
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And now behold the bed or couch | M2 |
That ne'er knew bride's or bridegroom's touch | N2 |
Feels in itself a fire | C2 |
And tickled with desire | C2 |
Pants with a downy breast | I |
As with a heart possesst | I |
Shrugging as it did move | O |
Ev'n with the soul of love | O |
And oh had it but a tongue | U |
Doves 'twould say ye bill too long | U |
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XV | O |
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O enter then but see ye shun | B2 |
A sleep until the act be done | B2 |
Let kisses in their close | Y |
Breathe as the damask rose | Y |
Or sweet as is that gum | O2 |
Doth from Panchaia come | O2 |
Teach nature now to know | P2 |
Lips can make cherries grow | P2 |
Sooner than she ever yet | I |
In her wisdom could beget | I |
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XVI | O |
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On your minutes hours days months years | Y |
Drop the fat blessing of the spheres | Y |
That good which heav'n can give | O |
To make you bravely live | O |
Fall like a spangling dew | I |
By day and night on you | I |
May fortune's lily hand | I |
Open at your command | I |
With all lucky birds to side | I |
With the bridegroom and the bride | I |
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XVII | O |
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Let bounteous Fate s your spindles full | Q2 |
Fill and wind up with whitest wool | Q2 |
Let them not cut the thread | I |
Of life until ye bid | I |
May death yet come at last | I |
And not with desp'rate haste | I |
But when ye both can say | Y |
Come let us now away | Y |
Be ye to the barn then borne | R2 |
Two like two ripe shocks of corn | R2 |
Robert Herrick
(1)
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