The Lily In A Crystal Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBACDCD EFGHIIJI KIIKLMLN OIIOIPIQ RSSRSTSU GVVGIIII WXYWIZIZ R| You have beheld a smiling rose | A |
| When virgins' hands have drawn | B |
| O'er it a cobweb lawn | B |
| And here you see this lily shows | A |
| Tomb'd in a crystal stone | C |
| More fair in this transparent case | D |
| Than when it grew alone | C |
| And had but single grace | D |
| - | |
| You see how cream but naked is | E |
| Nor dances in the eye | F |
| Without a strawberry | G |
| Or some fine tincture like to this | H |
| Which draws the sight thereto | I |
| More by that wantoning with it | I |
| Than when the paler hue | J |
| No mixture did admit | I |
| - | |
| You see how amber through the streams | K |
| More gently strokes the sight | I |
| With some conceal'd delight | I |
| Than when he darts his radiant beams | K |
| Into the boundless air | L |
| Where either too much light his worth | M |
| Doth all at once impair | L |
| Or set it little forth | N |
| - | |
| Put purple grapes or cherries in | O |
| To glass and they will send | I |
| More beauty to commend | I |
| Them from that clean and subtle skin | O |
| Than if they naked stood | I |
| And had no other pride at all | P |
| But their own flesh and blood | I |
| And tinctures natural | Q |
| - | |
| Thus lily rose grape cherry cream | R |
| And strawberry do stir | S |
| More love when they transfer | S |
| A weak a soft a broken beam | R |
| Than if they should discover | S |
| At full their proper excellence | T |
| Without some scene cast over | S |
| To juggle with the sense | U |
| - | |
| Thus let this crystall'd lily be | G |
| A rule how far to teach | V |
| Your nakedness must reach | V |
| And that no further than we see | G |
| Those glaring colours laid | I |
| By art's wise hand but to this end | I |
| They should obey a shade | I |
| Lest they too far extend | I |
| - | |
| So though you're white as swan or snow | W |
| And have the power to move | X |
| A world of men to love | Y |
| Yet when your lawns and silks shall flow | W |
| And that white cloud divide | I |
| Into a doubtful twilight then | Z |
| Then will your hidden pride | I |
| Raise greater fires in men | Z |
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| Content Disposition form data name poemfile filename | R |
Robert Herrick
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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