The Lily In A Crystal Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBACDCD EFGHIIJI KIIKLMLN OIIOIPIQ RSSRSTSU GVVGIIII WXYWIZIZ RYou 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 |
- | |
- | |
- | |
Content Disposition form data name poemfile filename | R |
Robert Herrick
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation