The Threshold Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCCDBDEFEG HIIJHKLMLM NBBONOPQPQ RRRSRSTUTU RRRRRRRVRV WRRXWYRFRF RRRZRZA2RA2R RRRB2RB2C2D2E2D2 RF2F2RRRRG2RG2 A2RRCA2H2I2FI2F J2FFK2J2K2L2M2L2M2 RRRFRFFRFR A2G2G2TA2TN2M2N2M2 O2P2P2Q2O2R2RRRR K2FFFK2FRRRR

An OdeA
I walked beside full flooding Thames to nightB
Westward upon my face the sunset fellC
The hour the spacious evening pleased me wellC
Buoyant the air breathed after rain and kindD
To senses flattered with soft sound and lightB
Of merry waves that leapt against the windD
Where broadly heaving barge and boat at restE
The River came at flood from golden skiesF
Issuing through arches black upon the WestE
To flame before the sunset's mysteriesG
-
Far off to night as a remembered dreamH
That different Thames familiar as a friendI
That youthful Thames to whom his willows bendI
With private whisper where my boat would comeJ
Heaped with fresh flowers and down the cool smooth streamH
Follow his green banks through the twilight homeK
Far from these paven shores these haughty towersL
Where wave and beam glorying together runM
As though they would disown those cradling bowersL
And gushed immediate from the molten sunM
-
Dazzled I turn and lo the solemn EastN
Before me comes Soft to my eyes yet brightB
London her vastness stretches in hushed lightB
Murmuring wharf and terrace curve afarO
Past bridge and steeple thronging great with leastN
To Paul's high cross that sparkles like a starO
The distant windows glitter and high o'er themP
Clouds unapproachable illumined snowsQ
Tinged with calm fire that blushes like a gemP
As though themselves burned inwardly reposeQ
-
All things methought that inward glory sharedR
A radiant strangeness nothing I beheldR
But spoke in a new tongue to me or spelledR
New meanings and within me a deep senseS
Of portals opening of an hour preparedR
Prophesied and a light transported thenceS
Of expectation on me also cameT
Glowing the city waits what shall arriveU
The steep clouds smoulder as to sudden flameT
They would burst forth and the wave leaps aliveU
-
Immediately stole over me the thoughtR
Of this age ending painful and oppressedR
Its cry entreating still rejected restR
Echoed behind me But I seemed to standR
Beyond and over the near threshold broughtR
Of days to be the air blew strong and blandR
I listened and a voice wherein bore partR
Cloud light and wind and water thus beganV
Aerial tones a voice from the deep heartR
Of all things speaking to the heart of manV
-
Say troubled one what sorrow is it keepsW
Thy spirit Because thy latest dream is shedR
Is the root sapped and the strong branches deadR
Forget'st thou that thy generations haveX
Their seasons and for them her due term sleepsW
Spring with her buds dreaming in Autumn's graveY
Because 'twas Autumn with thee thou sit'st muteR
To the fall of the leaf consenting yet thine eyesF
Cast round thee and consider what fair fruitR
The full seeds bear in charge Wake and ariseF
-
Wake and for blither energy remitR
This tedious questing in the inscrutable pastR
This pondering the before and after vastR
O couldst thou take like us Time's quiet bloomZ
On life alone expend thy freshened witR
The burden and the joy alone resumeZ
The mountains groan not that the streams devourA2
With thievish tongue their ancient high estateR
Nor of her pining leaf complains the flowerA2
But thou enjoy'st not nor reject'st thy fateR
-
Pitying thee the Powers that on thee castR
Thy destiny 'mid labour solace sentR
For veiled they keep that infinite ascentR
Of years and by degrees the pathway showB2
Up which thou mountest deemest still the lastR
Step won and numbered all the stones of woeB2
And easily triumphant thou lean'st forthC2
To grasp the final palm when that eludesD2
As easily dejected placid EarthE2
Remains a mirror for thy hundred moodsD2
-
Dream builder for whose dreams thy lips inventR
Names of sweet sound freedom and peace and truthF2
Upon the bright fermenting mists of youthF2
Projecting a foredoomed realityR
Happy if gross joys could thy brain contentR
Or could thy faith match thy credulityR
Ever inweaving Earth's plain warp with threadR
Of thy deep wishes thine own heart's strong hueG2
The mind thy prison thought thy narrow bedR
With truth with freedom what hast thou to doG2
-
O yet I answered not in vain desireA2
Spurs us to gaze into the infinityR
To dip our hands in that wide whispering seaR
How shall one flower the whole wood's voices tellC
Or one small sphere interpret that full choirA2
Of orb with orb music ineffableH2
From all worlds mingled Yet since our best joyI2
Not in possession but beyond us liesF
Our hearts at last weary of earth's annoyI2
Only that far off music satisfiesF
-
Name beyond names Heart of the Eternal LifeJ2
Whom our faint thought hardly at times conceivesF
Who hear'st but as the oak his fluttered leavesF
The cry of parting spirits who in the pangK2
For children born rejoicest from whose strifeJ2
And travail issuing the bright worlds outsprangK2
If the wide thought of thee my childish griefL2
Ever effaced accept my manhood's vowM2
O sweet and insupportable O chiefL2
And first and last of all loves hear me nowM2
-
Me whom this living vastness once appalledR
And this uproar disheartened and oppressedR
Now larger thoughts enfranchise with sweet zestR
Nourish and this immensity sustainsF
Buoyed as a swimmer upon ocean calledR
From time to the eternal my due painsF
Accepting in thy bosom I reposeF
Of joys and griefs together make my bedR
In longing to set sure against all foesF
My spirit freed and with thy spirit wedR
-
Thou thou remainest ever in lovely powerA2
Triumphant whom beginning never knewG2
'Tis we alone that our own strength undoG2
'Tis we alone that to thy ardour lameT
Often defeated miserably deflowerA2
The joy thou gavest quench the imparted flameT
And native sweet sourly to ashes turnN2
O help inspire Us with thyself endowM2
Through our brief actions let thy greatness burnN2
As through the clouds the light is burning nowM2
-
For me since thou this hour to see thee wholeO2
Vouchsafest no more shall my heart denyP2
That thou proceed'st because I fail and cryP2
Henceforth will I endure to walk right onQ2
Nor my bliss too much ponder nor my doleO2
And since dear peace fortifies faith aloneR2
I trust thee and not loth resign my heartR
Nor though thou shouldst betray me wound and rendR
Would my course alter that the better partR
Have chosen enduring to the unknown endR
-
So inwardly my lifted spirit sangK2
And lo that solemn joy to authorizeF
With answering bloom before my lifted eyesF
The clouds moved softly the far western firesF
A moment o'er the steeples paused and sprangK2
Now on the eye the fading light expiresF
But 'tis to me as if Earth cast off DayR
Assuming her own glory and her flightR
Unwearied urging on the eternal wayR
Already glowed among the lamps of NightR

Robert Laurence Binyon



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