Futility Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCC DEDEFF GHIHJJ EKEKLL MNMOPP| Dusting my books I spent a busy day | A |
| Not ancient toes time hallowed and unread | B |
| but modern volumes classics in their way | A |
| whose makers now are numbered with the dead | B |
| Men of a generation more than mine | C |
| With whom I tattled battled and drank wine | C |
| - | |
| I worshipped them rejoiced in their success | D |
| Grudging them not the gold that goes with fame | E |
| I thought them near immortal I confess | D |
| And naught could dim the glory of each name | E |
| How I perused their pages with delight | F |
| To day I peer with sadness in my sight | F |
| - | |
| For death has pricked each to a flat balloon | G |
| A score of years have gone they're clean forgot | H |
| Who would have visioned such a dreary doom | I |
| By God I'd like to burn the blasted lot | H |
| Only old books are mighty hard to burn | J |
| They char they flicker and their pages turn | J |
| - | |
| And as you stand to poke them in the flame | E |
| You see a living line that stabs the heart | K |
| Brave writing that It seems a cursed shame | E |
| That to a bonfire it should play it's part | K |
| Poor book You're crying and you're not alone | L |
| Some day someone will surely burn my own | L |
| - | |
| No I will dust my books and put them by | M |
| Yet never look into their leaves again | N |
| For scarce a soul remembers them save I | M |
| Re reading them would only give me pain | O |
| So I will sigh and say with curling lip | P |
| Futility Thy name is authorship | P |
Robert Service
(1)
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