The Harpy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAA BBB CCC DDD BBB EEF BBB GGG HHH IJI KKK LLL| There was a woman and she was wise woefully wise was she | A |
| She was old so old yet her years all told were but a score and three | A |
| And she knew by heart from finish to start the Book of Iniquity | A |
| - | |
| There is no hope for such as I on earth nor yet in Heaven | B |
| Unloved I live unloved I die unpitied unforgiven | B |
| A loathed jade I ply my trade unhallowed and unshriven | B |
| - | |
| I paint my cheeks for they are white and cheeks of chalk men hate | C |
| Mine eyes with wine I make them shine that man may seek and sate | C |
| With overhead a lamp of red I sit me down and wait | C |
| - | |
| Until they come the nightly scum with drunken eyes aflame | D |
| Your sweethearts sons ye scornful ones 'tis I who know their shame | D |
| The gods ye see are brutes to me and so I play my game | D |
| - | |
| For life is not the thing we thought and not the thing we plan | B |
| And Woman in a bitter world must do the best she can | B |
| Must yield the stroke and bear the yoke and serve the will of man | B |
| - | |
| Must serve his need and ever feed the flame of his desire | E |
| Though be she loved for love alone or be she loved for hire | E |
| For every man since life began is tainted with the mire | F |
| - | |
| And though you know he love you so and set you on love's throne | B |
| Yet let your eyes but mock his sighs and let your heart be stone | B |
| Lest you be left as I was left attainted and alone | B |
| - | |
| From love's close kiss to hell's abyss is one sheer flight I trow | G |
| And wedding ring and bridal bell are will o' wisps of woe | G |
| And 'tis not wise to love too well and this all women know | G |
| - | |
| Wherefore the wolf pack having gorged upon the lamb their prey | H |
| With siren smile and serpent guile I make the wolf pack pay | H |
| With velvet paws and flensing claws a tigress roused to slay | H |
| - | |
| One who in youth sought truest truth and found a devil's lies | I |
| A symbol of the sin of man a human sacrifice | J |
| Yet shall I blame on man the shame Could it be otherwise | I |
| - | |
| Was I not born to walk in scorn where others walk in pride | K |
| The Maker marred and evil starred I drift upon His tide | K |
| And He alone shall judge His own so I His judgment bide | K |
| - | |
| Fate has written a tragedy its name is The Human Heart | L |
| The Theatre is the House of Life Woman the mummer's part | L |
| The Devil enters the prompter's box and the play is ready to start | L |
Robert Service
(1)
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