The Fiddling Wood Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCCAD EFGFFG HCCCHC CFDFCD CAAAAC CHIHCI JCKCJK CCFCCF ACLCLA| Gods what a black fierce day The clouds were iron | A |
| Wrenched to strange rugged shapes the red sun winked | B |
| Over the rough crest of the hairy wood | C |
| In angry scorn the grey road twisted kinked | C |
| Like a sick serpent seeming to environ | A |
| The trees with magic All the wood was still | D |
| - | |
| Cracked crannied pines bent like malicious cripples | E |
| Before the gusty wind they seemed to nose | F |
| Nudge poke each other cackling with ill mirth | G |
| Enchantment's days were over sh Suppose | F |
| That crouching log there where the white light stipples | F |
| Should break its quiet WAS THAT CRIMSON EARTH | G |
| - | |
| It smirched the ground like a lewd whisper Danger | H |
| I hunched my cloak about me then appalled | C |
| Turned ice and fire by turns for someone stirred | C |
| The brown dry needles sharply Terror crawled | C |
| Along my spine as forth there stepped a Stranger | H |
| And all the pines crooned like a drowsy bird | C |
| - | |
| His stock was black His great shoe buckles glistened | C |
| His fur cuffs ended in a sheen of rings | F |
| And underneath his coat a case bulged blackly | D |
| He swept his beaver in a rush of wings | F |
| Then took the fiddle out and as I listened | C |
| Tightened and tuned the yellowed strings hung slackly | D |
| - | |
| Ping Pang The clear notes swooped and curved and darted | C |
| Rising like gulls Then with a finger skinny | A |
| He rubbed the bow with rosin said Your pardon | A |
| Signor Maestro Nicolo Paganini | A |
| They used to call me Tchk The cold grips hard on | A |
| A poor musician's fingers His lips parted | C |
| - | |
| A tortured soul screamed suddenly and loud | C |
| From the brown quivering case Then faster faster | H |
| Dancing in flame like whorls wild beating screaming | I |
| The music wailed unutterable disaster | H |
| Heartbroken murmurs from pale lips once proud | C |
| Dead choking moans from hearts once nobly dreaming | I |
| - | |
| Till all resolved in anguish died away | J |
| Upon one minor chord and was resumed | C |
| In anguish fell again to a low cry | K |
| Then rose triumphant where the white fires fumed | C |
| Terrible marching trampling reeling gay | J |
| Hurling mad broken legions down to die | K |
| - | |
| Through everlasting hells The tears were salt | C |
| Upon my fingers Then I saw behind | C |
| The fury of the player all the trees | F |
| Crouched like violinists boughs crooked jerking blind | C |
| Sweeping mad bows to music without fault | C |
| Grey cheeks to greyer fiddles withered knees | F |
| - | |
| Gasping I fled but still that devilish tune | A |
| Stunned ears and brain alike till clouds of dust | C |
| Blotted the picture and the noise grew dim | L |
| Shaking I reached the town and turned in trust | C |
| Wind smitten dread against the sky line's rim | L |
| Black dragon branches whipped below a moon | A |
Stephen Vincent Benet
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