The Dead Quire Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBC A BDBD A EFEF GBGB HBHB IBIB J J KHKH B L M B NOP B QRQR B BSBS B TH BUBU TBTB VWVR UXUY BZBZ B UA2UA2 B B2C2B2C2 B D2E2D2E2 B D2F2D2F2 B BD2BD2 GXGX D2BD2B

IA
-
Beside the Mead of MemoriesB
Where Church way mounts to Moaning HillC
The sad man sighed his phantasiesB
He seems to sigh them stillC
-
IIA
-
'Twas the Birth tide Eve and the hamleteersB
Made merry with ancient Mellstock zestD
But the Mellstock quire of former yearsB
Had entered into restD
-
IIIA
-
Old Dewy lay by the gaunt yew treeE
And Reuben and Michael a pace behindF
And Bowman with his familyE
By the wall that the ivies bindF
-
IV-
-
The singers had followed one by oneG
Treble and tenor and thorough bassB
And the worm that wasteth had begunG
To mine their mouldering placeB
-
V-
-
For two score years ere Christ day lightH
Mellstock had throbbed to strains from theseB
But now there echoed on the nightH
No Christmas harmoniesB
-
VI-
-
Three meadows off at a dormered innI
The youth had gathered in high carouseB
And ranged on settles some thereinI
Had drunk them to a drowseB
-
VII-
-
Loud lively reckless some had grownJ
Each dandling on his jigging knee-
Eliza Dolly Nance or JoanJ
Livers in levity-
-
VIII-
-
The taper flames and hearthfire shineK
Grew smoke hazed to a lurid lightH
And songs on subjects not divineK
Were warbled forth that nightH
-
IXB
-
Yet many were sons and grandsons hereL
Of those who on such eves gone by-
At that still hour had throated clearM
Their anthems to the sky-
-
XB
-
The clock belled midnight and ere longN
One shouted 'Now 'tis Christmas mornO
Here's to our women old and youngP
And to John Barleycorn '-
-
XIB
-
They drink the toast and shout againQ
The pewter ware rings back the boomR
And for a breath while follows thenQ
A silence in the roomR
-
XIIB
-
When nigh without as in old daysB
The ancient quire of voice and stringS
Seemed singing words of prayer and praiseB
As they had used to singS
-
XIIIB
-
'While shepherds watch'd their flocks by night '-
Thus swells the long familiar soundT
In many a quaint symphonic flightH
To 'Glory shone around '-
-
XIV-
-
The sons defined their fathers' tonesB
The widow his whom she had wedU
And others in the minor moansB
The viols of the deadU
-
XV-
-
Something supernal has the soundT
As verse by verse the strain proceedsB
And stilly staring on the groundT
Each roysterer holds and heedsB
-
XVI-
-
Towards its chorded closing barV
Plaintively thinly waned the hymnW
Yet lingered like the notes afarV
Of banded seraphimR
-
-
XVII-
-
With brows abashed and reverent treadU
The hearkeners sought the tavern doorX
But nothing save wan moonlight spreadU
The empty highway o'erY
-
XVIII-
-
While on their hearing fixed and tenseB
The aerial music seemed to sinkZ
As it were gently moving thenceB
Along the river brinkZ
-
XIXB
-
Then did the Quick pursue the DeadU
By crystal Froom that crinkles thereA2
And still the viewless quire aheadU
Voiced the old holy airA2
-
XXB
-
By Bank walk wicket brightly bleachedB2
It passed and 'twixt the hedges twainC2
Dogged by the living till it reachedB2
The bottom of Church LaneC2
-
XXIB
-
There at the turning it was heardD2
Drawing to where the churchyard layE2
But when they followed thitherwardD2
It smalled and died awayE2
-
XXIIB
-
Each headstone of the quire each moundD2
Confronted them beneath the moonF2
But no more floated therearoundD2
That ancient Birth night tuneF2
-
XXIIIB
-
There Dewy lay by the gaunt yew treeB
There Reuben and Michael a pace behindD2
And Bowman with his familyB
By the wall that the ivies bindD2
-
XXIV-
-
As from a dream each sobered sonG
Awoke and musing reached his doorX
'Twas said that of them all not oneG
Sat in a tavern moreX
-
XXV-
-
The sad man ceased and ceased to heedD2
His listener and crossed the leazeB
From Moaning Hill towards the meadD2
The Mead of MemoriesB
-
-

Thomas Hardy



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