A Dream Of Antiquity Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAAB CDCDCEE BBFGFG CHCIJJKLKLMNMNOOPPOO QRQS OOOOTTUUUUOOVV OWOWOO OOXYXY UUOO OOOOZOZOXXA2A2A2A2 A2YA2Y YYUUOO PPOO WWB2B2VVUU C2OC2O OOOO YFYF A2GA2G A2D2A2D2 E2YE2Y A2OA2O QUQU OFOF

I just had turned the classic pageA
And traced that happy period overB
When blest alike were youth and ageA
And love inspired the wisest sageA
And wisdom graced the tenderest loverB
-
Before I laid me down to sleepC
Awhile I from the lattice gazedD
Upon that still and moonlight deepC
With isles like floating gardens raisedD
For Ariel there his sports to keepC
While gliding 'twixt their leafy shoresE
The lone night fisher plied his oarsE
-
I felt so strongly fancy's powerB
Came o'er me in that witching hourB
As if the whole bright scenery thereF
Were lighted by a Grecian skyG
And I then breathed the blissful airF
That late had thrilled to Sappho's sighG
-
Thus waking dreamt I and when SleepC
Came o'er my sense the dream went onH
Nor through her curtain dim and deepC
Hath ever lovelier vision shoneI
I thought that all enrapt I strayedJ
Through that serene luxurious shadeJ
Where Epicurus taught the LovesK
To polish virtue's native brightnessL
As pearls we're told that fondling dovesK
Have played with wear a smoother whitenessL
'Twas one of those delicious nightsM
So common in the climes of GreeceN
When day withdraws but half its lightsM
And all is moonshine balm and peaceN
And thou wert there my own belovedO
And by thy side I fondly rovedO
Through many a temple's reverend gloomP
And many a bower's seductive bloomP
Where Beauty learned what Wisdom taughtO
And sages sighed and lovers thoughtO
Where schoolmen conned no maxims sternQ
But all was formed to soothe or moveR
To make the dullest love to learnQ
To make the coldest learn to loveS
-
And now the fairy pathway seemedO
To lead us through enchanted groundO
Where all that bard has ever dreamedO
Of love or luxury bloomed aroundO
Oh 'twas a bright bewildering sceneT
Along the alley's deepening greenT
Soft lamps that hung like burning flowersU
And scented and illumed the bowersU
Seemed as to him who darkling rovesU
Amid the lone Hercynian grovesU
Appear those countless birds of lightO
That sparkle in the leaves at nightO
And from their wings diffuse a rayV
Along the traveller's weary wayV
-
'Twas light of that mysterious kindO
Through which the soul perchance may roamW
When it has left this world behindO
And gone to seek its heavenly homeW
And Nea thou wert by my sideO
Through all this heavenward path my guideO
-
But lo as wandering thus we rangedO
That upward path the vision changedO
And now methought we stole alongX
Through halls of more voluptuous gloryY
Than ever lived in Teian songX
Or wantoned in Milesian storyY
-
And nymphs were there whose very eyesU
Seemed softened o'er with breath of sighsU
Whose every ringlet as it wreathedO
A mute appeal to passion breathedO
-
Some flew with amber cups aroundO
Pouring the flowery wines of CreteO
And as they passed with youthful boundO
The onyx shone beneath their feetO
While others waving arms of snowZ
Entwined by snakes of burnished goldO
And showing charms as loth to showZ
Through many a thin Tarentian foldO
Glided among the festal throngX
Bearing rich urns of flowers alongX
Where roses lay in languor breathingA2
And the young beegrape round them wreathingA2
Hung on their blushes warm and meekA2
Like curls upon a rosy cheekA2
-
Oh Nea why did morning breakA2
The spell that thus divinely bound meY
Why did I wake how could I wakeA2
With thee my own and heaven around meY
-
-
-
Well peace to thy heart though another's it beY
And health to that cheek though it bloom not for meY
To morrow I sail for those cinnamon grovesU
Where nightly the ghost of the Carribee rovesU
And far from the light of those eyes I may yetO
Their allurements forgive and their splendor forgetO
-
Farewell to Bermuda and long may the bloomP
Of the lemon and myrtle its valleys perfumeP
May spring to eternity hallow the shadeO
Where Ariel has warbled and Waller has strayedO
-
And thou when at dawn thou shalt happen to roamW
Through the lime covered alley that leads to thy homeW
Where oft when the dance and the revel were doneB2
And the stars were beginning to fade in the sunB2
I have led thee along and have told by the wayV
What my heart all the night had been burning to sayV
Oh think of the past give a sigh to those timesU
And a blessing for me to that alley of limesU
-
-
-
If I were yonder wave my dearC2
And thou the isle it clasps aroundO
I would not let a foot come nearC2
My land of bliss my fairy groundO
-
If I were yonder couch of goldO
And thou the pearl within it placedO
I would not let an eye beholdO
The sacred gem my arms embracedO
-
If I were yonder orange treeY
And thou the blossom blooming thereF
I would not yield a breath of theeY
To scent the most imploring airF
-
Oh bend not o'er the water's brinkA2
Give not the wave that odorous sighG
Nor let its burning mirror drinkA2
The soft reflection of thine eyeG
-
That glossy hair that glowing cheekA2
So pictured in the waters seemD2
That I could gladly plunge to seekA2
Thy image in the glassy streamD2
-
Blest fate at once my chilly graveE2
And nuptial bed that stream might beY
I'll wed thee in its mimic waveE2
And die upon the shade of theeY
-
Behold the leafy mangrove bendingA2
O'er the waters blue and brightO
Like Nea's silky lashes lendingA2
Shadow to her eyes of lightO
-
Oh my beloved where'er I turnQ
Some trace of thee enchants mine eyesU
In every star thy glances burnQ
Thy blush on every floweret liesU
-
Nor find I in creation aughtO
Of bright or beautiful or rareF
Sweet to the sense of pure to thoughtO
But thou art found reflected thereF

Thomas Moore



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