Alciphron: A Fragment. Letter Iii Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B CDCDEFEEFGGHH IAIADDJKLKMM ANANOOPQPPQPRPRSTUU VVPWPWPPPPPPPPPPAAPX PX YPPYHHZPZXA2DA2D IIB2DQDQPC2PDDDDDDD2 D2 VSDDXPXPDDPPDDQQC2C2 DDAADDDD DE2DE2DPDPF2DF2DG2QG 2QQSQSS DDH2DH2DDDSS PXPXKKDDDDDSDS QI2QI2QQD2D2QQJ2J2DS DDSK2PL2PPIPI PPPPQDQD DM2DM2XXXXVN2DDO2O2O 2DDPP DDDDDPDPYXYX PDPDJLQQSTT DP2DP2DDQ2Q2I2I2QQR2 PR2P KDKDDQDQE2I2 KPKPDPDPI2I2XQXQDDQQ PPP M2DM2DDQDC2 PPDDPP DDS2QS2QDDDDDD DQDQQDQDDDDDPDT2D DDPPQQPPDPPDPPN2T DKDKKC2JC2LKK QDQDDDDADADPDPS2S2DD DDAH2AH2 DDH2U2H2V2DDPPJPJPDW 2DW2 X2QX2QQQLPVPO2O2SPSP L2Y2K2L2Z2DDDDI2PI2P PPDDDDDDI2I2E2 OPOPDDDDKK S2DS2PDXXQDQDPDT2DD DDDDXPXPSPSSPPP XS2XS2DPDPYY P2DP2DPDPDXXDE2DE2PP DDQ2Q2DD DZ2DZ2QQA3A3 XX

FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME	A
	-
Memphis	B
	-
	-
There is some star or may it be	C
That moon we saw so near last night	D
Which comes athwart my destiny	C
For ever with misleading light	D
If for a moment pure and wise	E
And calm I feel there quick doth fall	F
A spark from some disturbing eyes	E
That thro' my heart soul being flies	E
And makes a wildfire of it all	F
I've seen oh Cleon that this earth	G
Should e'er have given such beauty birth	G
That man but hold hear all that past	H
Since yester night from first to last	H
	-
The rising of the Moon calm slow	I
And beautiful as if she came	A
Fresh from the Elysian bowers below	I
Was with a loud and sweet acclaim	A
Welcomed from every breezy height	D
Where crowds stood waiting for her light	D
And well might they who viewed the scene	J
Then lit up all around them say	K
That never yet had Nature been	L
Caught sleeping in a lovelier ray	K
Or rivalled her own noontide face	M
With purer show of moonlight grace	M
	-
Memphis still grand tho' not the same	A
Unrivalled Memphis that could seize	N
From ancient Thebes the crown of Fame	A
And wear it bright thro' centuries	N
Now in the moonshine that came down	O
Like a last smile upon that crown	O
Memphis still grand among her lakes	P
Her pyramids and shrines of fire	Q
Rose like a vision that half breaks	P
On one who dreaming still awakes	P
To music from some midnight choir	Q
While to the west where gradual sinks	P
In the red sands from Libya rolled	R
Some mighty column or fair sphynx	P
That stood in kingly courts of old	R
It seemed as mid the pomps that shone	S
Thus gayly round him Time looked on	T
Waiting till all now bright and blest	U
Should sink beneath him like the rest	U
	-
No sooner had the setting sun	V
Proclaimed the festal rite begun	V
And mid their idol's fullest beams	P
The Egyptian world was all afloat	W
Than I who live upon these streams	P
Like a young Nile bird turned my boat	W
To the fair island on whose shores	P
Thro' leafy palms and sycamores	P
Already shone the moving lights	P
Of pilgrims hastening to the rites	P
While far around like ruby sparks	P
Upon the water lighted barks	P
Of every form and kind from those	P
That down Syene's cataract shoots	P
To the grand gilded barge that rows	P
To tambour's beat and breath of flutes	P
And wears at night in words of flame	A
On the rich prow its master's name	A
All were alive and made this sea	P
Of cities busy as a hill	X
Of summer ants caught suddenly	P
In the overflowing of a rill	X
	-
Landed upon the isle I soon	Y
Thro' marble alleys and small groves	P
Of that mysterious palm she loves	P
Reached the fair Temple of the Moon	Y
And there as slowly thro' the last	H
Dim lighted vestibule I past	H
Between the porphyry pillars twined	Z
With palm and ivy I could see	P
A band of youthful maidens wind	Z
In measured walk half dancingly	X
Round a small shrine on which was placed	A2
That bird whose plumes of black and white	D
Wear in their hue by Nature traced	A2
A type of the moon's shadowed light	D
	-
In drapery like woven snow	I
These nymphs were clad and each below	I
The rounded bosom loosely wore	B2
A dark blue zone or bandelet	D
With little silver stars all o'er	Q
As are the skies at midnight set	D
While in their tresses braided thro'	Q
Sparkled that flower of Egypt's lakes	P
The silvery lotus in whose hue	C2
As much delight the young Moon takes	P
As doth the Day God to behold	D
The lofty bean flower's buds of gold	D
And as they gracefully went round	D
The worshipt bird some to the beat	D
Of castanets some to the sound	D
Of the shrill sistrum timed their feet	D
While others at each step they took	D2
A tinkling chain of silver shook	D2
	-
They seemed all fair but there was one	V
On whom the light had not yet shone	S
Or shone but partly so downcast	D
She held her brow as slow she past	D
And yet to me there seemed to dwell	X
A charm about that unseen face	P
A something in the shade that fell	X
Over that brow's imagined grace	P
Which won me more than all the best	D
Outshining beauties of the rest	D
And her alone my eyes could see	P
Enchained by this sweet mystery	P
And her alone I watched as round	D
She glided o'er that marble ground	D
Stirring not more the unconscious air	Q
Than if a Spirit were moving there	Q
Till suddenly wide open flew	C2
The Temple's folding gates and threw	C2
A splendor from within a flood	D
Of glory where these maidens stood	D
While with that light as if the same	A
Rich source gave birth to both there came	A
A swell of harmony as grand	D
As e'er was born of voice and band	D
Filling the gorgeous aisles around	D
With luxury of light and sound	D
	-
Then was it by the flash that blazed	D
Full o'er her features oh 'twas then	E2
As startingly her eyes she raised	D
But quick let fall their lids again	E2
I saw not Psyche's self when first	D
Upon the threshold of the skies	P
She paused while heaven's glory burst	D
Newly upon her downcast eyes	P
Could look more beautiful or blush	F2
With holier shame than did this maid	D
Whom now I saw in all that gush	F2
Of splendor from the aisles displayed	D
Never tho' well thou know'st how much	G2
I've felt the sway of Beauty's star	Q
Never did her bright influence touch	G2
My soul into its depths so far	Q
And had that vision lingered there	Q
One minute more I should have flown	S
Forgetful who I was and where	Q
And at her feet in worship thrown	S
Proffered my soul thro' life her own	S
	-
But scarcely had that burst of light	D
And music broke on ear and sight	D
Than up the aisle the bird took wing	H2
As if on heavenly mission sent	D
While after him with graceful spring	H2
Like some unearthly creatures meant	D
To live in that mixt element	D
Of light and song the young maids went	D
And she who in my heart had thrown	S
A spark to burn for life was flown	S
	-
In vain I tried to follow bands	P
Of reverend chanters filled the aisle	X
Where'er I sought to pass their wands	P
Motioned me back while many a file	X
Of sacred nymphs but ah not they	K
Whom my eyes looked for thronged the way	K
Perplext impatient mid this crowd	D
Of faces lights the o'erwhelming cloud	D
Of incense round me and my blood	D
Full of its new born fire I stood	D
Nor moved nor breathed but when I caught	D
A glimpse of some blue spangled zone	S
Or wreath of lotus which I thought	D
Like those she wore at distance shone	S
	-
But no 'twas vain hour after hour	Q
Till my heart's throbbing turned to pain	I2
And my strained eyesight lost its power	Q
I sought her thus but all in vain	I2
At length hot wildered in despair	Q
I rushed into the cool night air	Q
And hurrying tho' with many a look	D2
Back to the busy Temple took	D2
My way along the moonlight shore	Q
And sprung into my boat once more	Q
There is a Lake that to the north	J2
Of Memphis stretches grandly forth	J2
Upon whose silent shore the Dead	D
Have a proud city of their own	S
With shrines and pyramids o'erspread	D
Where many an ancient kingly head	D
Slumbers immortalized in stone	S
And where thro' marble grots beneath	K2
The lifeless ranged like sacred things	P
Nor wanting aught of life but breath	L2
Lie in their painted coverings	P
And on each new successive race	P
That visit their dim haunts below	I
Look with the same unwithering face	P
They wore three thousand years ago	I
	-
There Silence thoughtful God who loves	P
The neighborhood of death in groves	P
Of asphodel lies hid and weaves	P
His hushing spell among the leaves	P
Nor ever noise disturbs the air	Q
Save the low humming mournful sound	D
Of priests within their shrines at prayer	Q
For the fresh Dead entombed around	D
	-
'Twas toward this place of death in mood	D
Made up of thoughts half bright half dark	M2
I now across the shining flood	D
Unconscious turned my light winged bark	M2
The form of that young maid in all	X
Its beauty was before me still	X
And oft I thought if thus to call	X
Her image to my mind at will	X
If but the memory of that one	V
Bright look of hers for ever gone	N2
Was to my heart worth all the rest	D
Of woman kind beheld possest	D
What would it be if wholly mine	O2
Within these arms as in a shrine	O2
Hallowed by Love I saw her shine	O2
An idol worshipt by the light	D
Of her own beauties day and night	D
If 'twas a blessing but to see	P
And lose again what would this be	P
	-
In thoughts like these but often crost	D
By darker threads my mind was lost	D
Till near that City of the Dead	D
Waked from my trance I saw o'erhead	D
As if by some enchanter bid	D
Suddenly from the wave to rise	P
Pyramid over pyramid	D
Tower in succession to the skies	P
While one aspiring as if soon	Y
'Twould touch the heavens rose over all	X
And on its summit the white moon	Y
Rested as on a pedestal	X
	-
The silence of the lonely tombs	P
And temples round where naught was heard	D
But the high palm tree's tufted plumes	P
Shaken at times by breeze or bird	D
Formed a deep contrast to the scene	J
Of revel where I late had been	L
To those gay sounds that still came o'er	Q
Faintly from many a distant shore	Q
And the unnumbered lights that shone	S
Far o'er the flood from Memphis on	T
To the Moon's Isle and Babylon	T
	-
My oars were lifted and my boat	D
Lay rocked upon the rippling stream	P2
While my vague thoughts alike afloat	D
Drifted thro' many an idle dream	P2
With all of which wild and unfixt	D
As was their aim that vision mixt	D
That bright nymph of the Temple now	Q2
With the same innocence of brow	Q2
She wore within the lighted fane	I2
Now kindling thro' each pulse and vein	I2
With passion of such deep felt fire	Q
As Gods might glory to inspire	Q
And now oh Darkness of the tomb	R2
That must eclipse even light like hers	P
Cold dead and blackening mid the gloom	R2
Of those eternal sepulchres	P
	-
Scarce had I turned my eyes away	K
From that dark death place at the thought	D
When by the sound of dashing spray	K
From a light oar my ear was caught	D
While past me thro' the moonlight sailed	D
A little gilded bark that bore	Q
Two female figures closely veiled	D
And mantled towards that funeral shore	Q
They landed and the boat again	E2
Put off across the watery plain	I2
	-
Shall I confess to thee I may	K
That never yet hath come the chance	P
Of a new music a new ray	K
From woman's voice from woman's glance	P
Which let it find me how it might	D
In joy or grief I did not bless	P
And wander after as a light	D
Leading to undreamt happiness	P
And chiefly now when hopes so vain	I2
Were stirring in my heart and brain	I2
When Fancy had allured my soul	X
Into a chase as vague and far	Q
As would be his who fixt his goal	X
In the horizon or some star	Q
Any bewilderment that brought	D
More near to earth my high flown thought	D
The faintest glimpse of joy less pure	Q
Less high and heavenly but more sure	Q
Came welcome and was then to me	P
What the first flowery isle must be	P
To vagrant birds blown out to sea	P
	-
Quick to the shore I urged my bark	M2
And by the bursts of moonlight shed	D
Between the lofty tombs could mark	M2
Those figures as with hasty tread	D
They glided on till in the shade	D
Of a small pyramid which thro'	Q
Some boughs of palm its peak displayed	D
They vanisht instant from my view	C2
	-
I hurried to the spot no trace	P
Of life was in that lonely place	P
And had the creed I hold by taught	D
Of other worlds I might have thought	D
Some mocking spirits had from thence	P
Come in this guise to cheat my sense	P
	-
At length exploring darkly round	D
The Pyramid's smooth sides I found	D
An iron portal opening high	S2
'Twixt peak and base and with a prayer	Q
To the bliss loving Moon whose eye	S2
Alone beheld me sprung in there	Q
Downward the narrow stairway led	D
Thro' many a duct obscure and dread	D
A labyrinth for mystery made	D
With wanderings onward backward round	D
And gathering still where'er it wound	D
But deeper density of shade	D
	-
Scarce had I asked myself Can aught	D
That man delights in sojourn here	Q
When suddenly far off I caught	D
A glimpse of light remote but clear	Q
Whose welcome glimmer seemed to pour	Q
From some alcove or cell that ended	D
The long steep marble corridor	Q
Thro' which I now all hope descended	D
Never did Spartan to his bride	D
With warier foot at midnight glide	D
It seemed as echo's self were dead	D
In this dark place so mute my tread	D
Reaching at length that light I saw	P
Oh listen to the scene now raised	D
Before my eyes then guess the awe	T2
The still rapt awe with which I gazed	D
	-
'Twas a small chapel lined around	D
With the fair spangling marble found	D
In many a ruined shrine that stands	P
Half seen above the Libyan sands	P
The walls were richly sculptured o'er	Q
And charactered with that dark lore	Q
Of times before the Flood whose key	P
Was lost in the Universal Sea	P
While on the roof was pictured bright	D
The Theban beetle as he shines	P
When the Nile's mighty flow declines	P
And forth the creature springs to light	D
With life regenerate in his wings	P
Emblem of vain imaginings	P
Of a new world when this is gone	N2
In which the spirit still lives on	T
	-
Direct beneath this type reclined	D
On a black granite altar lay	K
A female form in crystal shrined	D
And looking fresh as if the ray	K
Of soul had fled but yesterday	K
While in relief of silvery hue	C2
Graved on the altar's front were seen	J
A branch of lotus broken in two	C2
As that fair creature's life had been	L
And a small bird that from its spray	K
Was winging like her soul away	K
	-
But brief the glimpse I now could spare	Q
To the wild mystic wonders round	D
For there was yet one wonder there	Q
That held me as by witchery bound	D
The lamp that thro' the chamber shed	D
Its vivid beam was at the head	D
Of her who on that altar slept	D
And near it stood when first I came	A
Bending her brow as if she kept	D
Sad watch upon its silent flame	A
A female form as yet so placed	D
Between the lamp's strong glow and me	P
That I but saw in outline traced	D
The shadow of her symmetry	P
Yet did my heart I scarce knew why	S2
Even at that shadowed shape beat high	S2
Nor was it long ere full in sight	D
The figure turned and by the light	D
That touched her features as she bent	D
Over the crystal monument	D
I saw 'twas she the same the same	A
That lately stood before me brightening	H2
The holy spot where she but came	A
And went again like summer lightning	H2
	-
Upon the crystal o'er the breast	D
Of her who took that silent rest	D
There was a cross of silver lying	H2
Another type of that blest home	U2
Which hope and pride and fear of dying	H2
Build for us in a world to come	V2
This silver cross the maiden raised	D
To her pure lips then having gazed	D
Some minutes on that tranquil face	P
Sleeping in all death's mournful grace	P
Upward she turned her brow serene	J
As if intent on heaven those eyes	P
Saw them nor roof nor cloud between	J
Their own pure orbits and the skies	P
And tho' her lips no motion made	D
And that fixt look was all her speech	W2
I saw that the rapt spirit prayed	D
Deeper within than words could reach	W2
	-
Strange power of Innocence to turn	X2
To its own hue whate'er comes near	Q
And make even vagrant Passion burn	X2
With purer warmth within its sphere	Q
She who but one short hour before	Q
Had come like sudden wild fire o'er	Q
My heart and brain whom gladly even	L
From that bright Temple in the face	P
Of those proud ministers of heaven	V
I would have borne in wild embrace	P
And risked all punishment divine	O2
And human but to make her mine	O2
She she was now before me thrown	S
By fate itself into my arms	P
There standing beautiful alone	S
With naught to guard her but her charms	P
Yet did I then did even a breath	L2
From my parched lips too parched to move	Y2
Disturb a scene where thus beneath	K2
Earth's silent covering Youth and Death	L2
Held converse thro' undying love	Z2
No smile and taunt me as thou wilt	D
Tho' but to gaze thus was delight	D
Yet seemed it like a wrong a guilt	D
To win by stealth so pure a sight	D
And rather than a look profane	I2
Should then have met those thoughtful eyes	P
Or voice or whisper broke the chain	I2
That linked her spirit with the skies	P
I would have gladly in that place	P
From which I watched her heavenward face	P
Let my heart break without one beat	D
That could disturb a prayer so sweet	D
Gently as if on every tread	D
My life my more than life depended	D
Back thro' the corridor that led	D
To this blest scene I now ascended	D
And with slow seeking and some pain	I2
And many a winding tried in vain	I2
Emerged to upper earth again	E2
	-
The sun had freshly risen and down	O
The marble hills of Araby	P
Scattered as from a conqueror's crown	O
His beams into that living sea	P
There seemed a glory in his light	D
Newly put on as if for pride	D
Of the high homage paid this night	D
To his own Isis his young bride	D
Now fading feminine away	K
In her proud Lord's superior ray	K
	-
My mind's first impulse was to fly	S2
At once from this entangling net	D
New scenes to range new loves to try	S2
Or in mirth wine and luxury	P
Of every sense that might forget	D
But vain the effort spell bound still	X
I lingered without power or will	X
To turn my eyes from that dark door	Q
Which now enclosed her 'mong the dead	D
Oft fancying thro' the boughs that o'er	Q
The sunny pile their flickering shed	D
'Twas her light form again I saw	P
Starting to earth still pure and bright	D
But wakening as I hoped less awe	T2
Thus seen by morning's natural light	D
Than in that strange dim cell at night	D
	-
But no alas she ne'er returned	D
Nor yet tho' still I watch nor yet	D
Tho' the red sun for hours hath burned	D
And now in his mid course hath met	D
The peak of that eternal pile	X
He pauses still at noon to bless	P
Standing beneath his downward smile	X
Like a great Spirit shadowless	P
Nor yet she comes while here alone	S
Sauntering thro' this death peopled place	P
Where no heart beats except my own	S
Or 'neath a palm tree's shelter thrown	S
By turns I watch and rest and trace	P
These lines that are to waft to thee	P
My last night's wondrous history	P
	-
Dost thou remember in that Isle	X
Of our own Sea where thou and I	S2
Lingered so long so happy a while	X
Till all the summer flowers went by	S2
How gay it was when sunset brought	D
To the cool Well our favorite maids	P
Some we had won and some we sought	D
To dance within the fragrant shades	P
And till the stars went down attune	Y
Their Fountain Hymns to the young moon	Y
	-
That time too oh 'tis like a dream	P2
When from Scamander's holy tide	D
I sprung as Genius of the Stream	P2
And bore away that blooming bride	D
Who thither came to yield her charms	P
As Phrygian maids are wont ere wed	D
Into the cold Scamander's arms	P
But met and welcomed mine instead	D
Wondering as on my neck she fell	X
How river gods could love so well	X
Who would have thought that he who roved	D
Like the first bees of summer then	E2
Rifling each sweet nor ever loved	D
But the free hearts that loved again	E2
Readily as the reed replies	P
To the least breath that round it sighs	P
Is the same dreamer who last night	D
Stood awed and breathless at the sight	D
Of one Egyptian girl and now	Q2
Wanders among these tombs with brow	Q2
Pale watchful sad as tho' he just	D
Himself had risen from out their dust	D
	-
Yet so it is and the same thirst	D
For something high and pure above	Z2
This withering world which from the first	D
Made me drink deep of woman's love	Z2
As the one joy to heaven most near	Q
Of all our hearts can meet with here	Q
Still burns me up still keeps awake	A3
A fever naught but death can slake	A3
	-
Farewell whatever may befall	X
Or bright or dark thou'lt know it all	X

Thomas Moore

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