Poet Wilfrid Scawen Blunt

Wilfrid Scawen Blunt

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The Soul-s Mutiny Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDED FGFGGHGH IJKJJLJM NONOOPOP QRQRRSRS RDRDDTDT UVUWWXWW ORORRYRY WZWZZQZQ

I saw a galley passing to the WestA
Its silken sails aglow as if with bloodB
When the red sun dropped down into his nestA
And hurled his level spears across the floodB
And at its prow a mighty woman stoodC
With braided locks of blackest ebonyD
While from the thick fringed eyes her haughty moodE
Flashed forth in all disdainful majestyD
-
For she was tall and vestured like a queenF
And from her shoulders in imperial foldG
A strip d tunic wrought of black and greenF
With strange device of dragons manifoldG
Fell to her waist and rippled o'er with goldG
Where caught up in a girdle loosely boundH
Then freely down in potent masses rolledG
And clung about her feet and clasped the groundH
-
And ever and anon with gracious smileI
Lighting the royal sculpture of her faceJ
She gave commands And each his joyful toilK
Plied at her word and with redoubled graceJ
Bent to his oar and working still in placeJ
Did all her bidding And the ship moved onL
As one which wagered in a mighty raceJ
Sailed surely to the front and surely wonM
-
And next I saw a slender child who seemedN
Sprung from the river god's unearthly dewO
And in his face the light of wisdom gleamedN
And round about in flashing circles flewO
And he arose and whispered to the fewO
Who sat beside him and to each in turnP
He told his counsel thus to all the crewO
In honied words which I had wished to learnP
-
And at his voice each rower dropped his oarQ
And the sail flapped unguided on the mastR
And discord rose the while upon the shoreQ
Drifted the galley down the current fastR
And she who stood upon the prow had castR
Her angry words upon the storm in vainS
Though her deep tones came pealing down the blastR
As though the heavens should be rent in twainS
-
And then I marked her when she first espiedR
The fair child which had made this harm to beD
There was great wonder mingled with her prideR
That one so tenderly designed as heD
Should dare dispute with her old masteryD
And yet nor anger nor proud looks might quellT
The fearless eyes which smiled out mutinyD
Till her own heart seemed stricken with the spellT
-
With wonderment fast quickening to dismayU
And a dull rage which smouldered 'neath her browsV
And then rage wonder pride did fade awayU
Before the cruel thought which lastly roseW
From out her mad heart with colossal throesW
A thought so heavy black that I did guessX
It came full freighted with the immortal woesW
Of an old god dethroned and heavenlessW
-
For sudden with a shout her arms she threwO
High o'er her head a torch in either handR
And round the ship the flames triumphant flewO
The shrivelling sails fell low while still she fannedR
With tempest voice the leaping fire which spannedR
The sinking galley with an arch of flameY
I heard her thunder forth her last commandR
And bid the traitors perish in their shameY
-
The ship went down and a sad cry aroseW
Stifled with smoke and rushing waters inZ
The silent stream as heedless of men's woesW
Went on its way as they had never beenZ
The brave ship rots upon the ooze I weenZ
And naked limbs lie stark upon the shoreQ
Long ripples lap that angry hearted queenZ
And wash those mutinous eyes for evermoreQ

Wilfrid Scawen Blunt



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