Thel Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCDEF GHIGJCKLM NOPKHQGRSTUA V WEXJYZTOA2J IACW KN A WDWL B2W TC2D2DWE2F2A2G2E2 WE2H2I2DJ2K2 L2 M2N2WLO2 P2W A K Q2P2R2S2T2 KKM2 U2KV2 KKWDW2X2 WR2KKR2DK M2Y2GK X2 Z2A3B3C3O2 V2X2KY2K A2WD3WK KE3KF3G V2Z2I | A |
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The daughters of Mne Seraphim led round their sunny flocks | B |
All but the youngest she in paleness sought the secret air | C |
To fade away like morning beauty from her mortal day | D |
Down by the river of Adona her soft voice is heard | E |
And thus her gentle lamentation falls like morning dew | F |
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O life of this our spring why fades the lotus of the water | G |
Why fade these children of the spring born but to smile fall | H |
Ah Thel is like a watry bow and like a parting cloud | I |
Like a reflection in a glass like shadows in the water | G |
Like dreams of infants like a smile upon an infants face | J |
Like the doves voice like transient day like music in the air | C |
Ah gentle may I lay me down and gentle rest my head | K |
And gentle sleep the sleep of death and gently hear the voice | L |
Of him that walketh in the garden in the evening time | M |
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The Lilly of the valley breathing in the humble grass | N |
Answerd the lovely maid and said I am a watry weed | O |
And I am very small and love to dwell in lowly vales | P |
So weak the gilded butterfly scarce perches on my head | K |
Yet I am visited from heaven and he that smiles on all | H |
Walks in the valley and each morn over me spreads his hand | Q |
Saying rejoice thou humble grass thou new born lily flower | G |
Thou gentle maid of silent valleys and of modest brooks | R |
For thou shall be clothed in light and fed with morning manna | S |
Till summers heat melts thee beside the fountains and the springs | T |
To flourish in eternal vales they why should Thel complain | U |
Why should the mistress of the vales of Har utter a sigh | A |
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She ceasd smild in tears then sat down in her silver shrine | V |
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Thel answerd O thou little virgin of the peaceful valley | W |
Giving to those that cannot crave the voiceless the o'er tired | E |
The breath doth nourish the innocent lamb he smells the milky garments | X |
He crops thy flowers while thou sittest smiling in his face | J |
Wiping his mild and meekin mouth from all contagious taints | Y |
Thy wine doth purify the golden honey thy perfume | Z |
Which thou dost scatter on every little blade of grass that springs | T |
Revives the milked cow tames the fire breathing steed | O |
But Thel is like a faint cloud kindled at the rising sun | A2 |
I vanish from my pearly throne and who shall find my place | J |
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Queen of the vales the Lily answered ask the tender cloud | I |
And it shall tell thee why it glitters in the morning sky | A |
And why it scatters its bright beauty thro the humid air | C |
Descend O little cloud hover before the eyes of Thel | W |
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The Cloud descended and the Lily bowd her modest head | K |
And went to mind her numerous charge among the verdant grass | N |
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II | A |
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O little Cloud the virgin said I charge thee to tell me | W |
Why thou complainest now when in one hour thou fade away | D |
Then we shall seek thee but not find ah Thel is like to thee | W |
I pass away yet I complain and no one hears my voice | L |
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The Cloud then shewd his golden head his bright form emerg'd | B2 |
Hovering and glittering on the air before the face of Thel | W |
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O virgin know'st thou not our steeds drink of the golden springs | T |
Where Luvah doth renew his horses lookst thou on my youth | C2 |
And fearest thou because I vanish and am seen no more | D2 |
Nothing remains O maid I tell thee when I pass away | D |
It is to tenfold life to love to peace and raptures holy | W |
Unseen descending weigh my light wings upon balmy flowers | E2 |
And court the fair eyed dew to take me to her shining tent | F2 |
The weeping virgin trembling kneels before the risen sun | A2 |
Till we arise link'd in a golden band and never part | G2 |
But walk united bearing food to all our tender flowers | E2 |
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Dost thou O little cloud I fear that I am not like thee | W |
For I walk through the vales of Har and smell the sweetest flowers | E2 |
But I feed not the little flowers I hear the warbling birds | H2 |
But I feed not the warbling birds they fly and seek their food | I2 |
But Thel delights in these no more because I fade away | D |
And all shall say without a use this shining women liv'd | J2 |
Or did she only live to be at death the food of worms | K2 |
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The Cloud reclind upon his airy throne and answerd thus | L2 |
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Then if thou art the food of worms O virgin of the skies | M2 |
How great thy use how great thy blessing every thing that lives | N2 |
Lives not alone nor or itself fear not and I will call | W |
The weak worm from its lowly bed and thou shalt hear its voice | L |
Come forth worm and the silent valley to thy pensive queen | O2 |
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The helpless worm arose and sat upon the Lillys leaf | P2 |
And the bright Cloud saild on to find his partner in the vale | W |
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III | A |
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Then Thel astonish'd view'd the Worm upon its dewy bed | K |
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Art thou a Worm image of weakness art thou but a Worm | Q2 |
I see thee like an infant wrapped in the Lillys leaf | P2 |
Ah weep not little voice thou can'st not speak but thou can'st weep | R2 |
Is this a Worm I see they lay helpless naked weeping | S2 |
And none to answer none to cherish thee with mothers smiles | T2 |
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The Clod of Clay heard the Worms voice rais'd her pitying head | K |
She bowd over the weeping infant and her life exhald | K |
In milky fondness then on Thel she fix'd her humble eyes | M2 |
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O beauty of the vales of Har we live not for ourselves | U2 |
Thou seest me the meanest thing and so I am indeed | K |
My bosom of itself is cold and of itself is dark | V2 |
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But he that loves the lowly pours his oil upon my head | K |
And kisses me and binds his nuptial bands around my breast | K |
And says Thou mother of my children I have loved thee | W |
And I have given thee a crown that none can take away | D |
But how this is sweet maid I know not and I cannot know | W2 |
I ponder and I cannot ponder yet I live and love | X2 |
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The daughter of beauty wip'd her pitying tears with her white veil | W |
And said Alas I knew not this and therefore did I weep | R2 |
That God would love a Worm I knew and punish the evil foot | K |
That wilful bruis'd its helpless form but that he cherish'd it | K |
With milk and oil I never knew and therefore did I weep | R2 |
And I complaind in the mild air because I fade away | D |
And lay me down in thy cold bed and leave my shining lot | K |
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Queen of the vales the matron Clay answered I heard thy sighs | M2 |
And all thy moans flew o'er my roof but I have call'd them down | Y2 |
Wilt thou O Queen enter my house tis given thee to enter | G |
And to return fear nothing enter with thy virgin feet | K |
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IV | X2 |
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The eternal gates terrific porter lifted the northern bar | Z2 |
Thel enter'd in saw the secrets of the land unknown | A3 |
She saw the couches of the dead where the fibrous roots | B3 |
Of every heart on earth infixes deep its restless twists | C3 |
A land of sorrows of tears where never smile was seen | O2 |
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She wandered in the land of clouds thro' valleys dark listning | V2 |
Dolors lamentations waiting oft beside the dewy grave | X2 |
She stood in silence listning to the voices of the ground | K |
Till to her own grave plot she came there she sat down | Y2 |
And heard this voice of sorrow breathed from the hollow pit | K |
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Why cannot the Ear be closed to its own destruction | A2 |
Or the glistening Eye to the poison of a smile | W |
Why are Eyelids stord with arrows ready drawn | D3 |
Where a thousand fighting men in ambush lie | W |
Or an Eye of gifts graces showring fruits coined gold | K |
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Why a Tongue impress'd with honey from every wind | K |
Why an Ear a whirlpool fierce to draw creations in | E3 |
Why a Nostril wide inhaling terror trembling affright | K |
Why a tender curb upon the youthful burning boy | F3 |
Why a little curtain of flesh on the bed of our desire | G |
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The Virgin started from her seat with a shriek | V2 |
Fled back unhinderd till she came into the vales of Har | Z2 |
William Blake
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