The Two Kings Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOKPQOR STUVWXDOIYQZA2B2C2D2 E2F2G2KH2I2G2J2K2L2M 2N2O2P2Q2R2PFFS2T2U2 LV2N2L2W2X2EY2Z2A3FB 3C3L2E2D3GE3F3G3I2GH 3I3QPJ3E3K3E3L3VJ3FM 3B2U2L2N3L2IO3F2P3Q3 F2K3FR3L2S3L2L2T3M3U 3V3L2FWL2V2IFL2W3AX3 B2VPFY3L2L2J3Z3L2U3A 4X3B4C4AL2D4E4I3L2I2 QB2F4L2G4B3Y2EFJ3FH4 QT3H4L2I4G4J4KL2QK4G L4L2M4GS3N4M4FN4N4O4 QN4Y2P4Q4R4SJ3J3I2J3 R4J3WS4GJ3WGR4R4F2J3 T4S3U4R4H2V4GN2R4E3J 3KJ3R4W4L2J3J3

King Eochaid came at sundown to a woodA
Westward of Tara Hurrying to his queenB
He had outridden his war wasted menC
That with empounded cattle trod the mireD
And where beech trees had mixed a pale green lightE
With the ground ivy's blue he saw a stagF
Whiter than curds its eyes the tint of the seaG
Because it stood upon his path and seemedH
More hands in height than any stag in the worldI
He sat with tightened rein and loosened mouthJ
Upon his trembling horse then drove the spurK
But the stag stooped and ran at him and passedL
Rending the horse's flank King Eochaid reeledM
Then drew his sword to hold its levelled pointN
Against the stag When horn and steel were metO
The horn resounded as though it had been silverK
A sweet miraculous terrifying soundP
Horn locked in sword they tugged and struggled thereQ
As though a stag and unicorn were metO
Among the African Mountains of the MoonR
Until at last the double horns drawn backwardS
Butted below the single and so piercedT
The entrails of the horse Dropping his swordU
King Eochaid seized the horns in his strong handsV
And stared into the sea green eye and soW
Hither and thither to and fro they trodX
Till all the place was beaten into mireD
The strong thigh and the agile thigh were metO
The hands that gathered up the might of the worldI
And hoof and horn that had sucked in their speedY
Amid the elaborate wilderness of the airQ
Through bush they plunged and over ivied rootZ
And where the stone struck fire while in the leavesA2
A squirrel whinnied and a bird screamed outB2
But when at last he forced those sinewy flanksC2
Against a beech bole he threw down the beastD2
And knelt above it with drawn knife On the instantE2
It vanished like a shadow and a cryF2
So mournful that it seemed the cry of oneG2
Who had lost some unimaginable treasureK
Wandered between the blue and the green leafH2
And climbed into the air crumbling awayI2
Till all had seemed a shadow or a visionG2
But for the trodden mire the pool of bloodJ2
The disembowelled horseK2
King Eochaid ranL2
Toward peopled Tara nor stood to draw his breathM2
Until he came before the painted wallN2
The posts of polished yew circled with bronzeO2
Of the great door but though the hanging lampsP2
Showed their faint light through the unshuttered windowsQ2
Nor door nor mouth nor slipper made a noiseR2
Nor on the ancient beaten paths that woundP
From well side or from plough land was there noiscF
Nor had there been the noise of living thingF
Before him or behind but that far offS2
On the horizon edge bellowed the herdsT2
Knowing that silence brings no good to kingsU2
And mocks returning victory he passedL
Between the pillars with a beating heartV2
And saw where in the midst of the great hallN2
pale faced alone upon a bench EdainL2
Sat upright with a sword before her feetW2
Her hands on either side had gripped the benchX2
Her eyes were cold and steady her lips tightE
Some passion had made her stone Hearing a footY2
She started and then knew whose foot it wasZ2
But when he thought to take her in his armsA3
She motioned him afar and rose and spokeF
'I have sent among the fields or to the woodsB3
The fighting men and servants of this houseC3
For I would have your judgment upon oneL2
Who is self accused If she be innocentE2
She would not look in any known man's faceD3
Till judgment has been given and if guiltyG
Would never look again on known man's face 'E3
And at these words hc paled as she had paledF3
Knowing that he should find upon her lipsG3
The meaning of that monstrous dayI2
Then sheG
'You brought me where your brother Ardan satH3
Always in his one seat and bid me care himI3
Through that strange illness that had fixed him thereQ
And should he die to heap his burial moundP
And catve his name in Ogham ' Eochaid saidJ3
'He lives ' 'He lives and is a healthy man 'E3
'While I have him and you it matters littleK3
What man you have lost what evil you have found 'E3
'I bid them make his bed under this roofL3
And carried him his food with my own handsV
And so the weeks passed by But when I saidJ3
What is this trouble he would answer nothingF
Though always at my words his trouble grewM3
And I but asked the more till he cried outB2
Weary of many questions There are thingsU2
That make the heart akin to the dumb stoneL2
Then I replied Although you hide a secretN3
Hopeless and dear or terrible to think onL2
Speak it that I may send through the wide worldI
For Medicine Thereon he cried aloudO3
Day after day you question me and IF2
Because there is such a storm amid my thoughtsP3
I shall be carried in the gust commandQ3
Forbid beseech and waste my breath Then IF2
Although the thing that you have hid were evilK3
The speaking of it could be no great wrongF
And evil must it be if done 'twere worseR3
Than mound and stone that keep all virtue inL2
And loosen on us dreams that waste our lifeS3
Shadows and shows that can but turn the brainL2
but finding him still silent I stooped downL2
And whispering that none but he should hearT3
Said If a woman has put this on youM3
My men whether it please her or displeaseU3
And though they have to cross the Loughlan watersV3
And take her in the middle of armed menL2
Shall make her look upon her handiworkF
That she may quench the rick she has fired and thoughW
She may have worn silk clothes or worn a crownL2
She'II not be proud knowing within her heartV2
That our sufficient portion of the worldI
Is that we give although it be brief givingF
Happiness to children and to menL2
Then he driven by his thought beyond his thoughtW3
And speaking what he would not though he wouldA
Sighed You even you yourself could work the cureX3
And at those words I rose and I went outB2
And for nine days he had food from other handsV
And for nine days my mind went whirling roundP
The one disastrous zodiac mutteringF
That the immedicable mound's beyondY3
Our questioning beyond our pity evenL2
But when nine days had gone I stood againL2
Before his chair and bending down my headJ3
I bade him go when all his household sleptZ3
To an old empty woodman's house that's hiddenL2
Westward of Tara among the hazel treesU3
For hope would give his limbs the power and awaitA4
A friend that could he had told her work his cureX3
And would be no harsh friendB4
When night had deepenedC4
I groped my way from beech to hazel woodA
Found that old house a sputtering torch withinL2
And stretched out sleeping on a pile of skinsD4
Ardan and though I called to him and triedE4
To Shake him out of sleep I could not rouse himI3
I waited till the night was on the turnL2
Then fearing that some labourer on his wayI2
To plough or pasture land might see me thereQ
Went outB2
Among the ivy covered rocksF4
As on the blue light of a sword a manL2
Who had unnatural majesty and eyesG4
Like the eyes of some great kite scouring the woodsB3
Stood on my path Trembling from head to footY2
I gazed at him like grouse upon a kiteE
But with a voice that had unnatural musicF
A weary wooing and a long he saidJ3
Speaking of love through other lips and lookingF
Under the eyelids of another for it was my craftH4
That put a passion in the sleeper thereQ
And when I had got my will and drawn you hereT3
Where I may speak to you alone my craftH4
Sucked up the passion out of him againL2
And left mere sleep He'll wake when the sun wakesI4
push out his vigorous limbs and rub his eyesG4
And wonder what has ailed him these twelve monthsJ4
I cowered back upon the wall in terrorK
But that sweet sounding voice ran on WomanL2
I was your husband when you rode the airQ
Danced in the whirling foam and in the dustK4
In days you have not kept in memoryG
Being betrayed into a cradle and I comeL4
That I may claim you as my wife againL2
I was no longer terrified his voiceM4
Had half awakened some old memoryG
Yet answered him I am King Eochaid's wifeS3
And with him have found every happinessN4
Women can find With a most masterful voiceM4
That made the body seem as it were a stringF
Under a bow he cried What happinessN4
Can lovers have that know their happinessN4
Must end at the dumb stone But where we buildO4
Our sudden palaces in the still airQ
pleasure itself can bring no wearinessN4
Nor can time waste the cheek nor is there footY2
That has grown weary of the wandering danceP4
Nor an unlaughing mouth but mine that mournsQ4
Among those mouths that sing their sweethearts' praiseR4
Your empty bed How should I love I answeredS
Were it not that when the dawn has lit my bedJ3
And shown my husband sleeping there I have sighcdJ3
'Your strength and nobleness will pass away'I2
Or how should love be worth its pains were it notJ3
That when he has fallen asleep within my atmsR4
Being wearied out I love in man the childJ3
What can they know of love that do not knowW
She builds her nest upon a narrow ledgeS4
Above a windy precipice Then heG
Seeing that when you come to the deathbedJ3
You must return whether you would or noW
This human life blotted from memoryG
Why must I live some thirty forty yearsR4
Alone with all this useless happinessR4
Thereon he seized me in his arms but IF2
Thrust him away with both my hands and criedJ3
Never will I believe there is any changeT4
Can blot out of my memory this lifeS3
Sweetened by death but if I could believeU4
That were a double hunger in my lipsR4
For what is doubly briefH2
And now the shapeV4
My hands were pressed to vanished suddenlyG
I staggered but a beech tree stayed my fallN2
And clinging to it I could hear the cocksR4
Crow upon Tara 'E3
King Eochaid bowed his headJ3
And thanked her for her kindness to his brotherK
For that she promised and for that refusedJ3
Thereon the bellowing of the empounded herdsR4
Rose round the walls and through the bronze ringed doorW4
Jostled and shouted those war wasted menL2
And in the midst King Eochaid's brother stoodJ3
And bade all welcome being ignorantJ3

William Butler Yeats



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