Under Ben Bulben Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCDE FFGGFHI I A JJKLMMNNOOPP A Q MRSSJJJJTT UUVWX XYY ZZA2B2SS C2C2JAAD2D2E2E2F2G2H H2WI2Y J2J2K2L2JJPM2N2N2O2O 2JJ N2 A MJ2N2N2J JP2Q2 AR2A

IA
-
Swear by what the sages spokeB
Round the Mareotic LakeC
That the Witch of Atlas knewD
Spoke and set the cocks a crowE
-
Swear by those horsemen by those womenF
Complexion and form prove superhumanF
That pale long visaged companyG
That air in immortalityG
Completeness of their passions wonF
Now they ride the wintry dawnH
Where Ben Bulben sets the sceneI
-
Here's the gist of what they meanI
-
IIA
-
Many times man lives and diesJ
Between his two eternitiesJ
That of race and that of soulK
And ancient Ireland knew it allL
Whether man die in his bedM
Or the rifle knocks him deadM
A brief parting from those dearN
Is the worst man has to fearN
Though grave diggers' toil is longO
Sharp their spades their muscles strongO
They but thrust their buried menP
Back in the human mind againP
-
IIIA
-
You that Mitchel's prayer have heardQ
'Send war in our time O Lord '-
Know that when all words are saidM
And a man is fighting madR
Something drops from eyes long blindS
He completes his partial mindS
For an instant stands at easeJ
Laughs aloud his heart at peaceJ
Even the wisest man grows tenseJ
With some sort of violenceJ
Before he can accomplish fateT
Know his work or choose his mateT
-
IV-
-
Poet and sculptor do the workU
Nor let the modish painter shirkU
What his great forefathers didV
Bring the soul of man to GodW
Make him fill the cradles rightX
-
Measurement began our mightX
Forms a stark Egyptian thoughtY
Forms that gentler phidias wroughtY
Michael Angelo left a proof-
On the Sistine Chapel roof-
Where but half awakened AdamZ
Can disturb globe trotting MadamZ
Till her bowels are in heatA2
proof that there's a purpose setB2
Before the secret working mindS
Profane perfection of mankindS
-
Quattrocento put in paintC2
On backgrounds for a God or SaintC2
Gardens where a soul's at easeJ
Where everything that meets the eyeA
Flowers and grass and cloudless skyA
Resemble forms that are or seemD2
When sleepers wake and yet still dreamD2
And when it's vanished still declareE2
With only bed and bedstead thereE2
That heavens had openedF2
Gyres run onG2
When that greater dream had goneH
Calvert and Wilson Blake and ClaudeH2
Prepared a rest for the people of GodW
Palmer's phrase but after thatI2
Confusion fell upon our thoughtY
-
V-
-
Irish poets earn your tradeJ2
Sing whatever is well madeJ2
Scorn the sort now growing upK2
All out of shape from toe to topL2
Their unremembering hearts and headsJ
Base born products of base bedsJ
Sing the peasantry and thenP
Hard riding country gentlemenM2
The holiness of monks and afterN2
Porter drinkers' randy laughterN2
Sing the lords and ladies gayO2
That were beaten into the clayO2
Through seven heroic centuriesJ
Cast your mind on other daysJ
That we in coming days may be-
Still the indomitable IrishryN2
-
VIA
-
Under bare Ben Bulben's headM
In Drumcliff churchyard Yeats is laidJ2
An ancestor was rector thereN2
Long years ago a church stands nearN2
By the road an ancient crossJ
-
No marble no conventional phraseJ
On limestone quarried near the spotP2
By his command these words are cutQ2
-
Cast a cold eyeA
On life on deathR2
Horseman pass byA

William Butler Yeats



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