Atalanta's Race Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABBCC DEDFFGG HIHIJGG KLKLLMM NONOOFF PQPQQQQ RFRFFS STQLQQQQ QSQUULL QQQQQHH QFQFFFF QQQQQFF QFQFFQQ GQGQQQQ VFVFFWW QQQQQFF QXQXXHH YWYSSQQ QHQHHQQ GGGGGWW QZQA2ZSS QLWLLB2C2 QQQQQFF D2QD2QQWW RWRWWE2E2 QFQF

Through thick Arcadian woods a hunter wentA
Following the beasts upon a fresh spring dayB
But since his horn tipped bow but seldom bentA
Now at the noontide nought had happed to slayB
Within a vale he called his hounds awayB
Hearkening the echoes of his lone voice clingC
About the cliffs and through the beech trees ringC
-
But when they ended still awhile he stoodD
And but the sweet familiar thrush could hearE
And all the day long noises of the woodD
And o'er the dry leaves of the vanished yearF
His hounds' feet pattering as they drew anearF
And heavy breathing from their heads low hungG
To see the mighty corner bow unstrungG
-
Then smiling did he turn to leave the placeH
But with his first step some new fleeting thoughtI
A shadow cast across his sun burnt faceH
I think the golden net that April broughtI
From some warm world his wavering soul had caughtJ
For sunk in vague sweet longing did he goG
Betwixt the trees with doubtful steps and slowG
-
Yet howsoever slow he went at lastK
The trees grew sparser and the wood was doneL
Whereon one farewell backward look he castK
Then turning round to see what place was wonL
With shaded eyes looked underneath the sunL
And o'er green meads and new turned furrows brownM
Beheld the gleaming of King Sch neus' townM
-
So thitherward he turned and on each sideN
The folk were busy on the teeming landO
And man and maid from the brown furrows criedN
Or midst the newly blossomed vines did standO
And as the rustic weapon pressed the handO
Thought of the nodding of the well filled earF
Or how the knife the heavy bunch should shearF
-
Merry it was about him sung the birdsP
The spring flowers bloomed along the firm dry roadQ
The sleek skinned mothers of the sharp horned herdsP
Now for the barefoot milking maidens lowedQ
While from the freshness of his blue abodeQ
Glad his death bearing arrows to forgetQ
The broad sun blazed nor scattered plagues as yetQ
-
Through such fair things unto the gates he cameR
And found them open as though peace were thereF
Wherethrough unquestioned of his race or nameR
He entered and along the streets 'gan fareF
Which at the first of folk were well nigh bareF
But pressing on and going more hastilyS
-
Men hurrying too he 'gan at last to seeS
Following the last of these he still pressed onT
Until an open space he came untoQ
Where wreaths of fame had oft been lost and wonL
For feats of strength folks there were wont to doQ
And now our hunter looked for something newQ
Because the whole wide space was bare and stilledQ
The high seats were with eager people filledQ
-
There with the others to a seat he gatQ
Whence he beheld a broidered canopyS
'Neath which in fair array King Sch neus satQ
Upon his throne with councillors therebyU
And underneath his well wrought seat and highU
He saw a golden image of the sunL
A silver image of the Fleet foot OneL
-
A brazen altar stood beneath their feetQ
Whereon a thin flame flicker'd in the windQ
Nigh this a herald clad in raiment meetQ
Made ready even now his horn to windQ
By whom a huge man held a sword entwin'dQ
With yellow flowers these stood a little spaceH
From off the altar nigh the starting placeH
-
And there two runners did the sign abideQ
Foot set to foot a young man slim and fairF
Crisp hair'd well knit with firm limbs often triedQ
In places where no man his strength may spareF
Dainty his thin coat was and on his hairF
A golden circlet of renown he woreF
And in his hand an olive garland boreF
-
But on this day with whom shall he contendQ
A maid stood by him like Diana cladQ
When in the woods she lists her bow to bendQ
Too fair for one to look on and be gladQ
Who scarcely yet has thirty summers hadQ
If he must still behold her from afarF
Too fair to let the world live free from warF
-
She seem'd all earthly matters to forgetQ
Of all tormenting lines her face was clearF
Her wide gray eyes upon the goal were setQ
Calm and unmov'd as though no soul were nearF
But her foe trembled as a man in fearF
Nor from her loveliness one moment turn'dQ
His anxious face with fierce desire that burn'dQ
-
Now through the hush there broke the trumpet's clangG
Just as the setting sun made eventideQ
Then from light feet a spurt of dust there sprangG
And swiftly were they running side by sideQ
But silent did the thronging folk abideQ
Until the turning post was reach'd at lastQ
And round about it still abreast they passedQ
-
But when the people saw how close they ranV
When half way to the starting point they wereF
A cry of joy broke forth whereat the manV
Headed the white foot runner and drew nearF
Unto the very end of all his fearF
And scarce his straining feet the ground could feelW
And bliss unhop'd for o'er his heart 'gan stealW
-
But 'midst the loud victorious shouts he heardQ
Her footsteps drawing nearer and the soundQ
Of fluttering raiment and thereat afeardQ
His flush'd and eager face he turn'd aroundQ
And even then he felt her past him boundQ
Fleet as the wind but scarcely saw her thereF
Till on the goal she laid her fingers fairF
-
There stood she breathing like a little childQ
Amid some warlike clamour laid asleepX
For no victorious joy her red lips smil'dQ
Her cheek its wonted freshness did but keepX
No glance lit up her clear gray eyes and deepX
Though some divine thought soften'd all her faceH
As once more rang the trumpet through the placeH
-
But her late foe stopp'd short amidst his courseY
One moment gaz'd upon her piteouslyW
Then with a groan his lingering feet did forceY
To leave the spot whence he her eyes could seeS
And changed like one who knows his time must beS
But short and bitter without any wordQ
He knelt before the bearer of the swordQ
-
Then high rose up the gleaming deadly bladeQ
Bar'd of its flowers and through the crowded placeH
Was silence now and midst of it the maidQ
Went by the poor wretch at a gentle paceH
And he to hers upturn'd his sad white faceH
Nor did his eyes behold another sightQ
Ere on his soul there fell eternal lightQ
-
So was the pageant ended and all folkG
Talking of this and that familiar thingG
In little groups from that sad concourse brokeG
For now the shrill bats were upon the wingG
And soon dark night would slay the eveningG
And in dark gardens sang the nightingaleW
Her little heeded oft repeated taleW
-
And with the last of all the hunter wentQ
Who wondering at the strange sight he had seenZ
Prayed an old man to tell him what it meantQ
Both why the vanquished man so slain had beenA2
And if the maiden were an earthly queenZ
Or rather what much more she seemed to beS
No sharer in this world's mortalityS
-
Stranger said he I pray she soon may dieQ
Whose lovely youth has slain so many an oneL
King Sch neus' daughter is she verilyW
Who when her eyes first looked upon the sunL
Was fain to end her life but new begunL
For he had vowed to leave but men aloneB2
Sprung from his loins when he from earth was goneC2
-
Therefore he bade one leave her in the woodQ
And let wild things deal with her as they mightQ
But this being done some cruel god thought goodQ
To save her beauty in the world's despiteQ
Folk say that her so delicate and whiteQ
As now she is a rough root grubbing bearF
Amidst her shapeless cubs at first did rearF
-
In course of time the woodfolk slew her nurseD2
And to their rude abode the youngling broughtQ
And reared her up to be a kingdom's curseD2
Who grown a woman of no kingdom thoughtQ
But armed and swift 'mid beasts destruction wroughtQ
Nor spared two shaggy centaur kings to slayW
To whom her body seemed an easy preyW
-
So to this city led by fate she cameR
Whom known by signs whereof I cannot tellW
King Sch neus for his child at last did claimR
Nor otherwhere since that day doth she dwellW
Sending too many a noble soul to hellW
What shine eyes glisten what then thinkest thouE2
Her shining head unto the yoke to bowE2
-
Listen my son and love some other maidQ
For she the saffron gown will never wearF
And on no flower strewn couch shall she be laidQ
NorF

William Morris



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