Old Love Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH IFIF JDJD KLKL DMDM KNKN OPQP RKKK QSOT MUMV WXWX RYRY KGKG ZRZR A2B2A2B2

You must be very old Sir GilesA
I said he said Yea very oldB
Whereat the mournfullest of smilesA
Creased his dry skin with many a foldB
-
They hammer'd out my basnet pointC
Into a round salade he saidD
The basnet being quite out of jointC
Natheless the salade rasps my headD
-
He gazed at the great fire awhileE
And you are getting old Sir JohnF
He said this with that cunning smileE
That was most sad we both wear onF
-
Knights come to court and look at meG
With eyebrows up except my lordH
And my dear lady none I seeG
That know the ways of my old swordH
-
My lady at that word no pangI
Stopp'd all my blood But tell me JohnF
Is it quite true that Pagans hangI
So thick about the east that onF
-
The eastern sea no Venice flagJ
Can fly unpaid for True I saidD
And in such way the miscreants dragJ
Christ's cross upon the ground I dreadD
-
That Constantine must fall this yearK
Within my heart these things are smallL
This is not small that things outwearK
I thought were made for ever yea allL
-
All things go soon or late I saidD
I saw the duke in court next dayM
Just as before his grand great headD
Above his gold robes dreaming layM
-
Only his face was paler thereK
I saw his duchess sit by himN
And she she was changed more her hairK
Before my eyes that used to swimN
-
And make me dizzy with great blissO
Once when I used to watch her sitP
Her hair is bright still yet it isQ
As though some dust were thrown on itP
-
Her eyes are shallower as thoughR
Some grey glass were behind her browK
And cheeks the straining bones show throughK
Are not so good for kissing nowK
-
Her lips are drier now she isQ
A great duke's wife these many yearsS
They will not shudder with a kissO
As once they did being moist with tearsT
-
Also her hands have lost that wayM
Of clinging that they used to haveU
They look'd quite easy as they layM
Upon the silken cushions braveV
-
With broidery of the apples greenW
My Lord Duke bears upon his shieldX
Her face alas that I have seenW
Look fresher than an April fieldX
-
This is all gone now gone alsoR
Her tender walking when she walksY
She is most queenly I well knowR
And she is fair still As the stalksY
-
Of faded summer lilies areK
So is she grown now unto meG
This spring time when the flowers starK
The meadows birds sing wonderfullyG
-
I warrant once she used to clingZ
About his neck and kiss'd him soR
And then his coming step would ringZ
Joy bells for her some time agoR
-
Ah sometimes like an idle dreamA2
That hinders true life overmuchB2
Sometimes like a lost heaven these seemA2
This love is not so hard to smutchB2

William Morris



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