Poet William Morris

William Morris

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Shameful Death Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABAB CDCDCD EFGHEF IJIJIJ KLKLKL KDKDKD KLKLKL MMMM

There were four of us about that bedA
The mass priest knelt at the sideB
I and his mother stood at the headA
Over his feet lay the brideB
We were quite sure that he was deadA
Though his eyes were open wideB
-
He did not die in the nightC
He did not die in the dayD
But in the morning twilightC
His spirit pass'd awayD
When neither sun nor moon was brightC
And the trees were merely greyD
-
He was not slain with the swordE
Knight's axe or the knightly spearF
Yet spoke he never a wordG
After he came in hereH
I cut away the cordE
From the neck of my brother dearF
-
He did not strike one blowI
For the recreants came behindJ
In a place where the hornbeams growI
A path right hard to findJ
For the hornbeam boughs swing soI
That the twilight makes it blindJ
-
They lighted a great torch thenK
When his arms were pinion'd fastL
Sir John the knight of the FenK
Sir Guy of the Dolorous BlastL
With knights threescore and tenK
Hung brave Lord Hugh at lastL
-
I am threescore and tenK
And my hair is all turn'd greyD
But I met Sir John of the FenK
Long ago on a summer dayD
And am glad to think of the moment whenK
I took his life awayD
-
I am threescore and tenK
And my strength is mostly pass'dL
But long ago I and my menK
When the sky was overcastL
And the smoke roll'd over the reeds of the fenK
Slew Guy of the Dolorous BlastL
-
And now knights all of youM
I pray you pray for Sir HughM
A good knight and a trueM
And for Alice his wife pray tooM

William Morris



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Alan Morriss: I love that poem. There is something about it.
 

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