The Burghers' Battle Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCBCBDBDBEBEBFBGB HBHBIJIBKBLBMBMBNBNB IBIBOBOBPBPBCJCB| Thick rise the spear shafts o'er the land | A |
| That erst the harvest bore | B |
| The sword is heavy in the hand | A |
| And we return no more | B |
| The light wind waves the Ruddy Fox | C |
| Our banner of the war | B |
| And ripples in the Running Ox | C |
| And we return no more | B |
| Across our stubble acres now | D |
| The teams go four and four | B |
| But out worn elders guide the plough | D |
| And we return no more | B |
| And now the women heavy eyed | E |
| Turn through the open door | B |
| From gazing down the highway wide | E |
| Where we return no more | B |
| The shadows of the fruited close | F |
| Dapple the feast hall floor | B |
| There lie our dogs and dream and doze | G |
| And we return no more | B |
| Down from the minster tower to day | H |
| Fall the soft chimes of yore | B |
| Amidst the chattering jackdaws' play | H |
| And we return no more | B |
| But underneath the streets are still | I |
| Noon and the market's o'er | J |
| Back go the goodwives o'er the hill | I |
| For we return no more | B |
| What merchant to our gates shall come | K |
| What wise man bring us lore | B |
| What abbot ride away to Rome | L |
| Now we return no more | B |
| What mayor shall rule the hall we built | M |
| Whose scarlet sweep the floor | B |
| What judge shall doom the robber's guilt | M |
| Now we return no more | B |
| New houses in the streets shall rise | N |
| Where builded we before | B |
| Of other stone wrought otherwise | N |
| For we return no more | B |
| And crops shall cover field and hill | I |
| Unlike what once they bore | B |
| And all be done without our will | I |
| Now we return no more | B |
| Look up the arrows streak the sky | O |
| The horns of battle roar | B |
| The long spears lower and draw nigh | O |
| And we return no more | B |
| Remember how beside the wain | P |
| We spoke the word of war | B |
| And sowed this harvest of the plain | P |
| And we return no more | B |
| Lay spears about the Ruddy Fox | C |
| The days of old are o'er | J |
| Heave sword about the Running Ox | C |
| For we return no more | B |
William Morris
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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