The Haystack In The Floods Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBC DEEFFFGGHHHIIJJKLMMN NEEAAC OOFFPPQ JJRRRRSSTTA RRJJRRUUVVRR UFBBJRRWV WJJXXYYJ JZZRRRRA2A2EEFR FJJEERRJJB2B2RRFFRRE EJ RRRRRRC2D2 C2HHRRRRFFRRRR XFEXXE2E2E2 RRA2A2F2F2RRRFFRJJRR RRRRFFR RC

Had she come all the way for thisA
To part at last without a kissA
Yea had she borne the dirt and rainB
That her own eyes might see him slainB
Beside the haystack in the floodsC
-
Along the dripping leafless woodsD
The stirrup touching either shoeE
She rode astride as troopers doE
With kirtle kilted to her kneeF
To which the mud splash'd wretchedlyF
And the wet dripp'd from every treeF
Upon her head and heavy hairG
And on her eyelids broad and fairG
The tears and rain ran down her faceH
By fits and starts they rode apaceH
And very often was his placeH
Far off from her he had to rideI
Ahead to see what might betideI
When the roads cross'd and sometimes whenJ
There rose a murmuring from his menJ
Had to turn back with promisesK
Ah me she had but little easeL
And often for pure doubt and dreadM
She sobb'd made giddy in the headM
By the swift riding while for coldN
Her slender fingers scarce could holdN
The wet reins yea and scarcely tooE
She felt the foot within her shoeE
Against the stirrup all for thisA
To part at last without a kissA
Beside the haystack in the floodsC
-
For when they near'd that old soak'd hayO
They saw across the only wayO
That Judas Godmar and the threeF
Red running lions dismallyF
Grinn'd from his pennon under whichP
In one straight line along the ditchP
They counted thirty headsQ
-
So thenJ
While Robert turn'd round to his menJ
She saw at once the wretched endR
And stooping down tried hard to rendR
Her coif the wrong way from her headR
And hid her eyes while Robert saidR
Nay love 'tis scarcely two to oneS
At Poictiers where we made them runS
So fast why sweet my love good cheerT
The Gascon frontier is so nearT
Naught after thisA
-
But Oh she saidR
My God my God I have to treadR
The long way back without you thenJ
The court at Paris those six menJ
The gratings of the ChateletR
The swift Seine on some rainy dayR
Like this and people standing byU
And laughing while my weak hands tryU
To recollect how strong men swimV
All this or else a life with himV
For which I should be damned at lastR
Would God that this next hour were pastR
-
He answer'd not but cried his cryU
St George for Marny cheerilyF
And laid his hand upon her reinB
Alas no man of all his trainB
Gave back that cheery cry againJ
And while for rage his thumb beat fastR
Upon his sword hilts some one castR
About his neck a kerchief longW
And bound himV
-
Then they went alongW
To Godmar who said Now JehaneJ
Your lover's life is on the waneJ
So fast that if this very hourX
You yield not as my paramourX
He will not see the rain leave offY
Nay keep your tongue from gibe or scoffY
Sir Robert or I slay you nowJ
-
She laid her hand upon her browJ
Then gazed upon the palm as thoughZ
She thought her forehead bled and NoZ
She said and turn'd her head awayR
As there were nothing else to sayR
And everything were settled redR
Grew Godmar's face from chin to headR
Jehane on yonder hill there standsA2
My castle guarding well my landsA2
What hinders me from taking youE
And doing that I list to doE
To your fair wilful body whileF
Your knight lies deadR
-
A wicked smileF
Wrinkled her face her lips grew thinJ
A long way out she thrust her chinJ
You know that I would strangle youE
While you were sleeping or bite throughE
Your throat by God's help ah she saidR
Lord Jesus pity your poor maidR
For in such wise they hem me inJ
I cannot choose but sin and sinJ
Whatever happens yet I thinkB2
They could not make me eat or drinkB2
And so should I just reach my restR
Nay if you do not my behestR
O Jehane though I love you wellF
Said Godmar would I fail to tellF
All that I know Foul lies she saidR
Eh lies my Jehane by God's headR
At Paris folks would deem them trueE
Do you know Jehane they cry for youE
'Jehane the brown Jehane the brownJ
Give us Jehane to burn or drown '-
Eh gag me Robert sweet my friendR
This were indeed a piteous endR
For those long fingers and long feetR
And long neck and smooth shoulders sweetR
An end that few men would forgetR
That saw it So an hour yetR
Consider Jehane which to takeC2
Of life or deathD2
-
So scarce awakeC2
Dismounting did she leave that placeH
And totter some yards with her faceH
Turn'd upward to the sky she layR
Her head on a wet heap of hayR
And fell asleep and while she sleptR
And did not dream the minutes creptR
Round to the twelve again but sheF
Being waked at last sigh'd quietlyF
And strangely childlike came and saidR
I will not Straightway Godmar's headR
As though it hung on strong wires turn'dR
Most sharply round and his face burn'dR
-
For Robert both his eyes were dryX
He could not weep but gloomilyF
He seem'd to watch the rain yea tooE
His lips were firm he tried once moreX
To touch her lips she reach'd out soreX
And vain desire so tortured themE2
The poor grey lips and now the hemE2
Of his sleeve brush'd themE2
-
With a startR
Up Godmar rose thrust them apartR
From Robert's throat he loosed the bandsA2
Of silk and mail with empty handsA2
Held out she stood and gazed and sawF2
The long bright blade without a flawF2
Glide out from Godmar's sheath his handR
In Robert's hair she saw him bendR
Back Robert's head she saw him sendR
The thin steel down the blow told wellF
Right backward the knight Robert fellF
And moaned as dogs do being half deadR
Unwitting as I deem so thenJ
Godmar turn'd grinning to his menJ
Who ran some five or six and beatR
His head to pieces at their feetR
-
Then Godmar turn'd again and saidR
So Jehane the first fitte is readR
Take note my lady that your wayR
Lies backward to the ChateletR
She shook her head and gazed awhileF
At her cold hands with a rueful smileF
As though this thing had made her madR
-
This was the parting that they hadR
Beside the haystack in the floodsC

William Morris



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