Shelley's Centenary Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAABAB CCDEDE FFFGFG HHHIHI JJJKJL MMMNMN FFFOFO LLLPLP QQQLQL RSSTST LLLULU VVVWVW VVVXVX LLLYLY VVVLVL ZZZA2ZA2 B2B2B2C2B2C2 LLLLLL| Within a narrow span of time | A |
| Three princes of the realm of rhyme | A |
| At height of youth or manhood's prime | A |
| From earth took wing | B |
| To join the fellowship sublime | A |
| Who dead yet sing | B |
| - | |
| He first his earliest wreath who wove | C |
| Of laurel grown in Latmian grove | C |
| Conquered by pain and hapless love | D |
| Found calmer home | E |
| Roofed by the heaven that glows above | D |
| Eternal Rome | E |
| - | |
| A fierier soul its own fierce prey | F |
| And cumbered with more mortal clay | F |
| At Missolonghi flamed away | F |
| And left the air | G |
| Reverberating to this day | F |
| Its loud despair | G |
| - | |
| Alike remote from Byron's scorn | H |
| And Keats's magic as of morn | H |
| Bursting for ever newly born | H |
| On forests old | I |
| Waking a hoary world forlorn | H |
| With touch of gold | I |
| - | |
| Shelley the cloud begot who grew | J |
| Nourished on air and sun and dew | J |
| Into that Essence whence he drew | J |
| His life and lyre | K |
| Was fittingly resolved anew | J |
| Through wave and fire | L |
| - | |
| 'Twas like his rapid soul 'Twas meet | M |
| That he who brooked not Time's slow feet | M |
| With passage thus abrupt and fleet | M |
| Should hurry hence | N |
| Eager the Great Perhaps to greet | M |
| With Why and Whence | N |
| - | |
| Impatient of the world's fixed way | F |
| He ne'er could suffer God's delay | F |
| But all the future in a day | F |
| Would build divine | O |
| And the whole past in ruins lay | F |
| An emptied shrine | O |
| - | |
| Vain vision but the glow the fire | L |
| The passion of benign desire | L |
| The glorious yearning lift him higher | L |
| Than many a soul | P |
| That mounts a million paces nigher | L |
| Its meaner goal | P |
| - | |
| And power is his if naught besides | Q |
| In that thin ether where he rides | Q |
| Above the roar of human tides | Q |
| To ascend afar | L |
| Lost in a storm of light that hides | Q |
| His dizzy car | L |
| - | |
| Below the unhastening world toils on | R |
| And here and there are victories won | S |
| Some dragon slain some justice done | S |
| While through the skies | T |
| A meteor rushing on the sun | S |
| He flares and dies | T |
| - | |
| But as he cleaves yon ether clear | L |
| Notes from the unattempted Sphere | L |
| He scatters to the enchanted ear | L |
| Of earth's dim throng | U |
| Whose dissonance doth more endear | L |
| The showering song | U |
| - | |
| In other shapes than he forecast | V |
| The world is moulded his fierce blast | V |
| His wild assault upon the Past | V |
| These things are vain | W |
| Revolt is transient what must last | V |
| Is that pure strain | W |
| - | |
| Which seems the wandering voices blent | V |
| Of every virgin element | V |
| A sound from ocean caverns sent | V |
| An airy call | X |
| From the pavilioned firmament | V |
| O'erdoming all | X |
| - | |
| And in this world of worldlings where | L |
| Souls rust in apathy and ne'er | L |
| A great emotion shakes the air | L |
| And life flags tame | Y |
| And rare is noble impulse rare | L |
| The impassioned aim | Y |
| - | |
| 'Tis no mean fortune to have heard | V |
| A singer who if errors blurred | V |
| His sight had yet a spirit stirred | V |
| By vast desire | L |
| And ardour fledging the swift word | V |
| With plumes of fire | L |
| - | |
| A creature of impetuous breath | Z |
| Our torpor deadlier than death | Z |
| He knew not whatsoe'er he saith | Z |
| Flashes with life | A2 |
| He spurreth men he quickeneth | Z |
| To splendid strife | A2 |
| - | |
| And in his gusts of song he brings | B2 |
| Wild odours shaken from strange wings | B2 |
| And unfamiliar whisperings | B2 |
| From far lips blown | C2 |
| While all the rapturous heart of things | B2 |
| Throbs through his own | C2 |
| - | |
| His own that from the burning pyre | L |
| One who had loved his wind swept lyre | L |
| Out of the sharp teeth of the fire | L |
| Unmolten drew | L |
| Beside the sea that in her ire | L |
| Smote him and slew | L |
William Watson
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
About Shelley's Centenary
Shelley's Centenary is a poem by William Watson. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
Write your comment about Shelley's Centenary poem by William Watson
Best Poems of William Watson