From The Cuckoo And The Nightingale Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BAAB A CCDDD A EFFEE A GGHHG A AAIIA A JJKKK A LMIIL A NOGGO E PPAAP E DDQQD A GGRSG G GGAQG G TUIIT A GGGGG A GGGGG A GGISG A VVAAW A AAAAA G AAAAA G AAKKA G SKRKK G GGAAG G KKRRK A NNXXN A AAAAA A GGXXG A AAGGA A QQAAQ G AAYYA G AAAAA G ZA2IIZ G GGGGA G AAGGA A YYGGY A GGAAG A YYGGY A AA

IA
-
The God of Love 'ah benedicite '-
How mighty and how great a Lord is heB
For he of low hearts can make high of highA
He can make low and unto death bring nighA
And hard hearts he can make them kind and freeB
-
IIA
-
Within a little time as hath been foundC
He can make sick folk whole and fresh and soundC
Them who are whole in body and in mindD
He can make sick bind can he and unbindD
All that he will have bound or have unboundD
-
IIIA
-
To tell his might my wit may not sufficeE
Foolish men he can make them out of wiseF
For he may do all that he will deviseF
Loose livers he can make abate their viceE
And proud hearts can make tremble in a triceE
-
IVA
-
In brief the whole of what he will he mayG
Against him dare not any wight say nayG
To humble or afflict whome'er he willH
To gladden or to grieve he hath like skillH
But most his might he sheds on the eve of MayG
-
VA
-
For every true heart gentle heart and freeA
That with him is or thinketh so to beA
Now against May shall have some stirring whetherI
To joy or be it to some mourning neverI
At other time methinks in like degreeA
-
VIA
-
For now when they may hear the small birds' songJ
And see the budding leaves the branches throngJ
This unto their remembrance doth bringK
All kinds of pleasure mixed with sorrowingK
And longing of sweet thoughts that ever longK
-
VIIA
-
And of that longing heaviness doth comeL
Whence oft great sickness grows of heart and homeM
Sick are they all for lack of their desireI
And thus in May their hearts are set on fireI
So that they burn forth in great martyrdomL
-
VIIIA
-
In sooth I speak from feeling what though nowN
Old am I and to genial pleasure slowO
Yet have I felt of sickness through the MayG
Both hot and cold and heart aches every dayG
How hard alas to bear I only knowO
-
IXE
-
Such shaking doth the fever in me keepP
Through all this May that I have little sleepP
And also 'tis not likely unto meA
That any living heart should sleepy beA
In which Love's dart its fiery point doth steepP
-
XE
-
But tossing lately on a sleepless bedD
I of a token thought which Lovers heedD
How among them it was a common taleQ
That it was good to hear the NightingaleQ
Ere the vile Cuckoo's note be utteredD
-
XIA
-
And then I thought anon as it was dayG
I gladly would go somewhere to essayG
If I perchance a Nightingale might hearR
For yet had I heard none of all that yearS
And it was then the third night of the MayG
-
XIIG
-
And soon as I a glimpse of day espiedG
No longer would I in my bed abideG
But straightway to a wood that was hard byA
Forth did I go alone and fearlesslyQ
And held the pathway down by a brooksideG
-
XIIIG
-
Till to a lawn I came all white and greenT
I in so fair a one had never beenU
The ground was green with daisy powdered overI
Tall were the flowers the grove a lofty coverI
All green and white and nothing else was seenT
-
XIVA
-
There sate I down among the fair fresh flowersG
And saw the birds come tripping from their bowersG
Where they had rested them all night and theyG
Who were so joyful at the light of dayG
Began to honour May with all their powersG
-
XVA
-
Well did they know that service all by roteG
And there was many and many a lovely noteG
Some singing loud as if they had complainedG
Some with their notes another manner feignedG
And some did sing all out with the full throatG
-
XVIA
-
They pruned themselves and made themselves right gayG
Dancing and leaping light upon the sprayG
And ever two and two together wereI
The same as they had chosen for the yearS
Upon Saint Valentine's returning dayG
-
XVIIA
-
Meanwhile the stream whose bank I sate uponV
Was making such a noise as it ran onV
Accordant to the sweet Birds' harmonyA
Methought that it was the best melodyA
Which ever to man's ear a passage wonW
-
XVIIIA
-
And for delight but how I never wotA
I in a slumber and a swoon was caughtA
Not all asleep and yet not waking whollyA
And as I lay the Cuckoo bird unholyA
Broke silence or I heard him in my thoughtA
-
XIXG
-
And that was right upon a tree fast byA
And who was then ill satisfied but IA
Now God quoth I that died upon the roodA
From thee and thy base throat keep all that's goodA
Full little joy have I now of thy cryA
-
XXG
-
And as I with the Cuckoo thus 'gan chideA
In the next bush that was me fast besideA
I heard the lusty Nightingale so singK
That her clear voice made a loud riotingK
Echoing thorough all the green wood wideA
-
XXIG
-
Ah good sweet Nightingale for my heart's cheerS
Hence hast thou stayed a little while too longK
For we have had the sorry Cuckoo hereR
And she hath been before thee with her songK
Evil light on her she hath done me wrongK
-
XXIIG
-
But hear you now a wondrous thing I prayG
As long as in that swooning fit I layG
Methought I wist right well what these birds meantA
And had good knowing both of their intentA
And of their speech and all that they would sayG
-
XXIIIG
-
The Nightingale thus in my hearing spakeK
Good Cuckoo seek some other bush or brakeK
And prithee let us that can sing dwell hereR
For every wight eschews thy song to hearR
Such uncouth singing verily dost thou makeK
-
XXIVA
-
What quoth she then what is't that ails thee nowN
It seems to me I sing as well as thouN
For mine's a song that is both true and plainX
Although I cannot quaver so in vainX
As thou dost in thy throat I wot not howN
-
XXVA
-
All men may understanding have of meA
But Nightingale so may they not of theeA
For thou hast many a foolish and quaint cryA
Thou say'st OSEE OSEE then how may IA
Have knowledge I thee pray what this may beA
-
XXVIA
-
Ah fool quoth she wist thou not what it isG
Oft as I say OSEE OSEE I wisG
Then mean I that I should be wonderous fainX
That shamefully they one and all were slainX
Whoever against Love mean aught amissG
-
XXVIIA
-
And also would I that they all were deadA
Who do not think in love their life to leadA
For who is loth the God of Love to obeyG
Is only fit to die I dare well sayG
And for that cause OSEE I cry take heedA
-
XXVIIIA
-
Ay quoth the Cuckoo that is a quaint lawQ
That all must love or die but I withdrawQ
And take my leave of all such companyA
For mine intent it neither is to dieA
Nor ever while I live Love's yoke to drawQ
-
XXIXG
-
For lovers of all folk that be aliveA
The most disquiet have and least do thriveA
Most feeling have of sorrow woe and careY
And the least welfare cometh to their shareY
What need is there against the truth to striveA
-
XXXG
-
What quoth she thou art all out of thy mindA
That in thy churlishness a cause canst findA
To speak of Love's true Servants in this moodA
For in this world no service is so goodA
To every wight that gentle is of kindA
-
XXXIG
-
For thereof comes all goodness and all worthZ
All gentiless and honour thence come forthA2
Thence worship comes content and true heart's pleasureI
And full assured trust joy without measureI
And jollity fresh cheerfulness and mirthZ
-
XXXIIG
-
And bounty lowliness and courtesyG
And seemliness and faithful companyG
And dread of shame that will not do amissG
For he that faithfully Love's servant isG
Rather than be disgraced would chuse to dieA
-
XXXIIIG
-
And that the very truth it is which IA
Now say in such belief I'll live and dieA
And Cuckoo do thou so by my adviceG
Then quoth she let me never hope for blissG
If with that counsel I do e'er complyA
-
XXXIVA
-
Good Nightingale thou speakest wondrous fairY
Yet for all that the truth is found elsewhereY
For Love in young folk is but rage I wisG
And Love in old folk a great dotage isG
Who most it useth him 'twill most impairY
-
XXXVA
-
For thereof come all contraries to gladnessG
Thence sickness comes and overwhelming sadnessG
Mistrust and jealousy despite debateA
Dishonour shame envy importunateA
Pride anger mischief poverty and madnessG
-
XXXVIA
-
Loving is aye an office of despairY
And one thing is therein which is not fairY
For whoso gets of love a little blissG
Unless it alway stay with him I wisG
He may full soon go with an old man's hairY
-
XXXVIIA
-
And therefore Nightingale do thou keep nighA
For tA

William Wordsworth



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about From The Cuckoo And The Nightingale poem by William Wordsworth


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 9 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets