The Somnambulist Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEDDE BFGFHIHHI JBKBBLBBL BLMLNONNO PQAQRSRRS TUVUWXYYX ZA2B2C2ND2B2ND2 E2F2G2F2H2I2H2H2I2 J2AK2AHQL2HQ M2N2BN2C2O2P2C2O2 Q2N2R2N2S2AS2S2A S2S2T2S2LB2LLB2 S2LALBVBBV S2H2U2H2V2LV2V2L SAS2AIS2IIS2 S2NS2NH2SH2H2S VS2IS2S2LS2S2L CGS2GBABBAList ye who pass by Lyulph's Tower | A |
At eve how softly then | B |
Doth Aira force that torrent hoarse | C |
Speak from the woody glen | B |
Fit music for a solemn vale | D |
And holier seems the ground | E |
To him who catches on the gale | D |
The spirit of a mournful tale | D |
Embodied in the sound | E |
- | |
Not far from that fair site whereon | B |
The Pleasure house is reared | F |
As story says in antique days | G |
A stern browed house appeared | F |
Foil to a Jewel rich in light | H |
There set and guarded well | I |
Cage for a Bird of plumage bright | H |
Sweet voiced nor wishing for a flight | H |
Beyond her native dell | I |
- | |
To win this bright Bird from her cage | J |
To make this Gem their own | B |
Came Barons bold with store of gold | K |
And Knights of high renown | B |
But one She prized and only one | B |
Sir Eglamore was he | L |
Full happy season when was known | B |
Ye Dales and Hills to yon alone | B |
Their mutual loyalty | L |
- | |
Known chiefly Aira to thy glen | B |
Thy brook and bowers of holly | L |
Where Passion caught what Nature taught | M |
That all but love is folly | L |
Where Fact with Fancy stooped to play | N |
Doubt came not nor regret | O |
To trouble hours that winged their way | N |
As if through an immortal day | N |
Whose sun could never set | O |
- | |
But in old times Love dwelt not long | P |
Sequestered with repose | Q |
Best throve the fire of chaste desire | A |
Fanned by the breath of foes | Q |
A conquering lance is beauty's test | R |
And proves the Lover true | S |
So spake Sir Eglamore and pressed | R |
The drooping Emma to his breast | R |
And looked a blind adieu | S |
- | |
They parted Well with him it fared | T |
Through wide spread regions errant | U |
A knight of proof in love's behoof | V |
The thirst of fame his warrant | U |
And She her happiness can build | W |
On woman's quiet hours | X |
Though faint compared with spear and shield | Y |
The solace beads and masses yield | Y |
And needlework and flowers | X |
- | |
Yet blest was Emma when she heard | Z |
Her Champion's praise recounted | A2 |
Though brain would swim and eyes grow dim | B2 |
And high her blushes mounted | C2 |
Or when a bold heroic lay | N |
She warbled from full heart | D2 |
Delightful blossoms for the 'May' | B2 |
Of absence but they will not stay | N |
Born only to depart | D2 |
- | |
Hope wanes with her while lustre fills | E2 |
Whatever path he chooses | F2 |
As if his orb that owns no curb | G2 |
Received the light hers loses | F2 |
He comes not back an ampler space | H2 |
Requires for nobler deeds | I2 |
He ranges on from place to place | H2 |
Till of his doings is no trace | H2 |
But what her fancy breeds | I2 |
- | |
His fame may spread but in the past | J2 |
Her spirit finds its centre | A |
Clear sight She has of what he was | K2 |
And that would now content her | A |
Still is he my devoted Knight | H |
The tear in answer flows | Q |
Month falls on month with heavier weight | L2 |
Day sickens round her and the night | H |
Is empty of repose | Q |
- | |
In sleep She sometimes walked abroad | M2 |
Deep sighs with quick words blending | N2 |
Like that pale Queen whose hands are seen | B |
With fancied spots contending | N2 |
But 'she' is innocent of blood | C2 |
The moon is not more pure | O2 |
That shines aloft while through the wood | P2 |
She thrids her way the sounding Flood | C2 |
Her melancholy lure | O2 |
- | |
While 'mid the fern brake sleeps the doe | Q2 |
And owls alone are waking | N2 |
In white arrayed glides on the Maid | R2 |
The downward pathway taking | N2 |
That leads her to the torrent's side | S2 |
And to a holly bower | A |
By whom on this still night descried | S2 |
By whom in that lone place espied | S2 |
By thee Sir Eglamore | A |
- | |
A wandering Ghost so thinks the Knight | S2 |
His coming step has thwarted | S2 |
Beneath the boughs that heard their vows | T2 |
Within whose shade they parted | S2 |
Hush hush the busy Sleeper see | L |
Perplexed her fingers seem | B2 |
As if they from the holly tree | L |
Green twigs would pluck as rapidly | L |
Flung from her to the stream | B2 |
- | |
What means the Spectre Why intent | S2 |
To violate the Tree | L |
Thought Eglamore by which I swore | A |
Unfading constancy | L |
Here am I and to morrow's sun | B |
To her I left shall prove | V |
That bliss is ne'er so surely won | B |
As when a circuit has been run | B |
Of valour truth and love | V |
- | |
So from the spot whereon he stood | S2 |
He moved with stealthy pace | H2 |
And drawing nigh with his living eye | U2 |
He recognised the face | H2 |
And whispers caught and speeches small | V2 |
Some to the green leaved tree | L |
Some muttered to the torrent fall | V2 |
Roar on and bring him with thy call | V2 |
I heard and so may He | L |
- | |
Soul shattered was the Knight nor knew | S |
If Emma's Ghost it were | A |
Or boding Shade or if the Maid | S2 |
Her very self stood there | A |
He touched what followed who shall tell | I |
The soft touch snapped the thread | S2 |
Of slumber shrieking back she fell | I |
And the Stream whirled her down the dell | I |
Along its foaming bed | S2 |
- | |
In plunged the Knight when on firm ground | S2 |
The rescued Maiden lay | N |
Her eyes grew bright with blissful light | S2 |
Confusion passed away | N |
She heard ere to the throne of grace | H2 |
Her faithful Spirit flew | S |
His voice beheld his speaking face | H2 |
And dying from his own embrace | H2 |
She felt that he was true | S |
- | |
So was he reconciled to life | V |
Brief words may speak the rest | S2 |
Within the dell he built a cell | I |
And there was Sorrow's guest | S2 |
In hermits' weeds repose he found | S2 |
From vain temptations free | L |
Beside the torrent dwelling bound | S2 |
By one deep heart controlling sound | S2 |
And awed to piety | L |
- | |
Wild stream of Aira hold thy course | C |
Nor fear memorial lays | G |
Where clouds that spread in solemn shade | S2 |
Are edged with golden rays | G |
Dear art thou to the light of heaven | B |
Though minister of sorrow | A |
Sweet is thy voice at pensive even | B |
And thou in lovers' hearts forgiven | B |
Shalt take thy place with Yarrow | A |
William Wordsworth
(1)
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