The Thorn Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AA BCDCEFGGFHH HIJIKLMMLNN OPQPRSTT UU HVJVSHUUH S UVWVJSXXSUU HJYJKXZZXS VA2B2A2C2XD2D2XS VHIHH D2D2 X E2XF2X CG2G2CU X IHX HCD2D2CH2I2 X CJ2K2J2L2MCCMM2M2 X XHHHN2HO2O2HP2Q2 X BEHEXHR2R2HS2S2 T2U2EU2HV2W2W2V2YY VX2Y2X2Z2W2NUW2XX HU2ZU2A3VB3B3VXX HNXNXHHHHLL XX HHC3C3H X TNX XXTTXUU X W2D3XE2H XX HH X XH

A
A
-
-
-
-
-
-
I-
-
'There is a Thorn it looks so oldB
In truth you'd find it hard to sayC
How it could ever have been youngD
It looks so old and greyC
Not higher than a two years' childE
It stands erect this aged ThornF
No leaves it has no prickly pointsG
It is a mass of knotted jointsG
A wretched thing forlornF
It stands erect and like a stoneH
With lichens is it overgrownH
-
II-
-
'Like rock or stone it is o'ergrownH
With lichens to the very topI
And hung with heavy tufts of mossJ
A melancholy cropI
Up from the earth these mosses creepK
And this poor Thorn they clasp it roundL
So close you'd say that they are bentM
With plain and manifest intentM
To drag it to the groundL
And all have joined in one endeavourN
To bury this poor Thorn for everN
-
III-
-
'High on a mountain's highest ridgeO
Where oft the stormy winter galeP
Cuts like a scythe while through the cloudsQ
It sweeps from vale to valeP
Not five yards from the mountain pathR
This Thorn you on your left espyS
And to the left three yards beyondT
You see a little muddy pondT
Of water never dry-
Though but of compass small and bareU
To thirsty suns and parching airU
-
IV-
-
'And close beside this aged ThornH
There is a fresh and lovely sightV
A beauteous heap a hill of mossJ
Just half a foot in heightV
All lovely colours there you seeS
All colours that were ever seenH
And mossy network too is thereU
As if by hand of lady fairU
The work had woven beenH
And cups the darlings of the eye-
So deep is their vermilion dye-
-
VS
-
'Ah me what lovely tints are thereU
Of olive green and scarlet brightV
In spikes in branches and in starsW
Green red and pearly whiteV
This heap of earth o'ergrown with mossJ
Which close beside the Thorn you seeS
So fresh in all its beauteous dyesX
Is like an infant's grave in sizeX
As like as like can beS
But never never any whereU
An infant's grave was half so fairU
-
VI-
-
'Now would you see this aged ThornH
This pond and beauteous hill of mossJ
You must take care and choose your timeY
The mountain when to crossJ
For oft there sits between the heapK
So like an infant's grave in sizeX
And that same pond of which I spokeZ
A Woman in a scarlet cloakZ
And to herself she criesX
'Oh misery oh miseryS
Oh woe is me oh misery '-
-
VII-
-
'At all times of the day and nightV
This wretched Woman thither goesA2
And she is known to every starB2
And every wind that blowsA2
And there beside the Thorn she sitsC2
When the blue daylight's in the skiesX
And when the whirlwind's on the hillD2
Or frosty air is keen and stillD2
And to herself she criesX
'Oh misery oh miseryS
Oh woe is me oh misery ''-
-
VIII-
-
'Now wherefore thus by day and nightV
In rain in tempest and in snowH
Thus to the dreary mountain topI
Does this poor Woman goH
And why sits she beside the ThornH
When the blue daylight's in the sky-
Or when the whirlwind's on the hillD2
Or frosty air is keen and stillD2
And wherefore does she cry-
O wherefore wherefore tell me why-
Does she repeat that doleful cry '-
-
IXX
-
'I cannot tell I wish I couldE2
For the true reason no one knowsX
But would you gladly view the spotF2
The spot to which she goesX
The hillock like an infant's grave-
The pond and Thorn so old and greyC
Pass by her door 'tis seldom shutG2
And if you see her in her hutG2
Then to the spot awayC
I never heard of such as dareU
Approach the spot when she is there '-
-
XX
-
'But wherefore to the mountain topI
Can this unhappy Woman goH
Whatever star is in the skiesX
Whatever wind may blow '-
'Full twenty years are past and goneH
Since she her name is Martha RayC
Gave with a maiden's true good willD2
Her company to Stephen HillD2
And she was blithe and gayC
While friends and kindred all approvedH2
Of him whom tenderly she lovedI2
-
XIX
-
'And they had fixed the wedding dayC
The morning that must wed them bothJ2
But Stephen to another MaidK2
Had sworn another oathJ2
And with this other Maid to churchL2
Unthinking Stephen wentM
Poor Martha on that woeful dayC
A pang of pitiless dismayC
Into her soul was sentM
A fire was kindled in her breastM2
Which might not burn itself to restM2
-
XIIX
-
'They say full six months after thisX
While yet the summer leaves were greenH
She to the mountain top would goH
And there was often seenH
What could she seek or wish to hideN2
Her state to any eye was plainH
She was with child and she was madO2
Yet often was she sober sadO2
From her exceeding painH
O guilty Father would that deathP2
Had saved him from that breach of faithQ2
-
XIIIX
-
Sad case for such a brain to holdB
Communion with a stirring childE
Sad case as you may think for oneH
Who had a brain so wildE
Last Christmas eve we talked of thisX
And grey haired Wilfred of the glenH
Held that the unborn infant wroughtR2
About its mother's heart and broughtR2
Her senses back againH
And when at last her time drew nearS2
Her looks were calm her senses clearS2
-
XIV-
-
'More know I not I wish I didT2
And it should all be told to youU2
For what became of this poor childE
No mortal ever knewU2
Nay if a child to her was bornH
No earthly tongue could ever tellV2
And if 'twas born alive or deadW2
Far less could this with proof be saidW2
But some remember wellV2
That Martha Ray about this timeY
Would up the mountain often climbY
-
XV-
-
'And all that winter when at nightV
The wind blew from the mountain peakX2
'Twas worth your while though in the darkY2
The churchyard path to seekX2
For many a time and oft were heardZ2
Cries coming from the mountain headW2
Some plainly living voices wereN
And others I've heard many swearU
Were voices of the deadW2
I cannot think whate'er they sayX
They had to do with Martha RayX
-
XVI-
-
'But that she goes to this old ThornH
The Thorn which I described to youU2
And there sits in a scarlet cloakZ
I will be sworn is trueU2
For one day with my telescopeA3
To view the ocean wide and brightV
When to this country first I cameB3
Ere I had heard of Martha's nameB3
I climbed the mountain's heightV
A storm came on and I could seeX
No object higher than my kneeX
-
XVII-
-
''Twas mist and rain and storm and rainH
No screen no fence could I discoverN
And then the wind in sooth it wasX
A wind full ten times overN
I looked around I thought I sawX
A jutting crag and off I ranH
Head foremost through the driving rainH
The shelter of the crag to gainH
And as I am a manH
Instead of jutting crag I foundL
A Woman seated on the groundL
-
XVIII-
-
'I did not speak I saw her faceX
Her face it was enough for meX
I turned about and heard her cry-
'Oh misery oh misery '-
And there she sits until the moonH
Through half the clear blue sky will goH
And when the little breezes makeC3
The waters of the pond to shakeC3
As all the country knowH
She shudders and you hear her cry-
'Oh misery oh misery ''-
-
XIXX
-
'But what's the Thorn and what the pondT
And what the hill of moss to herN
And what the creeping breeze that comesX
The little pond to stir '-
'I cannot tell but some will sayX
She hanged her baby on the treeX
Some say she drowned it in the pondT
Which is a little step beyondT
But all and each agreeX
The little Babe was buried thereU
Beneath that hill of moss so fairU
-
XXX
-
'I've heard the moss is spotted redW2
With drops of that poor infant's bloodD3
But kill a new born infant thusX
I do not think she couldE2
Some say if to the pond you goH
And fix on it a steady view-
The shadow of a babe you traceX
A baby and a baby's faceX
And that it looks at you-
Whene'er you look on it 'tis plainH
The baby looks at you againH
-
XXIX
-
'And some had sworn an oath that sheX
Should be to public justice brougH

William Wordsworth



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about The Thorn poem by William Wordsworth


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 41 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