Weddings Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIHJGKLMNOPQR STUVTQWIXYZA2DGB2C2D 2QE2AA2F2GXDPG2H2YI2 J2DK2L2M2N2GO2ATL2QP 2YQK2Q2Q2 N| Weddings in days of war | A |
| false cheating comfort | B |
| those hollow phrases | C |
| 'He won't get killed ' | D |
| On a snowbound winter road | E |
| slashed by a cruel wind | F |
| I speed to a hasty wedding | G |
| in a neighboring village | H |
| Gingerly I enter | I |
| a buzzing cottage | H |
| I a folk dancer of repute | J |
| with a forelock dangling | G |
| from my forehead | K |
| All spruced up disturbed | L |
| among relatives and friends | M |
| the bridegroom sits just mobilized | N |
| distraught | O |
| Sits with Vera his bride | P |
| but in a day or two | Q |
| he'll pull on a gray soldier's coat | R |
| and wearing it leave for the front | S |
| Then with a rifle he will go | T |
| tramping over alien soil | U |
| a German bullet perhaps | V |
| will lay him low | T |
| A glass of foaming home brew | Q |
| he's not able yet to drink | W |
| Their first night together | I |
| will likely be their last | X |
| Chagrined the bridegroom stares | Y |
| and with all his soul in anguish | Z |
| cries to me across the table | A2 |
| 'Well go on why don't you dance ' | D |
| They all forget their drinking | G |
| all fix me with goggling eyes | B2 |
| and I slide and writhe | C2 |
| beating a rhythm with my hooves | D2 |
| Now I drum a tattoo | Q |
| now drag my toes | E2 |
| across the floor | A |
| Whistling shrilly | A2 |
| I clap my hands | F2 |
| leap up near the ceiling | G |
| Slogans on the wall fly past | X |
| 'Hitler will be kaput ' | D |
| But the bride | P |
| scalds | G2 |
| her face | H2 |
| with tears | Y |
| I'm already a wet rag | I2 |
| barely catch my breath | J2 |
| 'Dance ' | D |
| they shout in desperation | K2 |
| and I dance again | L2 |
| Back home my ankles | M2 |
| feel as stiff as wood | N2 |
| but from yet another wedding | G |
| drunken guests | O2 |
| come knocking at the door once more | A |
| Soon as mother lets me go | T |
| I'm off to weddings once again | L2 |
| and round the tablecloth anew | Q |
| I stamp my feet and bend my knees | P2 |
| The bride sheds bitter tears | Y |
| friends are tearful too | Q |
| I'm afraid for everyone | K2 |
| I've no desire to dance | Q2 |
| but you can't not dance | Q2 |
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| Translated by George Reavey revised | N |
Yevgeny Yevtushenko
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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