▁the ▁w ander ers . ▁The ▁former ▁tell ▁tales ▁on ▁classical ▁subjects , ▁and ▁the ▁latter ▁draw ▁their ▁tales ▁from ▁Nor se ▁and ▁other ▁medieval ▁sources . ▁Thus , ▁of ▁the ▁twenty - four ▁stories , ▁twelve ▁are ▁Greek ▁and ▁classical ▁and ▁twelve ▁are ▁medieval ▁or ▁rom antic . ▁Each ▁pair ▁of ▁stories ▁corresponds ▁with ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁twelve ▁months , ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁being ▁told ▁in ▁January , ▁the ▁second ▁two ▁in ▁February , ▁and ▁so ▁on . ▁Thus ▁the ▁long ▁poem ▁is ▁neat ly ▁partition ed ▁into ▁twelve ▁books ▁with ▁interpol ated ▁pro log ues ▁and ▁ep ilog ues ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁lyr ics ▁about ▁the ▁progress ive ▁changes ▁in ▁nature . ▁ ▁Form ▁ ▁The ▁Earth ly ▁Parad ise ▁is ▁written ▁in ▁different ▁forms . ▁William ▁Morris ▁used ▁rh yme ▁royal , ▁hero ic ▁couple t ▁or ▁i amb ic ▁t et ram eter . ▁This ▁is ▁an ▁example ▁of ▁seven - line ▁rh yme ▁royal ▁( with ▁rh yme ▁scheme ▁AB AB B CC ). ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁Bibli ography ▁▁ ▁The ▁Earth ly ▁Parad ise . ▁A ▁Po em ▁by ▁William ▁Morris ▁( Re view ). ▁ ▁Introduction ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁edition ▁by ▁Florence ▁Bo os ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Sc an ▁of ▁The ▁Earth ly ▁Parad ise , ▁parts ▁ 1 ▁and ▁ 2 ▁ ▁Sc an ▁of ▁The ▁Earth ly ▁Parad ise , ▁parts ▁ 3 ▁ ▁Trans cription ▁by ▁the ▁William ▁Morris ▁Archive ▁ ▁Category : Po etry ▁by ▁William