The Tree Of Knowledge Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCDDCEEFF GHH IIJJ KCCHBBLL MNNMLLL| THAT THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE | A |
| - | |
| Against the Dogmatists | B |
| THE sacred tree 'midst the fair orchard grew | C |
| The Phoenix truth did on it rest | D |
| And built his perfum'd nest | D |
| That right Porphyrian tree which did true Logick shew | C |
| Each leaf did learned notions give | E |
| And th' apples were demonstrative | E |
| So clear their colour and divine | F |
| The very shade they cast did other lights out shine | F |
| - | |
| 'Taste not ' said God ' 't is mine and angels' meat | G |
| ' A certain death doth sit | H |
| ' Like an ill worm i' th' core of it | H |
| 'Ye cannot know and live nor live or know and eat ' | - |
| Thus spoke God yet man did go | I |
| Ignorantly on to know | I |
| Grew so more blind and she | J |
| Who tempted him to this grew yet more blind than he | J |
| - | |
| The only science man by this did get | K |
| Was but to know he nothing knew | C |
| He strait his nakedness did view | C |
| His ignorant poor estate and was asham'd of it | H |
| Yet searches probabilities | B |
| And rhetorick and fallacies | B |
| And seeks by useless pride | L |
| With slight and withering leaves that nakedness to hide | L |
| - | |
| 'Henceforth ' said God 'the wretched sons of earth | M |
| ' Shall sweat for food in vain | N |
| ' That will not long sustain | N |
| 'And bring with labour forth each fond abortive birth | M |
| ' That serpent too their pride | L |
| ' Which aims at things deny'd | L |
| ' That learn'd and eloquent lust | L |
| 'Instead of mounting high shall creep upon the dust ' | - |
Abraham Cowley
(1)
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