The Watchman Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCDDEFFE GHGHIIJKKJ LMNMOOPQQP RSRSRRTUUT VRVRWWXYYX ZA2ZA2B2B2B2B2B2B2 C2D2C2D2B2B2E2F2F2E2 EG2EG2RRH2RRH2 RB2RB2I2I2J2UUJ2 K2L2K2L2B2B2EB2B2E B2B2B2B2M2M2B2N2N2B2 O2B2O2B2B2B2RP2P2R B2Q2B2Q2B2B2B2R2R2B2 S2A2S2A2RRB2B2B2B2

IA
-
Through jewelled windows in the wallsB
The tender daylight smilesC
Majestic music swells and fallsB
Adown the stately aislesC
Shadows of carven roof and roodD
Of stony saints and angels broodD
Above the altar glowE
They cannot dim the shining faceF
Of one conspicuous in his placeF
Amid the forms belowE
-
He that was once my little boyG
With merry voice and lookH
My babe that quarrelled with his toyG
And tore his hated bookH
But yesterday a laughing ladI
In his dear worldly garments cladI
Talking of college winsJ
Wickets and bumping boats and goalsK
And not of shepherd and lost soulsK
His sermons and their sinsJ
-
The same he kneels there pale and awedL
In cloud of prayer and hymnM
And we are to behold our LordN
Made manifest in himM
To sit his pupils and be taughtO
Who knows not what the years have broughtO
To mothers and to menP
To take him for our heaven sent guideQ
On seas he never voyaged wideQ
And wild beyond his kenP
-
With all the lore of schools and noneR
Of stern and suffering lifeS
A child with wooden sword and gunR
Unarmed for vital strifeS
His mind a bud of spring unblownR
Its flowering shape as yet unknownR
Its fruit awaiting birthT
A seedling of a thousand strainsU
A parasite of dead men's brainsU
Though sprung from living earthT
-
There in his proud belief he standsV
This simple boy of mineR
Transformed by necromantic handsV
To something half divineR
All in a moment in a breathW
An oracle of life and deathW
A judge above us allX
What spell is this that has him fastY
When age of miracle is pastY
And past beyond recallX
-
O knight of dreams in fairy mailZ
If for his sake I prayA2
It is that fairy arms may failZ
And tough steel win the dayA2
Aye though his dear heart take the thrustB2
And he be trampled in the dustB2
But mother fears forbodeB2
May God have mercy and forefendB2
A tamer journey and an endB2
Upon an easier roadB2
-
A long fulfilling of the vowC2
Within the vow he spakeD2
To close the gates of knowledge nowC2
And no more dare to takeD2
The broad highways of marching thoughtB2
By his unfettered brothers soughtB2
Who follow every clueE2
On every line where'er it leadsF2
Heedless of heresies or creedsF2
To find the Right and TrueE2
The mother love so apt for woeE
Visions the joyless trackG2
Where the belov d feet may goE
And nevermore come backG2
The boy become a thinking manR
That has outgrown the changeless planR
Once fitted to his shapeH2
The traveller confident sereneR
Caught in an ambush unforeseenR
Whence there is no escapeH2
-
Struggling a little overborneR
Perplexed persuaded spentB2
With dim self pity and self scornR
Supine in discontentB2
No no escape by any artsI2
Save through a score of bleeding heartsI2
A stair too steep to climbJ2
Wherefore be wise and hide the chainsU
Drug conscience with its pangs and painsU
Give peace Lord in our timeJ2
-
O waste of precious force and fireK2
The sacred passion palesL2
The soaring pinions droop and tireK2
Our standard bearer failsL2
To keep his battle flag aloftB2
The strong young arm is slack and softB2
The eager feet are slowE
The shining mail is dulled with rustB2
Of contact with mediaeval dustB2
And will not bear a blowE
-
And under harness so decayedB2
What ravage unrevealedB2
What moral textures soiled and frayedB2
And moral sores unhealedB2
He must not know that dares not tellM2
Hush It is nothing All is wellM2
Peace in our time O LordB2
And leave the fighting for the heirsN2
The blood of sacrifice be theirsN2
Who cannot shirk the swordB2
-
O boy of mine that played the gameO2
And never learned to cheatB2
Nor knew such word or thought as shameO2
In victory or defeatB2
Will he be found when he grows oldB2
Passing off spurious coin for goldB2
Selling dry husks for grainR
The pottage of the Esau's bowlP2
That bought the birthright of a soulP2
His all sufficient gainR
-
The image and the robes of whatB2
He seems to serve and seekQ2
But veils although he knows it notB2
On Mammon's brazen cheekQ2
His bishop's smile his patron's nodB2
The homage of his flock his godB2
His sensuous worship drestB2
In forms and colours rich and rareR2
The spirit's sanctuary bareR2
Heart emptily at restB2
-
Let organ music swell and pealS2
And priests and people prayA2
Let those who can at altar kneelS2
I have no heart to stayA2
I cannot bear to see it doneR
The hands whose work has scarce begunR
Locked in these gyves of leadB2
The living spirit gagged and boundB2
And tethered to one plot of groundB2
A prisoner of the deadB2

Ada Cambridge



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