Finis Exoptatus Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCD EFEFAGAGHIHICJCJ AKAKLMLMNOPOCKCK JQJQCRCR KSKSTUTV WXYXTZTZJA2JA2TB2TB2 YA2YA2C2D2C2D2YTYTJT JT YE2F2E2G2H2G2H2TKTKY TYTLJLJ JI2JI2JJ2JJ2 YJYJYJYJJTJTJTJT TK2TK2A2I2A2I2TMTMA2 A2A2A2YKYKJTJT KJKJA2TA2T JYJYTYT YH2YH2NTNTBoot and saddle see the slanting | A |
Rays begin to fall | B |
Flinging lights and colours flaunting | A |
Through the shadows tall | B |
Onward onward must we travel | C |
When will come the goal | D |
Riddle I may not unravel | C |
Cease to vex my soul | D |
- | |
Harshly break those peals of laughter | E |
From the jays aloft | F |
Can we guess what they cry after | E |
We have heard them oft | F |
Perhaps some strain of rude thanksgiving | A |
Mingles in their song | G |
Are they glad that they are living | A |
Are they right or wrong | G |
Right 'tis joy that makes them call so | H |
Why should they be sad | I |
Certes we are living also | H |
Shall not we be glad | I |
Onward onward must we travel | C |
Is the goal more near | J |
Riddle we may not unravel | C |
Why so dark and drear | J |
- | |
Yon small bird his hymn outpouring | A |
On the branch close by | K |
Recks not for the kestrel soaring | A |
In the nether sky | K |
Though the hawk with wings extended | L |
Poises over head | M |
Motionless as though suspended | L |
By a viewless thread | M |
See he stoops nay shooting forward | N |
With the arrow's flight | O |
Swift and straight away to nor'ward | P |
Sails he out of sight | O |
Onward onward thus we travel | C |
Comes the goal more nigh | K |
Riddle we may not unravel | C |
Who shall make reply | K |
- | |
Ha Friend Ephraim saint or sinner | J |
Tell me if you can | Q |
Tho' we may not judge the inner | J |
By the outer man | Q |
Yet by girth of broadcloth ample | C |
And by cheeks that shine | R |
Surely you set no example | C |
In the fasting line | R |
- | |
Could you like yon bird discov'ring | K |
Fate as close at hand | S |
As the kestrel o'er him hov'ring | K |
Still as he did stand | S |
Trusting grandly singing gaily | T |
Confident and calm | U |
Not one false note in your daily | T |
Hymn or weekly psalm | V |
- | |
Oft your oily tones are heard in | W |
Chapel where you preach | X |
This the everlasting burden | Y |
Of the tale you teach | X |
We are d d our sins are deadly | T |
You alone are heal'd | Z |
'Twas not thus their gospel redly | T |
Saints and martyrs seal'd | Z |
You had seem'd more like a martyr | J |
Than you seem to us | A2 |
To the beasts that caught a Tartar | J |
Once at Ephesus | A2 |
Rather than the stout apostle | T |
Of the Gentiles who | B2 |
Pagan like could cuff and wrestle | T |
They'd have chosen you | B2 |
- | |
Yet I ween on such occasion | Y |
Your dissenting voice | A2 |
Would have been in mild persuasion | Y |
Raised against their choice | A2 |
Man of peace and man of merit | C2 |
Pompous wise and grave | D2 |
Ephraim is it flesh or spirit | C2 |
You strive most to save | D2 |
Vain is half this care and caution | Y |
O'er the earthly shell | T |
We can neither baffle nor shun | Y |
Dark plumed Azrael | T |
Onward onward still we wander | J |
Nearer draws the goal | T |
Half the riddle's read we ponder | J |
Vainly on the whole | T |
- | |
Eastward in the pink horizon | Y |
Fleecy hillocks shame | E2 |
This dim range dull earth that lies on | F2 |
Tinged with rosy flame | E2 |
Westward as a stricken giant | G2 |
Stoops his bloody crest | H2 |
And tho' vanquished frowns defiant | G2 |
Sinks the sun to rest | H2 |
Distant yet approaching quickly | T |
From the shades that lurk | K |
Like a black pall gathers thickly | T |
Night when none may work | K |
Soon our restless occupation | Y |
Shall have ceas'd to be | T |
Units in God's vast creation | Y |
Ciphers what are we | T |
Onward onward oh faint hearted | L |
Nearer and more near | J |
Has the goal drawn since we started | L |
Be of better cheer | J |
- | |
Preacher all forbearance ask for | J |
All are worthless found | I2 |
Man must ay take man to task for | J |
Faults while earth goes round | I2 |
On this dank soil thistles muster | J |
Thorns are broadcast sown | J2 |
Seek not figs where thistles cluster | J |
Grapes where thorns have grown | J2 |
- | |
Sun and rain and dew from heaven | Y |
Light and shade and air | J |
Heat and moisture freely given | Y |
Thorns and thistles share | J |
Vegetation rank and rotten | Y |
Feels the cheering ray | J |
Not uncared for unforgotten | Y |
We too have our day | J |
Unforgotten though we cumber | J |
Earth we work His will | T |
Shall we sleep through night's long slumber | J |
Unforgotten still | T |
Onward onward toiling ever | J |
Weary steps and slow | T |
Doubting oft despairing never | J |
To the goal we go | T |
- | |
Hark the bells on distant cattle | T |
Waft across the range | K2 |
Through the golden tufted wattle | T |
Music low and strange | K2 |
Like the marriage peal of fairies | A2 |
Comes the tinkling sound | I2 |
Or like chimes of sweet St Mary's | A2 |
On far English ground | I2 |
How my courser champs the snaffle | T |
And with nostril spread | M |
Snorts and scarcely seems to ruffle | T |
Fern leaves with his tread | M |
Cool and pleasant on his haunches | A2 |
Blows the evening breeze | A2 |
Through the overhanging branches | A2 |
Of the wattle trees | A2 |
Onward to the Southern Ocean | Y |
Glides the breath of Spring | K |
Onward with a dreary motion | Y |
I too glide and sing | K |
Forward forward still we wander | J |
Tinted hills that lie | T |
In the red horizon yonder | J |
Is the goal so nigh | T |
- | |
Whisper spring wind softly singing | K |
Whisper in my ear | J |
Respite and nepenthe bringing | K |
Can the goal be near | J |
Laden with the dew of vespers | A2 |
From the fragrant sky | T |
In my ear the wind that whispers | A2 |
Seems to make reply | T |
- | |
'Question not but live and labour | J |
Till yon goal be won | Y |
Helping every feeble neighbour | J |
Seeking help from none | Y |
Life is mostly froth and bubble | T |
Two things stand like stone | Y |
Kindness in another's trouble | T |
Courage in your own ' | - |
- | |
Courage comrades this is certain | Y |
All is for the best | H2 |
There are lights behind the curtain | Y |
Gentiles let us rest | H2 |
As the smoke rack veers to seaward | N |
From 'the ancient clay' | T |
With its moral drifting leeward | N |
Ends the wanderer's lay | T |
Adam Lindsay Gordon
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