The Rape Of The Lock: Canto 2 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ KKLLGGMMNN OPMMGG QQRRGGSSGGTN GGUUMMUUNNVWUUUUXXGG GGUUYY ZZUUMMUUUUA2B2AAUUDD NNC2C2GGGGA2C2 NNUUC2C2UUC2C2NND2D2 E2E2 UUC2C2UU F2F2GGC2C2AATTC2C2C2 C2 UUNZUU| Not with more glories in th' etherial plain | A |
| The sun first rises o'er the purpled main | A |
| Than issuing forth the rival of his beams | B |
| Launch'd on the bosom of the silver Thames | C |
| Fair nymphs and well dress'd youths around her shone | D |
| But ev'ry eye was fix'd on her alone | D |
| On her white breast a sparkling cross she wore | E |
| Which Jews might kiss and infidels adore | E |
| Her lively looks a sprightly mind disclose | F |
| Quick as her eyes and as unfix'd as those | F |
| Favours to none to all she smiles extends | G |
| Oft she rejects but never once offends | G |
| Bright as the sun her eyes the gazers strike | H |
| And like the sun they shine on all alike | H |
| Yet graceful ease and sweetness void of pride | I |
| Might hide her faults if belles had faults to hide | I |
| If to her share some female errors fall | J |
| Look on her face and you'll forget 'em all | J |
| - | |
| This nymph to the destruction of mankind | K |
| Nourish'd two locks which graceful hung behind | K |
| In equal curls and well conspir'd to deck | L |
| With shining ringlets the smooth iv'ry neck | L |
| Love in these labyrinths his slaves detains | G |
| And mighty hearts are held in slender chains | G |
| With hairy springes we the birds betray | M |
| Slight lines of hair surprise the finney prey | M |
| Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare | N |
| And beauty draws us with a single hair | N |
| - | |
| Th' advent'rous baron the bright locks admir'd | O |
| He saw he wish'd and to the prize aspir'd | P |
| Resolv'd to win he meditates the way | M |
| By force to ravish or by fraud betray | M |
| For when success a lover's toil attends | G |
| Few ask if fraud or force attain'd his ends | G |
| - | |
| For this ere Ph oelig bus rose he had implor'd | Q |
| Propitious Heav'n and ev'ry pow'r ador'd | Q |
| But chiefly love to love an altar built | R |
| Of twelve vast French romances neatly gilt | R |
| There lay three garters half a pair of gloves | G |
| And all the trophies of his former loves | G |
| With tender billet doux he lights the pyre | S |
| And breathes three am'rous sighs to raise the fire | S |
| Then prostrate falls and begs with ardent eyes | G |
| Soon to obtain and long possess the prize | G |
| The pow'rs gave ear and granted half his pray'r | T |
| The rest the winds dispers'd in empty air | N |
| - | |
| But now secure the painted vessel glides | G |
| The sun beams trembling on the floating tides | G |
| While melting music steals upon the sky | U |
| And soften'd sounds along the waters die | U |
| Smooth flow the waves the zephyrs gently play | M |
| Belinda smil'd and all the world was gay | M |
| All but the Sylph with careful thoughts opprest | U |
| Th' impending woe sat heavy on his breast | U |
| He summons strait his denizens of air | N |
| The lucid squadrons round the sails repair | N |
| Soft o'er the shrouds aerial whispers breathe | V |
| That seem'd but zephyrs to the train beneath | W |
| Some to the sun their insect wings unfold | U |
| Waft on the breeze or sink in clouds of gold | U |
| Transparent forms too fine for mortal sight | U |
| Their fluid bodies half dissolv'd in light | U |
| Loose to the wind their airy garments flew | X |
| Thin glitt'ring textures of the filmy dew | X |
| Dipp'd in the richest tincture of the skies | G |
| Where light disports in ever mingling dyes | G |
| While ev'ry beam new transient colours flings | G |
| Colours that change whene'er they wave their wings | G |
| Amid the circle on the gilded mast | U |
| Superior by the head was Ariel plac'd | U |
| His purple pinions op'ning to the sun | Y |
| He rais'd his azure wand and thus begun | Y |
| - | |
| Ye Sylphs and Sylphids to your chief give ear | Z |
| Fays Fairies Genii Elves and D mons hear | Z |
| Ye know the spheres and various tasks assign'd | U |
| By laws eternal to th' aerial kind | U |
| Some in the fields of purest ther play | M |
| And bask and whiten in the blaze of day | M |
| Some guide the course of wand'ring orbs on high | U |
| Or roll the planets through the boundless sky | U |
| Some less refin'd beneath the moon's pale light | U |
| Pursue the stars that shoot athwart the night | U |
| Or suck the mists in grosser air below | A2 |
| Or dip their pinions in the painted bow | B2 |
| Or brew fierce tempests on the wintry main | A |
| Or o'er the glebe distil the kindly rain | A |
| Others on earth o'er human race preside | U |
| Watch all their ways and all their actions guide | U |
| Of these the chief the care of nations own | D |
| And guard with arms divine the British throne | D |
| - | |
| Our humbler province is to tend the fair | N |
| Not a less pleasing though less glorious care | N |
| To save the powder from too rude a gale | C2 |
| Nor let th' imprison'd essences exhale | C2 |
| To draw fresh colours from the vernal flow'rs | G |
| To steal from rainbows e'er they drop in show'rs | G |
| A brighter wash to curl their waving hairs | G |
| Assist their blushes and inspire their airs | G |
| Nay oft in dreams invention we bestow | A2 |
| To change a flounce or add a furbelow | C2 |
| - | |
| This day black omens threat the brightest fair | N |
| That e'er deserv'd a watchful spirit's care | N |
| Some dire disaster or by force or slight | U |
| But what or where the fates have wrapt in night | U |
| Whether the nymph shall break Diana's law | C2 |
| Or some frail china jar receive a flaw | C2 |
| Or stain her honour or her new brocade | U |
| Forget her pray'rs or miss a masquerade | U |
| Or lose her heart or necklace at a ball | C2 |
| Or whether Heav'n has doom'd that Shock must fall | C2 |
| Haste then ye spirits to your charge repair | N |
| The flutt'ring fan be Zephyretta's care | N |
| The drops to thee Brillante we consign | D2 |
| And Momentilla let the watch be thine | D2 |
| Do thou Crispissa tend her fav'rite lock | E2 |
| Ariel himself shall be the guard of Shock | E2 |
| - | |
| To fifty chosen Sylphs of special note | U |
| We trust th' important charge the petticoat | U |
| Oft have we known that sev'n fold fence to fail | C2 |
| Though stiff with hoops and arm'd with ribs of whale | C2 |
| Form a strong line about the silver bound | U |
| And guard the wide circumference around | U |
| - | |
| Whatever spirit careless of his charge | F2 |
| His post neglects or leaves the fair at large | F2 |
| Shall feel sharp vengeance soon o'ertake his sins | G |
| Be stopp'd in vials or transfix'd with pins | G |
| Or plung'd in lakes of bitter washes lie | C2 |
| Or wedg'd whole ages in a bodkin's eye | C2 |
| Gums and pomatums shall his flight restrain | A |
| While clogg'd he beats his silken wings in vain | A |
| Or alum styptics with contracting pow'r | T |
| Shrink his thin essence like a rivell'd flow'r | T |
| Or as Ixion fix'd the wretch shall feel | C2 |
| The giddy motion of the whirling mill | C2 |
| In fumes of burning chocolate shall glow | C2 |
| And tremble at the sea that froths below | C2 |
| - | |
| He spoke the spirits from the sails descend | U |
| Some orb in orb around the nymph extend | U |
| Some thrid the mazy ringlets of her hair | N |
| Some hang upon the pendants of her ear | Z |
| With beating hearts the dire event they wait | U |
| Anxious and trembling for the birth of fate | U |
Alexander Pope
(1)
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About The Rape Of The Lock: Canto 2
The Rape Of The Lock: Canto 2 is a poem by Alexander Pope. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.