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 plainA
The sun first rises o'er the purpled mainA
Than issuing forth the rival of his beamsB
Launch'd on the bosom of the silver ThamesC
Fair nymphs and well dress'd youths around her shoneD
But ev'ry eye was fix'd on her aloneD
On her white breast a sparkling cross she woreE
Which Jews might kiss and infidels adoreE
Her lively looks a sprightly mind discloseF
Quick as her eyes and as unfix'd as thoseF
Favours to none to all she smiles extendsG
Oft she rejects but never once offendsG
Bright as the sun her eyes the gazers strikeH
And like the sun they shine on all alikeH
Yet graceful ease and sweetness void of prideI
Might hide her faults if belles had faults to hideI
If to her share some female errors fallJ
Look on her face and you'll forget 'em allJ
-
This nymph to the destruction of mankindK
Nourish'd two locks which graceful hung behindK
In equal curls and well conspir'd to deckL
With shining ringlets the smooth iv'ry neckL
Love in these labyrinths his slaves detainsG
And mighty hearts are held in slender chainsG
With hairy springes we the birds betrayM
Slight lines of hair surprise the finney preyM
Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnareN
And beauty draws us with a single hairN
-
Th' advent'rous baron the bright locks admir'dO
He saw he wish'd and to the prize aspir'dP
Resolv'd to win he meditates the wayM
By force to ravish or by fraud betrayM
For when success a lover's toil attendsG
Few ask if fraud or force attain'd his endsG
-
For this ere Ph oelig bus rose he had implor'dQ
Propitious Heav'n and ev'ry pow'r ador'dQ
But chiefly love to love an altar builtR
Of twelve vast French romances neatly giltR
There lay three garters half a pair of glovesG
And all the trophies of his former lovesG
With tender billet doux he lights the pyreS
And breathes three am'rous sighs to raise the fireS
Then prostrate falls and begs with ardent eyesG
Soon to obtain and long possess the prizeG
The pow'rs gave ear and granted half his pray'rT
The rest the winds dispers'd in empty airN
-
But now secure the painted vessel glidesG
The sun beams trembling on the floating tidesG
While melting music steals upon the skyU
And soften'd sounds along the waters dieU
Smooth flow the waves the zephyrs gently playM
Belinda smil'd and all the world was gayM
All but the Sylph with careful thoughts opprestU
Th' impending woe sat heavy on his breastU
He summons strait his denizens of airN
The lucid squadrons round the sails repairN
Soft o'er the shrouds aerial whispers breatheV
That seem'd but zephyrs to the train beneathW
Some to the sun their insect wings unfoldU
Waft on the breeze or sink in clouds of goldU
Transparent forms too fine for mortal sightU
Their fluid bodies half dissolv'd in lightU
Loose to the wind their airy garments flewX
Thin glitt'ring textures of the filmy dewX
Dipp'd in the richest tincture of the skiesG
Where light disports in ever mingling dyesG
While ev'ry beam new transient colours flingsG
Colours that change whene'er they wave their wingsG
Amid the circle on the gilded mastU
Superior by the head was Ariel plac'dU
His purple pinions op'ning to the sunY
He rais'd his azure wand and thus begunY
-
Ye Sylphs and Sylphids to your chief give earZ
Fays Fairies Genii Elves and D mons hearZ
Ye know the spheres and various tasks assign'dU
By laws eternal to th' aerial kindU
Some in the fields of purest ther playM
And bask and whiten in the blaze of dayM
Some guide the course of wand'ring orbs on highU
Or roll the planets through the boundless skyU
Some less refin'd beneath the moon's pale lightU
Pursue the stars that shoot athwart the nightU
Or suck the mists in grosser air belowA2
Or dip their pinions in the painted bowB2
Or brew fierce tempests on the wintry mainA
Or o'er the glebe distil the kindly rainA
Others on earth o'er human race presideU
Watch all their ways and all their actions guideU
Of these the chief the care of nations ownD
And guard with arms divine the British throneD
-
Our humbler province is to tend the fairN
Not a less pleasing though less glorious careN
To save the powder from too rude a galeC2
Nor let th' imprison'd essences exhaleC2
To draw fresh colours from the vernal flow'rsG
To steal from rainbows e'er they drop in show'rsG
A brighter wash to curl their waving hairsG
Assist their blushes and inspire their airsG
Nay oft in dreams invention we bestowA2
To change a flounce or add a furbelowC2
-
This day black omens threat the brightest fairN
That e'er deserv'd a watchful spirit's careN
Some dire disaster or by force or slightU
But what or where the fates have wrapt in nightU
Whether the nymph shall break Diana's lawC2
Or some frail china jar receive a flawC2
Or stain her honour or her new brocadeU
Forget her pray'rs or miss a masqueradeU
Or lose her heart or necklace at a ballC2
Or whether Heav'n has doom'd that Shock must fallC2
Haste then ye spirits to your charge repairN
The flutt'ring fan be Zephyretta's careN
The drops to thee Brillante we consignD2
And Momentilla let the watch be thineD2
Do thou Crispissa tend her fav'rite lockE2
Ariel himself shall be the guard of ShockE2
-
To fifty chosen Sylphs of special noteU
We trust th' important charge the petticoatU
Oft have we known that sev'n fold fence to failC2
Though stiff with hoops and arm'd with ribs of whaleC2
Form a strong line about the silver boundU
And guard the wide circumference aroundU
-
Whatever spirit careless of his chargeF2
His post neglects or leaves the fair at largeF2
Shall feel sharp vengeance soon o'ertake his sinsG
Be stopp'd in vials or transfix'd with pinsG
Or plung'd in lakes of bitter washes lieC2
Or wedg'd whole ages in a bodkin's eyeC2
Gums and pomatums shall his flight restrainA
While clogg'd he beats his silken wings in vainA
Or alum styptics with contracting pow'rT
Shrink his thin essence like a rivell'd flow'rT
Or as Ixion fix'd the wretch shall feelC2
The giddy motion of the whirling millC2
In fumes of burning chocolate shall glowC2
And tremble at the sea that froths belowC2
-
He spoke the spirits from the sails descendU
Some orb in orb around the nymph extendU
Some thrid the mazy ringlets of her hairN
Some hang upon the pendants of her earZ
With beating hearts the dire event they waitU
Anxious and trembling for the birth of fateU

Alexander Pope



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