Pax Britannica Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GHG ACAC IHI JKJ LMLN OPOQ RSRS KTK UVUV| Behind her rolling ramparts England lay | A |
| Impregnable and girt by cliff built towers | B |
| Weaving to peace and plenty day by day | A |
| The long drawn hours | B |
| - | |
| In peace Spring freed her flocks and showered her grain | C |
| Summer sate smiling under peaceful leaves | D |
| And Autumn piled on the unwarlike wain | C |
| Her sickled sheaves | D |
| - | |
| And white winged keels flew fluttering to her shore | E |
| Laden with Eastern bale or Southern fleece | F |
| And from the fields of far off labour bore | E |
| The spoils of Peace | F |
| - | |
| Then seeing Her within her waves so blest | G |
| The jealous nations panoplied alike | H |
| Said Look She wears no armour on her breast | G |
| What if we strike '' | - |
| - | |
| But She of their base greed and armed array | A |
| Haughtily heedless moated by her main | C |
| Still across ocean ploughed her peaceful way | A |
| In strong disdain | C |
| - | |
| Then each to other muttered Now at last | I |
| Her splendour shall be ours and we shall slake | H |
| Our envy She is pillowed on her Past | I |
| And will not wake '' | - |
| - | |
| Slowly as stirs a lion from his bed | J |
| Lengthens his limbs and crisps his mane She rose | K |
| Then shook out all her strength and flashing said | J |
| Where are my foes '' | - |
| - | |
| Thus to herself She did herself reveal | L |
| Swiftly yet calmly put her armour on | M |
| And round her Empire sentinelled in steel | L |
| Like morning shone | N |
| - | |
| From field and forge there thronged embattled hosts | O |
| And that one struck the anvil this the lyre | P |
| And from the furnaces of war her coasts | O |
| Were fringed with fire | Q |
| - | |
| Dazed and dismayed they veiled their futile vow | R |
| Some fain would be her friend and some would nurse | S |
| Their hate till they could curb the might that now | R |
| They could but curse | S |
| - | |
| But they who watch from where the west wind blows | K |
| Since great themselves proud that their kith are great | T |
| Said See what comes when England with her foes | K |
| Speaks at the gate '' | - |
| - | |
| Then back to loom and share her people poured | U |
| Chanting peace paeans as they reaped and gleaned | V |
| While gazing worldward on her undrawn sword | U |
| Watchful She leaned | V |
Alfred Austin
(1)
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