Through Liberty To Light Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AAB AC DDBB EEFFGH IIJJAA KKLLMM AAAAANN AAOAPPB QQAAR SSTTU AAVVW AAAXAY AAZZAM

Fixed is my Faith the lingering dawn despiteA
That still we move through Liberty to LightA
The Human TragedyB
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When God out of chaos primeval divided the day from the nightA
And moved on the face of the waters ordainingC
Let there be Light ''-
And commanded the creatures that perish to people wave wood and windD
Then fashioned Man after His image and gave him the godlike mindD
He said I the Lord now make you lord of the earth and the air and seaB
And I lend you My will to work My will and now behold you are freeB
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Free to be strong or feeble free to be false or trueE
To withhold you from evil doing or what I shall ban to doE
Free to be crooked and craven or fearless and frank and braveF
To love as yourself your brother or make him your bond and slaveF
To hallow the world with freedom or fetter your fellow menG
But as you shall do at the Judgment Day MyH
Justice will judge you then ''-
-
Then the sons of men multiplied gladly and proud of the boon of birthI
They teemed over main and mountain to the uttermost bounds of earthI
They built up cities and Empires Common wealth Throne and StateJ
And some were pillared on force and fraud and some upon fear and hateJ
For the strong cared but to enjoy their strength the mighty to use their mightA
And the vanquished were lashed to the victor's car wherever his sword could smiteA
-
But out of the mist of the Northern Sea a blended race aroseK
Whose blood was warmed by the wind and the wave and braced by the Winter snowsK
A race with the wisdom of long linked years yet the hopeful heart of youthL
Who hated the lie and the liar and dared both to speak and hear the truthL
Who loved the Light for the Light's own sake and as none but who love it canM
Kept the Torch of Liberty still aflame and passed it from man to manM
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And they circled the sea and they girded the earth and they spread round the rounded worldA
And the sound of their clarions never ceased and never their flag was furledA
And wherever those shrilled or this was seen men sprang to their feet and criedA
Now the Tyrant shall quake on his throne for fear and the lash no more be pliedA
For the winds of Justice propel their sails andA
Liberty steers their keelN
And none but the lawless shall tremble now and none but the haughty kneelN
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At home in their white cliffed green grassedA
Isle where the woods and the waters meetA
The King is honoured upon his throne and theO
Judge revered in his seatA
And each man's own is his own to keep and safe from the robber's clutchP
And the lowliest hearth hath sacred rights nor sceptre nor sword dare touchP
And as it doth on the Northern strand so it doth in the Southern seaB
And it says as God said to Man at birth And now behold you are free '''-
-
But apart in the Southern sea there dwelt a race though of Northern strainQ
With narrow foreheads and narrower hearts who cherished the thong and chainQ
So long as these left their own limbs free to do as their brute wills listA
To fetter and flog the sons of Ham and to tether the stranger's wristA
Boasting Rather than not be free to make these hew for us delve and drudgeR
Let the hellhounds of War be all unleashed and the battle bolts be judge ''-
-
Then the Land of the Northern mist waxed wroth and said Now their hour has comeS
Too long to their deeds have mine ears been deaf too long my voice been dumbS
I will wrench the rod from their boorish grasp their lash will I snatch and seizeT
Till low on their knees they grovel down and for mercy clasp my kneesT
They have called on the sword they shall bide by the sword and mine will I never sheatheU
Till to dwellers in darkness it bring the Light and Freedom to all who breathe ''-
-
Then manly to tender kissed farewell but never a tear was shedA
And over the wave and along with the wind to the Southern zone they spedA
The roughly nurtured the gently bred all bound on the self same trackV
To storm the steeps and defiles of death but never to turn them backV
And their sons that on Austral or Western shores exult in their sires' renownW
Shouted Barrel and blade we'll come to you and gallop the despots down ''-
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Shame shame on you Gaul and Teuton that seeing this noble deedA
You have hardened your hearts for envy and been false to your vaunted CreedA
Should juggle with truth should welcome the lie should garble and gird for spiteA
Pray Heaven to favour the tyrants' cause prayX
Heaven to hinder the LightA
Hark hark to the greeting of free born men from the Land of the Setting SunY
God prosper you dear old England It is rightly and nobly done ''-
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Wherever our sails have quivered wherever our keels have ploughedA
We have carried the Flag of Freedom unfurled it from mast and shroudA
It hath weathered the storm of battle it guardeth the paths of peaceZ
And will watch over Right both day and night till the day and the night shall ceaseZ
And while there's a chain to shatter and while there's a wrong to rightA
Its watchword shall be God's gift to manM
Through Liberty on to Light ''-

Alfred Austin



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