Poet Algernon Charles Swinburne

Algernon Charles Swinburne

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A Word From The Psalmist Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B BCDEDFGHGH G G IJIJKLKL MNMNGOGOLLLL GPGPQGQGQGQG RSRSRMRMGLGL LLLLKRKRGRGR LRLRBLB LLLL GLGLMRMR R R LKRKRGTGTBRBR

Ps xcivA
-
I-
'Take heed ye unwise among the peopleB
O ye fools when will ye understand '-
From pulpit or choir beneath the steepleB
Though the words be fierce the tones are blandC
But a louder than the Church's echo thundersD
In the ears of men who may not choose but hearE
And the heart in him that hears it leaps and wondersD
With triumphant hope astonished or with fearF
For the names whose sound was power awakenG
Neither love nor reverence now nor dreadH
Their strongholds and shrines are stormed and takenG
Their kingdom and all its works are deadH
-
II-
Take heed for the tide of time is risenG
It is full not yet though now so high-
That spirits and hopes long pent in prisonG
Feel round them a sense of freedom nigh-
And a savour keen and sweet of brine and billowI
And a murmur deep and strong of deepening strengthJ
Though the watchman dream with sloth or pride for pillowI
And the night be long not endless is its lengthJ
From the springs of dawn from clouds that severK
From the equal heavens and the eastward seaL
The witness comes that endures for everK
Till men be brethren and thralls be freeL
-
III-
But the wind of the wings of dawn expandingM
Strikes chill on your hearts as change and deathN
Ye are old but ye have not understandingM
And proud but your pride is a dead man's breathN
And your wise men toward whose words and signs ye hearkenG
And your strong men in whose hands ye put your trustO
Strain eyes to behold but clouds and dreams that darkenG
Stretch hands that can find but weapons red with rustO
Their watchword rings and the night rejoicesL
But the lark's note laughs at the night bird's notesL
'Is virtue verily found in voicesL
Or is wisdom won when all win votesL
-
IV-
'Take heed ye unwise indeed who listenG
When the wind's wings beat and shift and changeP
Whose hearts are uplift whose eyeballs glistenG
With desire of new things great and strangeP
Let not dreams misguide nor any visions wrong youQ
That which has been it is now as it was thenG
Is not Compromise of old a god among youQ
Is not Precedent indeed a king of menG
But the windy hopes that lead mislead youQ
And the sounds ye hear are void and vainG
Is a vote a coat will franchise feed youQ
Or words be a roof against the rainG
-
V-
'Eight ages are gone since kingship enteredR
With knights and peers at its harnessed backS
And the land no more in its own strength centredR
Was cast for a prey to the princely packS
But we pared the fangs and clipped the ravening claws of itR
And good was in time brought forth of an evil thingM
And the land's high name waxed lordlier in war because of itR
When chartered Right had bridled and curbed the kingM
And what so fair has the world beholdenG
And what so firm has withstood the yearsL
As Monarchy bound in chains all goldenG
And Freedom guarded about with peersL
-
VI-
'How think ye know not your lords and mastersL
What collars are meet for brawling throatsL
Is change not mother of strange disastersL
Shall plague or peril be stayed by votesL
Out of precedent and privilege and orderK
Have we plucked the flower of compromise whose rootR
Bears blossoms that shine from border again to borderK
And the mouths of many are fed with its temperate fruitR
Your masters are wiser than ye their henchmenG
Your lords know surely whereof ye have needR
Equality Fools would you fain be FrenchmenG
Is equity more than a word indeedR
-
VII-
'Your voices forsooth your most sweet voicesL
Your worthy voices your love your hateR
Your choice who know not whereof your choice isL
What stays are these for a stable stateR
Inconstancy blind and deaf with its own fierce babbleB
Swells ever your throats with storm of uncertain cheersL
He leans on straws who leans on a light souled rabbleB
His trust is frail who puts not his trust in peers '-
So shrills the message whose word convincesL
Of righteousness knaves of wisdom foolsL
That serfs may boast them because of princesL
And the weak rejoice that the strong man rulesL
-
VIII-
True friends ye people are these the factionG
Full mouthed that flatters and snails and baysL
That fawns and foams with alternate actionG
And mocks the names that it soils with praiseL
As from fraud and force their power had fast beginningM
So by righteousness and peace it may not standR
But by craft of state and nets of secret spinningM
Words that weave and unweave wiles like ropes of sandR
Form custom and gold and laws grown hoary-
And strong tradition that guards the gateR
To these O people to these give glory-
That your name among nations may be greatR
-
IXL
How long for haply not now much longerK
Shall fear put faith in a faithless creedR
And shapes and shadows of truths be strongerK
In strong men's eyes than the truth indeedR
If freedom be not a word that dies when spokenG
If justice be not a dream whence men must wakeT
How shall not the bonds of the thraldom of old be brokenG
And right put might in the hands of them that breakT
For clear as a tocsin from the steepleB
Is the cry gone forth along the landR
Take heed ye unwise among the peopleB
O ye fools when will ye understandR

Algernon Charles Swinburne



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