England: An Ode Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBBCCCDDDEEEFFFGGGH HH AIIIJJJKKKLLLMMMNNNO OO APPPNNNBBBQQQRRRSSSN NN

IA
Sea and strand and a lordlier land than sea tides rolling and rising sunB
Clasp and lighten in climes that brighten with day when day that was here is doneB
Call aloud on their children proud with trust that future and past are oneB
Far and near from the swan's nest here the storm birds bred of her fair white breastC
Sons whose home was the sea wave's foam have borne the fame of her east and westC
North and south has the storm wind's mouth rung praise of England and England's questC
Fame wherever her flag flew never forbore to fly with an equal wingD
France and Spain with their warrior train bowed down before her as thrall to kingD
India knelt at her feet and felt her sway more fruitful of life than springD
Darkness round them as iron bound fell off from races of elder nameE
Slain at sight of her eyes whose light bids freedom lighten and burn as flameE
Night endures not the touch that cures of kingship tyrants and slaves of shameE
All the terror of time where error and fear were lords of a world of slavesF
Age on age in resurgent rage and anguish darkening as waves on wavesF
Fell or fled from a face that shed such grace as quickens the dust of gravesF
Things of night at her glance took flight the strengths of darkness recoiled and sankG
Sank the fires of the murderous pyres whereon wild agony writhed and shrankG
Rose the light of the reign of right from gulfs of years that the darkness drankG
Yet the might of her wings in flight whence glory lightens and music ringsH
Loud and bright as the dawn's shall smite and still the discord of evil thingsH
Yet not slain by her radiant reign but darkened now by her sail stretched wingsH
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IIA
Music made of change and conquest glory born of evil slainI
Stilled the discord slew the darkness bade the lights of tempest waneI
Where the deathless dawn of England rose in sign that right should reignI
Mercy where the tiger wallowed mad and blind with blood and lustJ
Justice where the jackal yelped and fed and slaves allowed it justJ
Rose as England's light on Asia rose and smote them down to dustJ
Justice bright as mercy mercy girt by justice with her swordK
Smote and saved and raised and ruined till the tyrant ridden hordeK
Saw the lightning fade from heaven and knew the sun for God and lordK
Where the footfall sounds of England where the smile of England shinesL
Rings the tread and laughs the face of freedom fair as hope divinesL
Days to be more brave than ours and lit by lordlier stars for signsL
All our past acclaims our future Shakespeare's voice and Nelson's handM
Milton's faith and Wordsworth's trust in this our chosen and chainless landM
Bear us witness come the world against her England yet shall standM
Earth and sea bear England witness if he lied who said it heN
Whom the winds that ward her waves that clasp and herb and flower and treeN
Fed with English dews and sunbeams hail as more than man may beN
No man ever spake as he that bade our England be but trueO
Keep but faith with England fast and firm and none should bid her rueO
None may speak as he but all may know the sign that Shakespeare knewO
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IIIA
From the springs of the dawn from the depths of the noon from the heights of the night that shineP
Hope faith and remembrance of glory that found but in England her throne and her shrineP
Speak louder than song may proclaim them that here is the seal of them set for a signP
And loud as the sea's voice thunders applause of the land that is one with the seaN
Speaks Time in the ear of the people that never at heart was not inly freeN
The word of command that assures us of life if we will but that life shall beN
If the race that is first of the races of men who behold unashamed the sunB
Stand fast and forget not the sign that is given of the years and the wars that are doneB
The token that all who are born of its blood should in heart as in blood be oneB
The word of remembrance that lightens as fire from the steeps of the storm lit pastQ
Bids only the faith of our fathers endure in us firm as they held it fastQ
That the glory which was from the first upon England alone may endure to the lastQ
That the love and the hate may change not the faith may not fade nor the wrath nor scornR
That shines for her sons and that burns for her foemen as fire of the night or the mornR
That the births of her womb may forget not the sign of the glory wherein they were bornR
A light that is more than the sunlight an air that is brighter than morning's breathS
Clothes England about as the strong sea clasps her and answers the word that it saithS
The word that assures her of life if she change not and choose not the ways of deathS
Change darkens and lightens around her alternate in hope and in fear to beN
Hope knows not if fear speak truth nor fear whether hope be not blind as sheN
But the sun is in heaven that beholds her immortal and girdled with life by the seaN

Algernon Charles Swinburne



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