The Commonweal: A Song For Unionists Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCDCECECFCFCDCD GHAHIJIJKLKLCBCBADAD MHMHDCDCCNCNOPOPACAC| Men whose fathers braved the world in arms against our isles in union | A |
| Men whose brothers met rebellion face to face | B |
| Show the hearts ye have if worthy long descent and high communion | A |
| Show the spirits if unbroken of your race | B |
| What are these that howl and hiss across the strait of westward water | C |
| What is he who floods our ears with speech in flood | D |
| See the long tongue lick the dripping hand that smokes and reeks of slaughter | C |
| See the man of words embrace the man of blood | D |
| Hear the plea whereby the tonguester mocks and charms the gazing gaper | C |
| We are they whose works are works of love and peace | E |
| Till disunion bring forth union what is union sirs but paper | C |
| Break and rend it then shall trust and strength increase | E |
| Who would fear to trust a double faced but single hearted dreamer | C |
| Pure of purpose clean of hand and clear of guile | F |
| Life is well nigh spent he sighs you call me shuffler trickster schemer | C |
| I am old when young men yell at me I smile | F |
| Many a year that priceless light of life has trembled we remember | C |
| On the platform of extinction unextinct | D |
| Many a month has been for him the long year's last life's calm December | C |
| Can it be that he who said so saying so winked | D |
| No the lust of life the thirst for work and days with work to do in | G |
| Drove and drives him down the road of splendid shame | H |
| All is well if o'er the monument recording England's ruin | A |
| Time shall read inscribed in triumph Gladstone's name | H |
| Thieves and murderers hands yet red with blood and tongues yet black with lies | I |
| Clap and clamour Parnell spurs his Gladstone well | J |
| Truth unscared and undeluded by their praise or blame replies | I |
| Is the goal of fraud and bloodshed heaven or hell | J |
| Old men eloquent who truckle to the traitors of the time | K |
| Love not office power is no desire of theirs | L |
| What if yesterday their hearts recoiled from blood and fraud and crime | K |
| Conscience erred an error which to day repairs | L |
| Conscience only now convinces them of strange though transient error | C |
| Only now they see how fair is treason's face | B |
| See how true the falsehood just the theft and blameless is the terror | C |
| Which replaces just and blameless men in place | B |
| Place and time decide the right and wrong of thought and word and action | A |
| Crime is black as hell till virtue gain its vote | D |
| Then but ah to think or say so smacks of fraud or smells of faction | A |
| Mercy holds the door while Murder hacks the throat | D |
| Murder Treason Theft Poor brothers who succumb to such temptations | M |
| Shall we lay on you or take on us the blame | H |
| Reason answers and religion echoes round to wondering nations | M |
| Not with Ireland but with England rests the shame | H |
| Reason speaks through mild religion's organ loud and long and lusty | D |
| Profit speaks through lips of patriots pure and true | C |
| English friends whose trust we ask for has not England found us trusty | D |
| Not for us we seek advancement but for you | C |
| Far and near the world bears witness of our wisdom courage honour | C |
| Egypt knows if there our fame burns bright or dim | N |
| Let but England trust as Gordon trusted soon shall come upon her | C |
| Such deliverance as our daring brought on him | N |
| Far and wide the world rings record of our faith our constant dealing | O |
| Love of country truth to friends contempt for foes | P |
| Sign once more the bond of trust in us that here awaits but sealing | O |
| We will give yet more than all our record shows | P |
| Perfect ruin shame eternal everlasting degradation | A |
| Freedom bought and sold truth bound and treason free | C |
| Yet an hour is here for answer now if here be yet a nation | A |
| Answer England man by man from sea to sea | C |
Algernon Charles Swinburne
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