Ode On The Present Times, 27th January 1795 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCCDDEEFFGHGIJJKL KLMNDDOOGGPQPQFRSTUT VVPEFWXXYZYBA2A2WPWE B2B2C2C2BBWFB2D2B2D2 E2E2F2F2C2C2G2G2| Lo Winter drives his horrors round | A |
| Wide o'er the rugged soil they fly | B |
| In their cold spells each stream is bound | A |
| While at the magic of their eye | B |
| Each sign of Spring's gay beauty fades | C |
| And one white wild the aching sight invades | C |
| It is the time for Woe to reign | D |
| And hark she bids her haggard train | D |
| Pale poverty and want appear | E |
| Disease their darling child draw near | E |
| And grateful for the favouring hour | F |
| They feel they seize they riot in their power | F |
| But Winter not to thee alone | G |
| Their heart appalling sway they owe | H |
| For they to war's despotic throne | G |
| As tributary subjects bow | I |
| War who bids trembling Europe gasp | J |
| With wild convulsions in his bloody grasp | J |
| Whence yonder groans O wretched land | K |
| Poland from thee alas they came | L |
| A despot speaks and lo a band | K |
| Blaspheming pure Religion's name | L |
| Bid cold deliberate murder live | M |
| And death's dread stroke to helpless thousands give | N |
| And see on Belgia's reeking plain | D |
| Alternate horrors rise and reign | D |
| What mingled sounds affright the ear | O |
| Now we the song of victory hear | O |
| And now despair's appalling tone | G |
| And now of death the deep sepulchral groan | G |
| Freedom for whose dear sake I'd dare | P |
| Each various ill that tortures life | Q |
| Though I thy matchless victories share | P |
| While towering 'midst the bloody strife | Q |
| I see thy form sublime acquire | F |
| New power to charm new beauty to inspire | R |
| I cannot smile I cannot join | S |
| The song of triumph tho' thy foes | T |
| Celestial power are also mine | U |
| And tho' I weep for all thy woes | T |
| Yet I thy triumphs too must weep | V |
| And in my tears thy bloody laurels steep | V |
| For who are they that madly bear | P |
| Against thy sons the venal spear | E |
| Are they not men then say what power | F |
| Can bid my bosom mourn no more | W |
| O where's the fiend delighting ban | X |
| Forbidding MAN to weep for SLAUGHTERED MAN | X |
| E'en Victory when reflection's voice | Y |
| Breathes in her ear 'thy brothers die ' | Z |
| Shall bid her sons no more rejoice | Y |
| But change her shouts for pity's sigh | B |
| She will her breast in anguish beat | A2 |
| And wear the sombrous aspect of defeat | A2 |
| O Britain ill starred land no more | W |
| Must Peace to thee her olive bear | P |
| But on thy once triumphant shore | W |
| Must we behold the form of fear | E |
| Expecting on the swelling tide | B2 |
| To see the FOE in proud defiance ride | B2 |
| Avert the threatening awful ill | C2 |
| For fraught with power and fraught with will | C2 |
| To make thy hardiest veterans die | B |
| A lurking fiend alas is nigh | B |
| Who threatens on thy sons to pour | W |
| The fatal cloud thou bad'st on GALLIA lower | F |
| Lo FAMINE spreads her banners wide | B2 |
| She comes arrayed in horrid state | D2 |
| But not to humble Gallia's pride | B2 |
| And on the rear of victory wait | D2 |
| She comes the humbled to subdue | E2 |
| And twine round fading wreaths death's baleful yew | E2 |
| She comes to Britain at the thought | F2 |
| Winter thy scene with horrors fraught | F2 |
| Fades from my sight the present ill | C2 |
| Appears to lose its power to kill | C2 |
| To future scenes pale Fancy flies | G2 |
| Lifts her dim tearful eyes to heaven and dies | G2 |
Amelia Opie
(1)
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