An Horatian Ode Upon Cromwell's Return From Ireland Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFGHHHHIJKK HHHHLLMMNAHHOOHHPPQR STUVWXHHYYZZA2A2B2B2 C2C2IIHHHHD2GE2E2F2F 2HHHHHG2HHHHHHH2H2I2 J2J2J2HHIIK2K2L2L2UU AADM2JJHHHHQQAAF2N2H HHHPPThe forward youth that would appear | A |
Must now forsake his Muses dear | A |
Nor in the shadows sing | B |
His numbers languishing | B |
'Tis time to leave the books in dust | C |
And oil th' unused armour's rust | C |
Removing from the wall | D |
The corslet of the hall | D |
So restless Cromwell could not cease | E |
In the inglorious arts of peace | E |
But thorough advent'rous war | F |
Urged his active star | G |
And like the three fork'd lightning first | H |
Breaking the clouds where it was nurst | H |
Did through his own side | H |
His fiery way divide | H |
For 'tis all one to courage high | I |
The emulous or enemy | J |
And with such to enclose | K |
Is more than to oppose | K |
Then burning through the air he went | H |
And palaces and temples rent | H |
And C sar's head at last | H |
Did through his laurels blast | H |
'Tis madness to resist or blame | L |
The force of angry Heaven's flame | L |
And if we would speak true | M |
Much to the man is due | M |
Who from his private gardens where | N |
He liv'd reserved and austere | A |
As if his highest plot | H |
To plant the bergamot | H |
Could by industrious valour climb | O |
To ruin the great work of time | O |
And cast the kingdom old | H |
Into another mould | H |
Though justice against fate complain | P |
And plead the ancient rights in vain | P |
But those do hold or break | Q |
As men are strong or weak | R |
Nature that hateth emptiness | S |
Allows of penetration less | T |
And therefore must make room | U |
Where greater spirits come | V |
What field of all the civil wars | W |
Where his were not the deepest scars | X |
And Hampton shows what part | H |
He had of wiser art | H |
Where twining subtle fears with hope | Y |
He wove a net of such a scope | Y |
That Charles himself might chase | Z |
To Carisbrooke's narrow case | Z |
That thence the royal actor borne | A2 |
The tragic scaffold might adorn | A2 |
While round the armed bands | B2 |
Did clap their bloody hands | B2 |
He nothing common did or mean | C2 |
Upon that memorable scene | C2 |
But with his keener eye | I |
The axe's edge did try | I |
Nor call'd the gods with vulgar spite | H |
To vindicate his helpless right | H |
But bowed his comely head | H |
Down as upon a bed | H |
This was that memorable hour | D2 |
Which first assur'd the forced pow'r | G |
So when they did design | E2 |
The Capitol's first line | E2 |
A bleeding head where they begun | F2 |
Did fright the architects to run | F2 |
And yet in that the state | H |
Foresaw its happy fate | H |
And now the Irish are asham'd | H |
To see themselves in one year tam'd | H |
So much one man can do | H |
That does both act and know | G2 |
They can affirm his praises best | H |
And have though overcome confest | H |
How good he is how just | H |
And fit for highest trust | H |
Nor yet grown stiffer with command | H |
But still in the republic's hand | H |
How fit he is to sway | H2 |
That can so well obey | H2 |
He to the Commons' feet presents | I2 |
A kingdom for his first year's rents | J2 |
And what he may forbears | J2 |
His fame to make it theirs | J2 |
And has his sword and spoils ungirt | H |
To lay them at the public's skirt | H |
So when the falcon high | I |
Falls heavy from the sky | I |
She having kill'd no more does search | K2 |
But on the next green bough to perch | K2 |
Where when he first does lure | L2 |
The falc'ner has her sure | L2 |
What may not then our isle presume | U |
While victory his crest does plume | U |
What may not others fear | A |
If thus he crown each year | A |
A C sar he ere long to Gaul | D |
To Italy an Hannibal | M2 |
And to all states not free | J |
Shall climacteric be | J |
The Pict no shelter now shall find | H |
Within his parti colour'd mind | H |
But from this valour sad | H |
Shrink underneath the plaid | H |
Happy if in the tufted brake | Q |
The English hunter him mistake | Q |
Nor lay his hounds in near | A |
The Caledonian deer | A |
But thou the war's and fortune's son | F2 |
March indefatigably on | N2 |
And for the last effect | H |
Still keep thy sword erect | H |
Besides the force it has to fright | H |
The spirits of the shady night | H |
The same arts that did gain | P |
A pow'r must it maintain | P |
Andrew Marvell
(1)
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