At The Long Sault: May, 1660 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDDCDE FEFGHIHJGHIDKDLLJDMD K NOONPQPRSRTQ GUUVWDVWDXXYZYA2DB2 PGGPC2D2RE2E2RC2D2 F2F2G2E2DDQH2Q RI2CI2 MJ2K2J2 L2DBD RM2L2M2

Under the day long sun there is life and mirthA
In the working earthA
And the wonderful moon shines brightB
Through the soft spring nightB
The innocent flowers in the limitless woods are springingC
Far and awayD
With the sound and the perfume of MayD
And ever up from the south the happy birds are wingingC
The waters glitter and leap and playD
While the grey hawk soarsE
-
But far in an open glade of the forest setF
Where the rapid plunges and roarsE
Is a ruined fort with a name that men forgetF
A shelterless penG
With its broken palisadeH
Behind it musket in handI
Beyond message or aidH
In this savage heart of the wildJ
Mere youngsters grown in a moment to menG
Grim and alert and arrayedH
The comrades of Daulac standI
Ever before them night and dayD
The rush and skulk and cryK
Of foes not men but devils panting for preyD
Behind them the sleepless dreamL
Of the little frail walled town far away by the plunging streamL
Of maiden and matron and childJ
With ruin and murder impending and none but theyD
To beat back the gathering horrorM
Deal death while they mayD
And then dieK
-
Day and night they have watched while the little plainN
Grew dark with the rush of the foe but their hostO
Broke ever and melted away with no boastO
But to number their slainN
And now as the days renewP
Hunger and thirst and careQ
Were they never so stout so trueP
Press at their hearts but noneR
Falters or shrinks or utters a coward wordS
Though each setting sunR
Brings from the pitiless wild new hands to the Iroquois hordeT
And only to them despairQ
-
Silent white faced again and againG
Charged and hemmed round by furious handsU
Each for a moment faces them all and standsU
In his little desperate ring like a tired bull mooseV
Whom scores of sleepless wolves a ravening packW
Have chased all night all dayD
Through the snow laden woods like famine let looseV
And he turns at last in his trackW
Against a wall of rock and stands at bayD
Round him with terrible sinews and teeth of steelX
They charge and recharge but with many a furious plunge and wheelX
Hither and thither over the trampled snowY
He tosses them bleeding and tornZ
Till driven and ever to and froY
Harried wounded and weary grownA2
His mighty strength gives wayD
And all together they fasten upon him and drag him downB2
-
So Daulac turned him anewP
With a ringing cry to his menG
In the little raging forest glenG
And his terrible sword in the twilight whistled and slewP
And all his comrades stoodC2
With their backs to the pales and foughtD2
Till their strength was doneR
The thews that were only mortal flagged and brokeE2
Each struck his last wild strokeE2
And they fell one by oneR
And the world that had seemed so goodC2
Passed like a dream and was naughtD2
-
And then the great night cameF2
With the triumph songs of the foe and the flameF2
Of the camp firesG2
Out of the dark the soft wind wokeE2
The song of the rapid rose alwayD
And came to the spot where the comrades layD
Beyond help or careQ
With none but the red men round themH2
To gnash their teeth and stareQ
-
All night by the foot of the mountainR
The little town lieth at restI2
The sentries are peacefully pacingC
And neither from East nor from WestI2
-
Is there rumour of death or of dangerM
None dreameth tonight in his bedJ2
That ruin was near and the heroesK2
That met it and stemmed it are deadJ2
-
But afar in the ring of the forestL2
Where the air is so tender with MayD
And the waters are wild in the moonlightB
They lie in their silence of clayD
-
The numberless stars out of heavenR
Look down with a pitiful glanceM2
And the lilies asleep in the forestL2
Are closed like the lilies of FranceM2

Archibald Lampman



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