The Three Pilgrims Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF FFFF FFFF GHGH FFFF AIAI JFJF HKHK ALAL AFAF HMHN FAFA AOAO APAQ RFRF FFFF ASAS TRTR FFFF RURU RFRF AVAV GHGH

In days when the fruit of men's labour was sparingA
And hearts were weary and nigh to breakB
A sweet grave man with a beautiful bearingA
Came to us once in the fields and spakeB
-
He told us of Roma the marvellous cityC
And of One that came from the living GodD
The Virgin's Son who in heavenly pityC
Bore for his people the rood and rodD
-
And how at Roma the gods were brokenE
The new was strong and the old nigh deadF
And love was more than a bare word spokenE
For the sick were healed and the poor were fedF
-
And we sat mute at his feet and hearkenedF
The grave men came in an hour and wentF
But a new light shone on a land long darkenedF
The toil was weary the fruit was spentF
-
So we came south till we saw the cityF
Speeding three of us hand in handF
Seeking peace and the bread of pityF
Journeying out of the Umbrian landF
-
Till we saw from the hills in a dazzled comaG
Over the vines that the wind made shiverH
Tower on tower the great city RomaG
Palace and temple and winding riverH
-
And we stood long in a dream and waitedF
Watching and praying and purifiedF
And came at last to the walls belatedF
Entering in at the eventideF
-
And many met us with song and dancingA
Mantled in skins and crowned with flowersI
Waving goblets and torches glancingA
Faces drunken and grinned in oursI
-
And one that ran in the midst came near usJ
Crown yourselves for the feast he saidF
But we cried out that the God might hear usJ
Where is Jesus the living breadF
-
And they took us each by the hand with laughterH
Their eyes were haggard and red with wineK
They haled us on and we followed afterH
We will show you the new God's shrineK
-
Ah woe to out tongues that forever unsleepingA
Harp and uncover the old hot careL
The soothing ash from the embers sweepingA
Wherever the soles of our sad feet fareL
-
Ah we were simple of mind now knowingA
How dreadful the heart of a man might beF
But the knowledge of evil is mighty of growingA
Only the deaf and the blind are freeF
-
We came to a garden of beauty and pleasureH
It was not the way that our own feet chooseM
Where a revel was whirling in many a measureH
And the myriad roar of a great crowd roseN
-
And the midmost round of the garden was reddenedF
With pillars of fire in a great high ringA
One look and our souls forever were deadenedF
Though our feet yet move and our dreams yet stingA
-
For we saw that each was a live man flamingA
Limbs that a human mother boreO
And a thing of horror was done past namingA
And the crowd spun round and we saw no moreO
-
And he that ran in the midst descryingA
Lifted his hand with a foul red sneerP
And smote us each and the other cryingA
Thus we worship the new God hereQ
-
The Caesar comes and the peoples paeansR
Hail his name for the new made lightF
Pitch and the flesh of the GalileansR
Torches fit for a Roman nightF
-
And we fell down to the earth and sickenedF
Moaning three of us head by headF
Where is He whom the good God quickenedF
Where is Jesus the living breadF
-
Yet ever we heard in the foul mirth turningA
Man and woman and child go byS
And ever the yells of the charred men burningA
Piercing heavenward cry on cryS
-
And we lay there till the frightful revelT
Died in the dawn with a few short moansR
Of some that knelt in the wan and levelT
Shadows that fell from the blackened bonesR
-
Numb with horror and sick with pityF
The heart of each as an iron weightF
We crept in the dawn from the awful cityF
Journeying out of the seaward gateF
-
The great sun came from the sea before usR
A soft wind blew from the scented southU
But our eyes knew not of the steps that bore usR
Down to the ships at the Timber's mouthU
-
And we prayed then as we turned our facesR
Over the sea to the living GodF
That our ways might be in the fierce bare placesR
Where never the foot of a live man trodF
-
And we set sail in the noon not caringA
Whether the prow of the dark ship cameV
No more over the old ways faringA
For the sea was cold but the land was flameV
-
And the keen ship sped and a deadly comaG
Blotted away from our eyes foreverH
Tower on tower the great city RomaG
Palace and temple and yellow riverH

Archibald Lampman



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