Viva Perpetua Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Now being on the eve of death discharged	A
From every mortal hope and earthly care	B
I questioned how my soul might best employ	C
This hand and this still wakeful flame of mind	D
In the brief hours yet left me for their use	E
Wherefore have I bethought me of my friend	F
Of you Philarchus and your company	G
Yet wavering in the faith and unconfirmed	H
Perchance that I may break into thine heart	I
Some sorrowful channel for the love divine	J
I make this simple record of our proof	K
In diverse sufferings for the name of Christ	L
Whereof the end already for the most	M
Is death this day with steadfast faith endured	N
	-
We were in prison many days close pent	O
In the black lower dungeon housed with thieves	P
And murderers and divers evil men	Q
So foul a pressure we had almost died	R
Even there in struggle for the breath of life	S
Amid the stench and unendurable heat	T
Nor could we find each other save by voice	U
Or touch to know that we were yet alive	V
So terrible was the darkness Yea 'twas hard	W
To keep the sacred courage in our hearts	X
When all was blind with that unchanging night	Y
And foul with death and on our ears the taunts	Z
And ribald curses of the soldiery	B
Fell mingled with the prisoners' cries a load	A2
Sharper to bear more bitter than their blows	B2
At first what with that dread of our abode	A2
Our sudden apprehension and the threats	C2
Ringing perpetually in our ears we lost	D2
The living fire of faith and like poor hinds	E2
Would have denied our Lord and fallen away	F2
Even Perpetua whose joyous faith	G2
Was in the later holier days to be	G
The stay and comfort of our weaker ones	H2
Was silent for long whiles Perchance she shrank	I2
In the mere sickness of the flesh confused	J2
And shaken by our new and horrible plight	Y
The tender flesh untempered and untried	R
Not quickened yet nor mastered by the soul	K2
For she was of a fair and delicate make	L2
Most gently nurtured to whom stripes and threats	C2
And our foul prison house were things undreamed	M2
But little by little as our spirits grew	B
Inured to suffering with clasped hands and tongues	N2
That cheered each other to incessant prayer	B
We rose and faced our trouble we recalled	O2
Our Master's sacred agony and death	P2
Setting before our eyes the high reward	Q2
Of steadfast faith the martyr's deathless crown	R2
	-
So passed some days whose length and count we lost	D2
Our bitterest trial Then a respite came	S2
One who had interest with the governor	B
Wrought our removal daily for some hours	T2
Into an upper chamber where we sat	U2
And held each other's hands in childish joy	C
Receiving the sweet gift of light and air	B
With wonder and exceeding thankfulness	T2
And then began that life of daily growth	V2
In mutual exaltation and sweet help	W2
That bore us as a gently widening stream	X2
Unto the ocean of our martyrdom	Y2
Uniting all our feebler souls in one	Z2
A mightier we reached forth with this to God	A3
	-
Perpetua had been troubled for her babe	B3
Robbed of the breast and now these many days	T2
Wasting for want of food but when that change	C3
Whereof I spake of light and liberty	G
Relieved the horror of our prison gloom	D3
They brought it to her and she sat apart	I
And nursed and tended it and soon the child	E3
Would not be parted from her arms but throve	F3
And fattened and she kept it night and day	F2
And always at her side with sleepless care	B
Hovered the young Felicitas a slight	Y
And spiritual figure every touch and tone	G3
Charged with premonitory tenderness	T2
Herself so near to her own motherhood	H3
Thus lightened and relieved Perpetua	I3
Recovered from her silent fit Her eyes	T2
Regained their former deep serenity	G
Her tongue its gentle daring for she knew	B
Her life should not be taken till her babe	B3
Had strengthened and outgrown the need of her	B
Daily we were amazed at her soft strength	J3
Her pliant and untroubled constancy	G
Her smiling soldierly contempt of death	P2
Her beauty and the sweetness of her voice	T2
	-
Her father when our first few bitterest days	T2
Were over like a gust of grief and rage	K3
Came to her in the prison with wild eyes	T2
And cried 'How mean you daughter when you say	F2
You are a Christian How can any one	Z2
Of honoured blood the child of such as me	G
Be Christian 'Tis an odious name the badge	L3
Only of outcasts and rebellious slaves '	-
And she grief touched but with unyielding gaze	T2
Showing the fulness of her slender height	Y
'This vessel father being what it is	T2
An earthen pitcher would you call it thus	T2
Or would you name it by some other name '	-
'Nay surely ' said the old man catching breath	P2
And pausing and she answered 'Nor can I	M3
Call myself aught but what I surely am	N3
A Christian ' and her father flashing back	O3
In silent anger left her for that time	P3
	-
A special favour to Perpetua	I3
Seemed daily to be given and her soul	K2
Was made the frequent vessel of God's grace	T2
Wherefrom we all less gifted sore athirst	I3
Drank courage and fresh joy for glowing dreams	T2
Were sent her full of forms august and fraught	I3
With signs and symbols of the glorious end	I3
Whereto God's love hath aimed us for Christ's sake	L2
Once at what hour I know not for we lay	F2
In that foul dungeon where all hours were lost	I3
And day and night were indistinguishable	Q3
We had been sitting a long silent while	R3
Some lightly sleeping others bowed in prayer	B
When on a sudden like a voice from God	I3
Perpetua spake to us and all were roused	I3
Her voice was rapt and solemn 'Friends ' she said	I3
'Some word hath come to me in a dream I saw	T2
A ladder leading to heaven all of gold	I3
Hung up with lances swords and hooks A land	I3
Of darkness and exceeding peril lay	F2
Around it and a dragon fierce as hell	S3
Guarded its foot We doubted who should first	I3
Essay it but you Saturus at last	I3
So God hath marked you for especial grace	T2
Advancing and against the cruel beast	I3
Aiming the potent weapon of Christ's name	S2
Mounted and took me by the hand and I	M3
The next one following and so the rest	I3
In order and we entered with great joy	C
Into a spacious garden filled with light	I3
And balmy presences of love and rest	I3
And there an old man sat smooth browed white haired	I3
Surrounded by unnumbered myriads	T2
Of spiritual shapes and faces angel eyed	I3
Milking his sheep and lifting up his eyes	T2
He welcomed us in strange and beautiful speech	T3
Unknown yet comprehended for it flowed	I3
Not through the ears but forth right to the soul	K2
God's language of pure love Between the lips	T2
Of each he placed a morsel of sweet curd	I3
And while the curd was yet within my mouth	U3
I woke and still the taste of it remains	T2
Through all my body flowing like white flame	S2
Sweet as of some immaculate spiritual thing '	-
And when Perpetua had spoken all	V3
Were silent in the darkness pondering	W3
But Saturus spake gently for the rest	I3
'How perfect and acceptable must be	G
Your soul to God Perpetua that thus	T2
He bends to you and through you speaks his will	X3
We know now that our martyrdom is fixed	I3
Nor need we vex us further for this life '	-
	-
While yet these thoughts were bright upon our souls	T2
There came the rumour that a day was set	I3
To hear us Many of our former friends	T2
Some with entreaties some with taunts and threats	T2
Came to us to pervert us with the rest	I3
Again Perpetua's father worn with care	B
Nor could we choose but pity his distress	T2
So miserably with abject cries and tears	T2
He fondled her and called her 'Domina '	-
And bowed his aged body at her feet	I3
Beseeching her by all the names she loved	I3
To think of him his fostering care his years	T2
And also of her babe whose life he said	I3
Would fail without her but Perpetua	I3
Sustaining by a gift of strength divine	J
The fulness of her noble fortitude	I3
Answered him tenderly 'Both you and I	M3
And all of us my father at this hour	B
Are equally in God's hands and what he wills	T2
Must be' but when the poor old man was gone	Y3
She wept and knelt for many hours in prayer	B
Sore tried and troubled by her tender heart	I3
	-
One day while we were at our midd	I3

Archibald Lampman

Viva Perpetua Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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