Nelson's Appeal For Maisonneuve Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCCDDEEFFGHH IJIKKLLMMNONPQRQ SSBATTUULLVW EEXXLLTTYYZZ A2A2B2B2LLCCC2C2BD2A E2E2HHF2F2HHG2G2LL| Silent I have stood and borne it hoping still from year to year | A |
| That the pleading voice of justice you would some day wake to hear | B |
| But beneath the soulless present you have sunk the glorious past | C |
| Till I cannot bear it longer you must learn the truth at last | C |
| Shame upon you shameless city heart of this great land of yours | D |
| That the world should say you care not if your founder's name endures | D |
| Shame upon you that no statue stands within your greatest square | E |
| To commemorate the hero who so often battled there | E |
| Who long years ago sprang lightly from his pinnace to the beach | F |
| And amid the virgin forests spreading far as eye could reach | F |
| Knelt and prayed his people with him while the prophet priest | G |
| foretold | H |
| How their growth should be as great as was the mustard seed's of old | H |
| - | |
| Have you ceased to care already how that noble little band | I |
| Toiled and fought with man and nature that their sons might | J |
| rule the land | I |
| Braving winter's cold and famine summer's hot and stifling breath | K |
| Danger in unnumbered forms and in each form a cruel death | K |
| Slain by skulking coward foemen now one moment in the corn | L |
| Singing some sweet Norman ditty and the next one overborne | L |
| Comrades you have mothers sisters wives whom you would die to save | M |
| Think then of the noble ones who claim your tribute to the brave | M |
| Tender women timid children crouching at the barricade | N |
| Pallid trembling stained with blood yet nerved to give the | O |
| needed aid | N |
| Staunching deadly wounds and wiping death dews from a loved | P |
| one's brow | Q |
| While their fathers husbands brothers fought and won they scarce | R |
| knew how | Q |
| - | |
| Think of him among them toiling hear his simple trusting prayers | S |
| See him stern unyielding hopeful with a thousand daily cares | S |
| Sharing his companions' hardships cheering there and chiding here | B |
| With a head to rule them wisely and a heart that knew not fear | A |
| Sleeping with his armor on him and his weapons by his bed | T |
| Ready ever for the foes that like the shadows came and fled | T |
| See him fighting in the forest with a host that seeks his blood | U |
| Hear him praying to the Virgin to restrain the rising flood | U |
| Vowing that if she would heed him and preserve the little town | L |
| He himself would bear a cross and plant it on Mount Royal's crown | L |
| True crusader in whose heart there never dwelt one sordid thought | V |
| Guardian of the Virgin's city this is he you honor not | W |
| - | |
| Of our Queen a stately statue stands upon Victoria Square | E |
| In its hand a wreath of laurel in that wreath a tiny pair | E |
| Nesting year by year uninjured heedless of the passing throng | X |
| Living symbols of a reign that guards the weak from every wrong | X |
| Loyalty upraised that statue and were it the only one | L |
| That your city had erected still the deed were nobly done | L |
| But to honor me my brothers one whose blood was never shed | T |
| On your soil or for your country heaps but shame upon my head | T |
| Not because you might not praise me I may merit your esteem | Y |
| But because you place me first where he alone should stand supreme | Y |
| Shame upon you to forget him and remember such as I | Z |
| Shame upon you if your ears are heedless still to honor's cry | Z |
| - | |
| True I tamed a haughty foeman at Trafalgar and the Nile | A2 |
| But I had a nation's wealth and numbers at my back the while | A2 |
| His was one long fight with scarcely seven score to do his will | B2 |
| With a host of open foes and secret foes more deadly still | B2 |
| Foes in every bush and hollow foes behind his monarch's throne | L |
| Stabbing with one hand extended seemingly to clasp his own | L |
| Yet he triumphed and behold you now a country growing fast | C |
| With a glorious future breaking through the darkness of the past | C |
| With a host of stout hearts toiling day and night to make you great | C2 |
| And a glittering roll of heroes worthy of a mighty state | C2 |
| Yet you cannot he a nation if your children never hear | B |
| Aught of those whose blood has won the land that they should hold most | D2 |
| dear | A |
| - | |
| Can you wonder that the rains have beaten on my statued form | E2 |
| Can you marvel that the winter shakes me with its fiercest storm | E2 |
| Ah not age it is but shame that makes me look so worn and old | H |
| Makes me hang my head and tremble lest the bitter truth be told | H |
| It is murmured by the maples it is whispered by the wind | F2 |
| Till I cannot but imagine it is heard by all mankind | F2 |
| How your children from gay boyhood until tottering age behold | H |
| Gallant Maisonneuve forgotten and less worthy me extolled | H |
| Oh my comrades if you love me lighten the disgrace I feel | G2 |
| Lend your ready hands to aid me bend your hearts to my appeal | G2 |
| Raise a statue to the founder of this great historic town | L |
| Chomedey de Maisonneuve or pity me and take mine down | L |
Arthur Weir
(1)
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