The Three Friends Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCCDDEFGGHHDDIIJJKK LLMMNOPPQQRRSS TTUUVVWWXY ZZA2A2ABB2B2TTDDDDC2 C2DDD2D2E2E2F2F2 TTG2G2TTF2F2ABE2QMM TTH2H2I2J2K2K2L2L2 M2BN2N2DDO2P2Q2Q2R2R 2B2B2S2S2YXTTDDG2G2K KT2T2U2U2QQV2V2 T2T2F2F2W2W2X2X2Y2BZ 2Z2 XXPPC2C2A3A3DDDDGGB3 B3C3C3 I2I2D3D3JJABM Y2Y2S2S2DDE3E3IIF3F3 C2C2T2B3UUVVTTYXTTF3 F3 KKG3G3SSCCH3H3BAMM

Three young girls in friendship metA
Mary Martha MargaretB
Margaret was tall and fairC
Martha shorter by a hairC
If the first excelled in featureD
The other's grace and ease were greaterD
Mary though to rival lothE
In their best gifts equalled bothF
They a due proportion keptG
Martha mourned if Margaret weptG
Margaret joyed when any goodH
She of Martha understoodH
And in sympathy for eitherD
Mary was outdone by neitherD
Thus far for a happy spaceI
All three ran an even raceI
A most constant friendship provingJ
Equally beloved and lovingJ
All their wishes joys the sameK
Sisters only not in nameK
-
-
Fortune upon each one smiledL
As upon a favourite childL
Well to do and well to seeM
Were the parents of all threeM
Till on Martha's father crossesN
Brought a flood of worldly lossesO
And his fortunes rich and greatP
Changed at once to low estateP
Under which o'erwhelming blowQ
Martha's mother was laid lowQ
She a hapless orphan leftR
Of maternal care bereftR
Trouble following trouble fastS
Lay in a sick bed at lastS
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-
In the depth of her afflictionT
Martha now received convictionT
That a true and faithful friendU
Can the surest comfort lendU
Night and day with friendship triedV
Ever constant by her sideV
Was her gentle Mary foundW
With a love that knew no boundW
And the solace she impartedX
Saved her dying broken heartedY
-
-
In this scene of earthly thingsZ
There's no good unmix d springsZ
That which had to Martha provedA2
A sweet consolation movedA2
Different feelings of regretA
In the mind of MargaretB
She whose love was not less dearB2
Nor affection less sincereB2
To her friend was by occasionT
Of more distant habitationT
Fewer visits forced to pay herD
When no other cause did stay herD
And her Mary living nearerD
Margaret began to fear herD
Lest her visits day by dayC2
Martha's heart should steal awayC2
That whole heart she ill could spare herD
Where till now she'd been a sharerD
From this cause with grief she pinedD2
Till at length her health declinedD2
All her cheerful spirits flewE2
Fast as Martha gathered newE2
And her sickness wax d soreF2
Just when Martha felt no moreF2
-
-
Mary who had quick suspicionT
Of her altered friend's conditionT
Seeing Martha's convalescenceG2
Less demanded now her presenceG2
With a goodness built on reasonT
Changed her measures with the seasonT
Turned her steps from Martha's doorF2
Went where she was wanted moreF2
All her care and thoughts were setA
Now to tend on MargaretB
Mary living 'twixt the twoE2
From her home could oftener goQ
Either of her friends to seeM
Than they could together beM
-
-
Truth explained is to suspicionT
Evermore the best physicianT
Soon her visits had the effectH2
All that Margaret did suspectH2
From her fancy vanished cleanI2
She was soon what she had beenJ2
And the colour she did lackK2
To her faded cheek came backK2
Wounds which love had made her feelL2
Love alone had power to healL2
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-
Martha who the frequent visitM2
Now had lost and sore did miss itB
With impatience waxed crossN2
Counted Margaret's gain her lossN2
All that Mary did conferD
On her friend thought due to herD
In her girlish bosom riseO2
Little foolish jealousiesP2
Which into such rancour wroughtQ2
She one day for Margaret soughtQ2
Finding her by chance aloneR2
She began with reasons shownR2
To insinuate a fearB2
Whether Mary was sincereB2
Wished that Margaret would take heedS2
Whence her actions did proceedS2
For herself she'd long been mindedY
Not with outsides to be blindedX
All that pity and compassionT
She believed was affectationT
In her heart she doubted whetherD
Mary cared a pin for eitherD
She could keep whole weeks at distanceG2
And not know of their existenceG2
While all things remained the sameK
But when some misfortune cameK
Then she made a great paradeT2
Of her sympathy and aidT2
Not that she did really grieveU2
It was only make believeU2
And she cared for nothing soQ
She might her fine feelings showQ
And get credit on her partV2
For a soft and tender heartV2
-
-
With such speeches smoothly madeT2
She found methods to persuadeT2
Margaret who being soreF2
From the doubts she felt beforeF2
Was prepared for mistrustW2
To believe her reasons justW2
Quite destroyed that comfort gladX2
Which in Mary late she hadX2
Made her in experience' spiteY2
Think her friend a hypocriteB
And resolve with cruel scoffZ2
To renounce and cast her offZ2
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-
See how good turns are rewardedX
She of both is now discardedX
Who to both had been so lateP
Their support in low estateP
All their comfort and their stayC2
Now of both is cast awayC2
But the league her presence cherishedA3
Losing its best prop soon perishedA3
She that was a link to eitherD
To keep them and it togetherD
Being gone the two no wonderD
That were left soon fell asunderD
Some civilities were keptG
But the heart of friendship sleptG
Love with hollow forms was fedB3
But the life of love lay deadB3
A cold intercourse they heldC3
After Mary was expelledC3
-
-
Two long years did interveneI2
Since they'd either of them seenI2
Or by letter any wordD3
Of their old companion heardD3
When upon a day once walkingJ
Of indifferent matters talkingJ
They a female figure metA
Martha said to MargaretB
'That young maid in face does carryM
A resemblance strong of Mary '-
Margaret at nearer sightY2
Owned her observation rightY2
But they did not far proceedS2
Ere they knew 'twas she indeedS2
She but ah how changed they view herD
From that person which they knew herD
Her fine face disease had scarredE3
And its matchless beauty marredE3
But enough was left to traceI
Mary's sweetness Mary's graceI
When her eye did first behold themF3
How they blushed but when she told themF3
How on a sick bed she layC2
Months while they had kept awayC2
And had no inquiries madeT2
If she were alive or deadB3
How for want of a true friendU
She was brought near to her endU
And was like so to have diedV
With no friend at her bedsideV
How the constant irritationT
Caused by fruitless expectationT
Of their coming had extendedY
The illness when she might have mendedX
Then O then how did reflectionT
Come on them with recollectionT
All that she had done for themF3
How it did their fault condemnF3
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But sweet Mary still the sameK
Kindly eased them of their shameK
Spoke to them with accents blandG3
Took them friendly by the handG3
Bound them both with promise fastS
Not to speak of troubles pastS
Made them on the spot declareC
A new league of friendship thereC
Which without a word of strifeH3
Lasted thenceforth long as lifeH3
Martha now and MargaretB
Strove who most should pay the debtA
Which they owed her nor did varyM
Ever after from their MaryM

Charles Lamb



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