A Testimony Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBACC DAEDFF GHHGII GJJGKK GLMGGG GNNGML OHHOPP GGGGNN MGGMDQ RHHRSS GTTGQQ UGGUQQ VWWXDD| I said of laughter it is vain | A |
| Of mirth I said what profits it | B |
| Therefore I found a book and writ | B |
| Therein how ease and also pain | A |
| How health and sickness every one | C |
| Is vanity beneath the sun | C |
| - | |
| Man walks in a vain shadow he | D |
| Disquieteth himself in vain | A |
| The things that were shall be again | E |
| The rivers do not fill the sea | D |
| But turn back to their secret source | F |
| The winds too turn upon their course | F |
| - | |
| Our treasures moth and rust corrupt | G |
| Or thieves break through and steal or they | H |
| Make themselves wings and fly away | H |
| One man made merry as he supped | G |
| Nor guessed how when that night grew dim | I |
| His soul would be required of him | I |
| - | |
| We build our houses on the sand | G |
| Comely withoutside and within | J |
| But when the winds and rains begin | J |
| To beat on them they cannot stand | G |
| They perish quickly overthrown | K |
| Loose from the very basement stone | K |
| - | |
| All things are vanity I said | G |
| Yea vanity of vanities | L |
| The rich man dies and the poor dies | M |
| The worm feeds sweetly on the dead | G |
| Whate'er thou lackest keep this trust | G |
| All in the end shall have but dust | G |
| - | |
| The one inheritance which best | G |
| And worst alike shall find and share | N |
| The wicked cease from troubling there | N |
| And there the weary be at rest | G |
| There all the wisdom of the wise | M |
| Is vanity of vanities | L |
| - | |
| Man flourishes as a green leaf | O |
| And as a leaf doth pass away | H |
| Or as a shade that cannot stay | H |
| And leaves no track his course is brief | O |
| Yet man doth hope and fear and plan | P |
| Till he is dead O foolish man | P |
| - | |
| Our eyes cannot be satisfied | G |
| With seeing nor our ears be filled | G |
| With hearing yet we plant and build | G |
| And buy and make our borders wide | G |
| We gather wealth we gather care | N |
| But know not who shall be our heir | N |
| - | |
| Why should we hasten to arise | M |
| So early and so late take rest | G |
| Our labor is not good our best | G |
| Hopes fade our heart is stayed on lies | M |
| Verily we sow wind and we | D |
| Shall reap the whirlwind verily | Q |
| - | |
| He who hath little shall not lack | R |
| He who hath plenty shall decay | H |
| Our fathers went we pass away | H |
| Our children follow on our track | R |
| So generations fail and so | S |
| They are renewed and come and go | S |
| - | |
| The earth is fattened with our dead | G |
| She swallows more and doth not cease | T |
| Therefore her wine and oil increase | T |
| And her sheaves are not numbered | G |
| Therefore her plants are green and all | Q |
| Her pleasant trees lusty and tall | Q |
| - | |
| Therefore the maidens cease to sing | U |
| And the young men are very sad | G |
| Therefore the sowing is not glad | G |
| And mournful is the harvesting | U |
| Of high and low of great and small | Q |
| Vanity is the lot of all | Q |
| - | |
| A King dwelt in Jerusalem | V |
| He was the wisest man on earth | W |
| He had all riches from his birth | W |
| And pleasures till he tired of them | X |
| Then having tested all things he | D |
| Witnessed that all are vanity | D |
Christina Rossetti
(1)
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