A Hymn Of Heavenly Beauty Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABBCC CDCDDEE CFCGGEE HIHIIJK CLCLLCC CBCBBMM NCNCCOO IBIBBCC PEPEEBB ECECCBB BCBCCQQ BEBEICC RBRBBCC BCBCCCC SNSNGBB CBCBBCC CBCBBCC RTUUUVV CWCWWOO UCUCCBB BCBICCC CCCICBB BCBCCCC VCVCCBB UNUXNCC CCCN

Rapt with the rage of mine own ravish'd thoughtA
Through contemplation of those goodly sightsB
And glorious images in heaven wroughtA
Whose wondrous beauty breathing sweet delightsB
Do kindle love in high conceited sprightsB
I fain to tell the things that I beholdC
But feel my wits to fail and tongue to foldC
-
Vouchsafe then O thou most Almighty SprightC
From whom all gifts of wit and knowledge flowD
To shed into my breast some sparkling lightC
Of thine eternal truth that I may showD
Some little beams to mortal eyes belowD
Of that immortal beauty there with theeE
Which in my weak distraughted mind I seeE
-
That with the glory of so goodly sightC
The hearts of men which fondly here admireF
Fair seeming shews and feed on vain delightC
Transported with celestial desireG
Of those fair forms may lift themselves up higherG
And learn to love with zealous humble dutyE
Th' eternal fountain of that heavenly beautyE
-
Beginning then below with th' easy viewH
Of this base world subject to fleshly eyeI
From thence to mount aloft by order dueH
To contemplation of th' immortal skyI
Of the soare falcon so I learn to flyI
That flags awhile her fluttering wings beneathJ
Till she herself for stronger flight can breatheK
-
Then look who list thy gazeful eyes to feedC
With sight of that is fair look on the frameL
Of this wide universe and therein reedC
The endless kinds of creatures which by nameL
Thou canst not count much less their natures aimL
All which are made with wondrous wise respectC
And all with admirable beauty decktC
-
First th' earth on adamantine pillars foundedC
Amid the sea engirt with brazen bandsB
Then th' air still flitting but yet firmly boundedC
On every side with piles of flaming brandsB
Never consum'd nor quench'd with mortal handsB
And last that mighty shining crystal wallM
Wherewith he hath encompassed this AllM
-
By view whereof it plainly may appearN
That still as every thing doth upward tendC
And further is from earth so still more clearN
And fair it grows till to his perfect endC
Of purest beauty it at last ascendC
Air more than water fire much more than airO
And heaven than fire appears more pure and fairO
-
Look thou no further but affix thine eyeI
On that bright shiny round still moving massB
The house of blessed gods which men call skyI
All sow'd with glist'ring stars more thick than grassB
Whereof each other doth in brightness passB
But those two most which ruling night and dayC
As king and queen the heavens' empire swayC
-
And tell me then what hast thou ever seenP
That to their beauty may compared beE
Or can the sight that is most sharp and keenP
Endure their captain's flaming head to seeE
How much less those much higher in degreeE
And so much fairer and much more than theseB
As these are fairer than the land and seasB
-
For far above these heavens which here we seeE
Be others far exceeding these in lightC
Not bounded not corrupt as these same beE
But infinite in largeness and in heightC
Unmoving uncorrupt and spotless brightC
That need no sun t' illuminate their spheresB
But their own native light far passing theirsB
-
And as these heavens still by degrees ariseB
Until they come to their first Mover's boundC
That in his mighty compass doth compriseB
And carry all the rest with him aroundC
So those likewise do by degrees redoundC
And rise more fair till they at last arriveQ
To the most fair whereto they all do striveQ
-
Fair is the heaven where happy souls have placeB
In full enjoyment of felicityE
Whence they do still behold the glorious faceB
Of the divine eternal MajestyE
More fair is that where those Ideas on highI
Enranged be which Plato so admiredC
And pure Intelligences from God inspiredC
-
Yet fairer is that heaven in which do reignR
The sovereign Powers and mighty PotentatesB
Which in their high protections do containR
All mortal princes and imperial statesB
And fairer yet whereas the royal SeatsB
And heavenly Dominations are setC
From whom all earthly governance is fetC
-
Yet far more fair be those bright CherubinsB
Which all with golden wings are overdightC
And those eternal burning SeraphinsB
Which from their faces dart out fiery lightC
Yet fairer than they both and much more brightC
Be th' Angels and Archangels which attendC
On God's own person without rest or endC
-
These thus in fair each other far excellingS
As to the highest they approach more nearN
Yet is that highest far beyond all tellingS
Fairer than all the rest which there appearN
Though all their beauties join'd together wereG
How then can mortal tongue hope to expressB
The image of such endless perfectnessB
-
Cease then my tongue and lend unto my mindC
Leave to bethink how great that beauty isB
Whose utmost parts so beautiful I findC
How much more those essential parts of hisB
His truth his love his wisdom and his blissB
His grace his doom his mercy and his mightC
By which he lends us of himself a sightC
-
Those unto all he daily doth displayC
And shew himself in th' image of his graceB
As in a looking glass through which he mayC
Be seen of all his creatures vile and baseB
That are unable else to see his faceB
His glorious face which glistereth else so brightC
That th' Angels selves cannot endure his sightC
-
But we frail wights whose sight cannot sustainR
The sun's bright beams when he on us doth shineT
But that their points rebutted back againU
Are dull'd how can we see with feeble eyneU
The glory of that Majesty DivineU
In sight of whom both sun and moon are darkV
Compared to his least resplendent sparkV
-
The means therefore which unto us is lentC
Him to behold is on his works to lookW
Which he hath made in beauty excellentC
And in the same as in a brazen bookW
To read enregister'd in every nookW
His goodness which his beauty doth declareO
For all that's good is beautiful and fairO
-
Thence gathering plumes of perfect speculationU
To imp the wings of thy high flying mindC
Mount up aloft through heavenly contemplationU
From this dark world whose damps the soul so blindC
And like the native brood of eagles' kindC
On that bright Sun of Glory fix thine eyesB
Clear'd from gross mists of frail infirmitiesB
-
Humbled with fear and awful reverenceB
Before the footstool of his majestyC
Throw thyself down with trembling innocenceB
Ne dare look up with corruptible eyeI
On the dread face of that great DeityC
For fear lest if he chance to look on theeC
Thou turn to nought and quite confounded beC
-
But lowly fall before his mercy seatC
Close covered with the Lamb's integrityC
From the just wrath of his avengeful threatC
That sits upon the righteous throne on highI
His throne is built upon eternityC
More firm and durable than steel or brassB
Or the hard diamond which them both doth passB
-
His sceptre is the rod of righteousnessB
With which he bruiseth all his foes to dustC
And the great Dragon strongly doth repressB
Under the rigour of his judgement justC
His seat is truth to which the faithful trustC
From whence proceed her beams so pure and brightC
That all about him sheddeth glorious lightC
-
Light far exceeding that bright blazing sparkV
Which darted is from Titan's flaming headC
That with his beams enlumineth the darkV
And dampish air whereby all things are readC
Whose nature yet so much is marvelledC
Of mortal wits that it doth much amazeB
The greatest wizards which thereon do gazeB
-
But that immortal light which there doth shineU
Is many thousand times more bright more clearN
More excellent more glorious more divineU
Through which to God all mortal actions hereX
And even the thoughts of men do plain appearN
For from th' eternal truth it doth proceedC
Through heavenly virtue which her beams do breedC
-
With the great glory of that wondrous lightC
His throne is all encompassed aroundC
And hid in his own brightness from the sightC
Of all that look therN

Edmund Spenser



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