A Curse For A Nation Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABC AADD AAB AAE DDAA FFGH IIJE AAK AAA LLM AAFF AAA AABB N OOAPPA AAAQQA RRABSA DDARRAA TTUVVWA DDXYYXA AAZA2A2B2A C2C2DDDDA AAD2RRD2A EEE2NNF2A

I heard an angel speak last nightA
And he said 'WriteA
Write a Nation's curse for meB
And send it over the Western Sea 'C
-
I faltered taking up the wordA
'Not so my lordA
If curses must be choose anotherD
To send thy curse against my brotherD
-
'For I am bound by gratitudeA
By love and bloodA
To brothers of mine across the seaB
Who stretch out kindly hands to me '-
-
'Therefore ' the voice said 'shalt thou writeA
My curse to nightA
From the summits of love a curse is drivenE
As lightning is from the tops of heaven '-
-
'Not so ' I answered 'EvermoreD
My heart is soreD
For my own land's sins for little feetA
Of children bleeding along the streetA
-
'For parked up honors that gainsayF
The right of wayF
For almsgiving through a door that isG
Not open enough for two friends to kissH
-
'For love of freedom which abatesI
Beyond the StraitsI
For patriot virtue starved to vice onJ
Self praise self interest and suspicionE
-
'For an oligarchic parliamentA
And bribes well meantA
What curse to another land assignK
When heavy souled for the sins of mine '-
-
'Therefore ' the voice said 'shalt thou writeA
My curse to nightA
Because thou hast strength to see and hateA
A foul thing done within thy gate '-
-
'Not so ' I answered once againL
'To curse choose menL
For I a woman have only knownM
How the heart melts and the tears run down '-
-
'Therefore ' the voice said 'shalt thou writeA
My curse to nightA
Some women weep and curse I sayF
And no one marvels night and dayF
-
'And thou shalt take their part to nightA
Weep and writeA
A curse from the depths of womanhoodA
Is very salt and bitter and good '-
-
So thus I wrote and mourned indeedA
What all may readA
And thus as was enjoined on meB
I send it over the Western SeaB
-
The CurseN
-
Because ye have broken your own chainO
With the strainO
Of brave men climbing a Nation's heightA
Yet thence bear down with brand and thongP
On souls of others for this wrongP
This is the curse WriteA
-
Because yourselves are standing straightA
In the stateA
Of Freedom's foremost acolyteA
Yet keep calm footing all the timeQ
On writhing bond slaves for this crimeQ
This is the curse WriteA
-
Because ye prosper in God's nameR
With a claimR
To honor in the old world's sightA
Yet do the fiend's work perfectlyB
In strangling martyrs for this lieS
This is the curse WriteA
-
Ye shall watch while kings conspireD
Round the people's smouldering fireD
And warm for your partA
Shall never dare O shameR
To utter the thought into flameR
Which burns at your heartA
This is the curse WriteA
-
Ye shall watch while nations striveT
With the bloodhounds die or surviveT
Drop faint from their jawsU
Or throttle them backward to deathV
And only under your breathV
Shall favor the causeW
This is the curse WriteA
-
Ye shall watch while strong men drawD
The nets of feudal lawD
To strangle the weakX
And counting the sin for a sinY
Your soul shall be sadder withinY
Than the word ye shall speakX
This is the curse WriteA
-
When good men are praying erectA
That Christ may avenge His electA
And deliver the earthZ
The prayer in your ears said lowA2
Shall sound like the tramp of a foeA2
That's driving you forthB2
This is the curse WriteA
-
When wise men give you their praiseC2
They shall praise in the heat of the phraseC2
As if carried too farD
When ye boast your own charters kept trueD
Ye shall blush for the thing which ye doD
Derides what ye areD
This is the curse WriteA
-
When fools cast taunts at your gateA
Your scorn ye shall somewhat abateA
As ye look o'er the wallD2
For your conscience tradition and nameR
Explode with a deadlier blameR
Than the worst of them allD2
This is the curse WriteA
-
Go wherever ill deeds shall be doneE
Go plant your flag in the sunE
Beside the ill doersE2
And recoil from clenching the curseN
Of God's witnessing UniverseN
With a curse of yoursF2
This is the curse WriteA

Elizabeth Barrett Browning



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