The Mother's Prayer Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFE GHIHB F BBBBAJKL MNONPQOQ R DKSTUT UHBHDVDV D M DQWQ XORODYIZ A2QBQSBBB SQBQBB2DB2A mother kneels by the cradle | A |
Where her little infant lies | B |
And she sees the ghastly shadows | C |
Creeping around his eyes | B |
And she clasps her hands together | D |
And her heart beats loud and wild | E |
And she cries in a gush of anguish | F |
'O Father save my child | E |
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'Oh do not do not take him | G |
So soon to the home on high | H |
My beautiful dark eyed darling | I |
O God he must not die | H |
I cannot pray in meekness | B |
'My Father's will be done ' | - |
I can only cry in anguish | F |
'Oh save my infant son '' | - |
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Slowly the ghastly shadows | B |
Crept from the baby's eyes | B |
And the mother saw the bright orbs | B |
Open in sweet surprise | B |
And she heard the lisping prattle | A |
And the childish laugh again | J |
And she clasped him close to her bosom | K |
And her glad tears fell like rain | L |
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The mother stands at the window | M |
Watching the night come down | N |
As it settles slowly slowly | O |
Over the busy town | N |
And the withered face is troubled | P |
And she sighs in a weary way | Q |
'Oh where does my darling tarry | O |
Now at the close of day | Q |
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'Surely his task is ended | R |
Why is it he does not come ' | - |
Ah mother one word will answer | D |
And that one word is Rum | K |
He stands at the bar this moment | S |
Draining the tempter's bowl | T |
And your beautiful boy has entered | U |
His name on the drunkards' roll | T |
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Ah well your prayer was answered | U |
You prayed that he might not die | H |
That he might not join the angels | B |
Who dwell in their home on high | H |
O mother say is it better | D |
Or is it worse than death | V |
To see your darling stagger | D |
And feel his rum foul breath | V |
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You could not pray 'My Father | D |
Thy will not mine be done ' | - |
But cried in your deaf blind sorrow | M |
'Oh save my infant son ' | - |
And is he saved fond mother | D |
And which is better pray | Q |
To know he is there in the rum shop | W |
Or under the grass to day | Q |
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O God of a mighty nation | X |
When shall the glad day be | O |
That the liquor reign is ended | R |
And our land is truly free | O |
When our darling boys may wander | D |
Through all its length and breadth | Y |
With never a serpent lurking | I |
To slay them in their strength | Z |
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Full many a year has vanished | A2 |
Since the grand triumphant day | Q |
When we stood in bold defiance | B |
Of a tyrant monarch's sway | Q |
And now in a blood red torrent | S |
At the price of a million graves | B |
We have swept the bonds and shackles | B |
From the hands of a million slaves | B |
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And yet we are under a tyrant | S |
And yet we are slaves to day | Q |
And we do not bid defiance | B |
To the baleful liquor sway | Q |
Up O ye mourning captives | B |
Strike at the tyrant's hand | B2 |
Loosen his hold for ever | D |
Deliver a bondaged land | B2 |
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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