Give Us Barabbas Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEDE FGFH HI GJ JKLKL MNM OPQ ARARAAAAThere was a man a Jew of kingly blood | A |
But of the people poor and lowly born | B |
Accused of blasphemy of God He stood | C |
Before the Roman Pilate while in scorn | B |
The multitude demanded it was fit | D |
That one should suffer for the people while | E |
Another be released absolved acquit | D |
To live his life out virtuous or vile | E |
- | |
'Whom will ye have Barabbas or this Jew ' | - |
Pilate made answer to the mob 'The choice | F |
Is yours I wash my hands of this and you | G |
Do as you will ' With one vast ribald voice | F |
The populace arose and shrieking cried | H |
'Give us Barabbas we condone his deeds ' | - |
And He of Nazareth was crucified | H |
Misjudged condemned dishonoured for their needs | I |
- | |
And down these nineteen centuries anew | G |
Comes the hoarse throated brutalized refrain | J |
'Give us Barabbas crucify the Jew ' | - |
Once more a man must bear a nation's stain | J |
And that in France the chivalrous whose lore | K |
Made her the flower of knightly age gone by | L |
Now she lies hideous with a leprous sore | K |
No skill can cure no pardon purify | L |
- | |
And an indignant world transfixed with hate | M |
Of such disease cries as in Herod's time | N |
Pointing its finger at her festering state | M |
'Room for the leper and her leprous crime ' | - |
And France writhing from years of torment cries | O |
Out in her anguish 'Let this Jew endure | P |
Damned and disgraced vicarious sacrifice | Q |
The honour of my army is secure ' | - |
- | |
And vampire like that army sucks the blood | A |
From out a martyr's veins and strips his crown | R |
Of honour from him and his herohood | A |
Flings in the dust and cuts his manhood down | R |
Hide from your God O ye that did this act | A |
With lesser crimes the halls of Hell are paved | A |
Your army's honour may be still intact | A |
Unstained unsoiled unspotted but unsaved | A |
Emily Pauline Johnson
(1)
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