The American Forest Girl Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCEFF GGHHIIJKLLMMNOPPQQ CRSTSTUUVVWXYZYA2QQ TTJTTTTTB2C2TT D2D2TTTTJ THTHTTE2E2F2F2G2G2 H2H2TWildly and mournfully the Indian drum | A |
On the deep hush of moonlight forests broke | B |
'Sing us a death song for thine hour is come | A |
So the red warriors to their captive spoke | B |
Still and amidst those dusky forms alone | C |
A youth a fair hair'd youth of England stood | D |
Like a king's son tho' from his cheek had flown | C |
The mantling crimson of the island blood | E |
And his press'd lips look'd marble Fiercely bright | F |
And high around him blaz'd the fires of night | F |
- | |
Rocking beneath the cedars to and fro | G |
As the wind pass'd and with a fitful glow | G |
Lighting the victim's face But who could tell | H |
Of what within his secret heart befel | H |
Known but to heaven that hour Perchance a thought | I |
Of his far home then so intensely wrought | I |
That its full image pictur'd to his eye | J |
On the dark ground of mortal agony | K |
Rose clear as day and he might see the band | L |
Of his young sisters wand'ring hand in hand | L |
Where the laburnums droop'd or haply binding | M |
The jasmine up the door's low pillars winding | M |
Or as day clos'd upon their gentle mirth | N |
Gathering with braided hair around the hearth | O |
Where sat their mother and that mother's face | P |
Its grave sweet smile yet wearing in the place | P |
Where so it ever smiled Perchance the prayer | Q |
Learn'd at her knee came back on his despair | Q |
- | |
The blessing from her voice the very tone | C |
Of her 'Good night' might breathe from boyhood gone | R |
He started and look'd up thick cypress boughs | S |
Full of strange sound wav'd o'er him darkly red | T |
In the broad stormy firelight savage brows | S |
With tall plumes crested and wild hues o'erspread | T |
Girt him like feverish phantoms and pale stars | U |
Look'd thro' the branches as thro' dungeon bars | U |
Shedding no hope He knew he felt his doom | V |
Oh what a tale to shadow with its gloom | V |
That happy hall in England Idle fear | W |
Would the winds tell it Who might dream or hear | X |
The secret of the forests to the stake | Y |
They bound him and that proud young soldier strove | Z |
His father's spirit in his breast to wake | Y |
Trusting to die in silence He the love | A2 |
Of many hearts the fondly rear'd the fair | Q |
Gladdening all eyes to see And fetter'd there | Q |
- | |
He stood beside his death pyre and the brand | T |
Flamed up to light it in the chieftain's hand | T |
He thought upon his God Hush hark a cry | J |
Breaks on the stern and dread solemnity | T |
A step hath pierc'd the ring Who dares intrude | T |
On the dark hunters in their vengeful mood | T |
A girl a young slight girl a fawn like child | T |
Of green Savannas and the leafy wild | T |
Springing unmark'd till then as some lone flower | B2 |
Happy because the sunshine is its dower | C2 |
Yet one that knew how early tears are shed | T |
For hers had mourn'd a playmate brother dead | T |
- | |
She had sat gazing on the victim long | D2 |
Until the pity of her soul grew strong | D2 |
And by its passion's deep'ning fervour sway'd | T |
Ev'n to the stake she rush'd and gently laid | T |
His bright head on her bosom and around | T |
His form her slender arms to shield it wound | T |
Like close liannes then rais'd her glittering eye | J |
And clear toned voice that said 'He shall not die ' | - |
- | |
'He shall not die ' the gloomy forest thrill'd | T |
To that sweet sound A sudden wonder fell | H |
On the fierce throng and heart and hand were still'd | T |
Struck down as by the whisper of a spell | H |
They gaz'd their dark souls bow'd before the maid | T |
She of the dancing step in wood and glade | T |
And as her cheek flush'd thro' its olive hue | E2 |
As her black tresses to the night wind flew | E2 |
Something o'ermaster'd them from that young mien | F2 |
Something of heaven in silence felt and seen | F2 |
And seeming to their child like faith a token | G2 |
That the Great Spirit by her voice had spoken | G2 |
- | |
They loos'd the bonds that held their captive's breath | H2 |
From his pale lips they took the cup of death | H2 |
They quench'd the brand beneath the cypress tree | T |
'Away ' they cried 'young stranger thou art free ' | - |
Felicia Dorothea Hemans
(1)
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