The Switzer's Wife Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAAAB CD AEAEFA GHGHII AJAJKK AAAALL MAMANN OAOABB APAPQ RARAFF STSGUU CACAA VWVWAA AXAXHH AAAAAA CACAYZ AJAJAA A2B2A2B2B A2QA2QFF AAAAD A2SA2SC2C2Nor look nor tone revealeth aught | A |
Save woman's quietness of thought | A |
And yet around her is a light | A |
Of inward majesty and might | A |
M J J | B |
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Wer solch ein herz an seinen Busen dr Der kann fur herd und hof mit freuden fechten | C |
Willholm Tell | D |
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It was the time when children bound to meet | A |
Their father's homeward step from field or hill | E |
And when the herd's returning bells are sweet | A |
In the Swiss valleys and the lakes grow still | E |
And the last note of that wild horn swells by | F |
Which haunts the exile's heart with melody | A |
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And lovely smil'd full many an Alpine home | G |
Touch'd with the crimson of the dying hour | H |
Which lit its low roof by the torrent's foam | G |
And pierced its lattice thro' the vine hung bower | H |
But one the loveliest o'er the land that rose | I |
Then first look'd mournful in its green repose | I |
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For Werner sat beneath the linden tree | A |
That sent its lulling whispers through his door | J |
Ev'n as man sits whose heart alone would be | A |
With some deep care and thus can find no more | J |
Th' accustom'd joy in all which Evening brings | K |
Gathering a household with her quiet wings | K |
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His wife stood hush'd before him sad yet mild | A |
In her beseeching mien he mark'd it not | A |
The silvery laughter of his bright hair'd child | A |
Rang from the greensward round the shelter'd spot | A |
But seem'd unheard until at last the boy | L |
Rais'd from his heap'd up flowers a glance of joy | L |
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And met his father's face but then a change | M |
Pass'd swiftly o'er the brow of infant glee | A |
And a quick sense of something dimly strange | M |
Brought him from play to stand beside the knee | A |
So often climb'd and lift his loving eyes | N |
That shone through clouds of sorrowful surprise | N |
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Then the proud bosom of the strong man shook | O |
But tenderly his babe's fair mother laid | A |
Her hand on his and with a pleading look | O |
Thro' tears half quivering o'er him bent and said | A |
'What grief dear friend hath made thy heart its prey | B |
That thou shouldst turn thee from our love away | B |
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'It is too sad to see thee thus my friend | A |
Mark'st thou the wonder on thy boy's fair brow | P |
Missing the smile from thine Oh cheer thee bend | A |
To his soft arms unseal thy thoughts e'en now | P |
Thou dost not kindly to withhold the share | Q |
Of tried affection in thy secret care ' | - |
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He looked up into that sweet earnest face | R |
But sternly mournfully not yet the band | A |
Was loosen'd from his soul its inmost place | R |
Not yet unveil'd by love's o'ermastering hand | A |
'Speak low ' he cried and pointed where on high | F |
The white Alps glitter'd thro' the solemn sky | F |
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'We must speak low amidst our ancient hills | S |
And their free torrents for the days are come | T |
When tyranny lies couch'd by forest rills | S |
And meets the shepherd in his mountain home | G |
Go pour the wine of our own grapes in fear | U |
Keep silence by the hearth its foes are near | U |
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'The envy of th' oppressor's eye hath been | C |
Upon my heritage I sit to night | A |
Under my household tree if not serene | C |
Yet with the faces best beloved in sight | A |
To morrow eve may find me chain'd and thee | A |
How can I bear the boy's young smiles to see ' | - |
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The bright blood left that youthful mother's cheek | V |
Back on the linden stem she lean'd her form | W |
And her lip trembled as it strove to speak | V |
Like a frail harp string shaken by the storm | W |
'Twas but a moment and the faintness pass'd | A |
And the free Alpine spirit woke at last | A |
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And she that ever thro' her home had mov'd | A |
With the meek thoughtfulness and quiet smile | X |
Of woman calmly loving and belov'd | A |
And timid in her happiness the while | X |
Stood brightly forth and steadfastly that hour | H |
Her clear glance kindling into sudden power | H |
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Ay pale she stood but with an eye of light | A |
And took her fair child to her holy breast | A |
And lifted her soft voice that gathered might | A |
As it found language 'Are we thus oppress'd | A |
Then must we rise upon our mountain sod | A |
And man must arm and woman call on God | A |
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'I know what thou wouldst do And be it done | C |
Thy soul is darken'd with its fears for me | A |
Trust me to Heaven my husband this thy son | C |
The babe whom I have born thee must be free | A |
And the sweet memory of our pleasant hearth | Y |
May well give strength if aught be strong on earth | Z |
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'Thou hast been brooding o'er the silent dread | A |
Of my desponding tears now lift once more | J |
My hunter of the hills thy stately head | A |
And let thine eagle glance my joy restore | J |
I can bear all but seeing thee subdued | A |
Take to thee back thine own undaunted mood | A |
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'Go forth beside the waters and along | A2 |
The chamois paths and thro' the forests go | B2 |
And tell in burning words thy tale of wrong | A2 |
To the brave hearts that midst the hamlets glow | B2 |
God shall be with thee my belov'd Away | B |
Bless but thy child and leave me I can pray ' | - |
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He sprang up like a warrior youth awaking | A2 |
To clarion sounds upon the ringing air | Q |
He caught her to his breast while proud tears breaking | A2 |
From his dark eyes fell o'er her braided hair | Q |
And 'Worthy art thou ' was his joyous cry | F |
'That man for thee should gird himself to die | F |
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'My bride my wife the mother of my child | A |
Now shall thy name be armour to my heart | A |
And this our land by chains no more defiled | A |
Be taught of thee to choose the better part | A |
I go thy spirit on my words shall dwell | D |
Thy gentle voice shall stir the Alps Farewell ' | - |
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And thus they parted by the quiet lake | A2 |
In the clear starlight he the strength to rouse | S |
Of the free hills she thoughtful for his sake | A2 |
To rock her child beneath the whispering boughs | S |
Singing its blue half curtain'd eyes to sleep | C2 |
With a low hymn amidst the stillness deep | C2 |
Felicia Dorothea Hemans
(1)
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