Then And Now Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCCDEFF GGHHIIJJ KKCCLLMM NNOOFFPP QQRRSSKK TTUUVVWW XXYYZZA2A2 A2A2KKBBCC B2B2KKC2C2D2D2 E2E2SSF2F2G2G2H2H2I2 I2J2J2K2K2L2L2M2M2N2 N2O2O2P2Q2 IIAAGGC2C2R2S2T2T2U2 U2

Build me a nation said the LordA
The distant nations heard the wordB
Build me a nation true and strongC
Bar out the old world's hate and wrongC
For men had traced with blood and tearsD
The trail of weary wasting yearsE
And torn and bleeding martyrs trodF
Through fire and torture up to GodF
-
While in the hollow of his handG
God hid the secret of our landG
Men warred against their fiercest foesH
And kingdoms fell and empires roseH
Till weary of the old world strifeI
Men sought for broader freer lifeI
And plunged into the ocean's foamJ
To find another better homeJ
-
And like a vision fair and brightK
The new world broke upon their sightK
Men grasped the prize grew proud and strongC
And cursed the land with crime and wrongC
The Indian stood despoiled of landsL
The Negro bound with servile bandsL
Oppressed through weary years of toilM
His blood and tears bedewed the soilM
-
Then God arose in dreadful wrathN
And judgment streamed around his pathN
His hand the captive's fetters brokeO
His lightnings shattered every yokeO
As Israel through the Red sea trodF
Led by the mighty hand of GodF
They passed to freedom through a floodP
Whose every wave and surge was bloodP
-
And slavery with its crime and shameQ
Went down in wrath and blood and flameQ
The land was billowed o'er with gravesR
Where men had lived and died as slavesR
Four and thirty years what change since thenS
Beings once chattles now are menS
Over the gloom of slavery's nightK
Has flashed the dawn of freedom's lightK
-
To day no mother with anguish wildT
Kneels and implores that her darling childT
Shall not be torn from her bleeding heartU
With its quivering tendrils rent apartU
The father may soothe his child to sleepV
And watch his slumbers calm and deepV
No tyrant's tread will disturb his restW
Where freedom dwells as a welcome guestW
-
His walls may be bare of pictured graceX
His fireside the lowliest placeX
But the wife and children sheltered thereY
Are his to defend and guard with careY
Where haughty tyrants once bore ruleZ
Are ballot box and public schoolZ
The old slave pen of former daysA2
Gives place to fanes of prayer and praiseA2
-
To night we would bring our meed of praiseA2
To noble friends of darker daysA2
The men and women crowned with lightK
The true and tried in our gloomy nightK
To Lundy whose heart was early stirredB
To speak for freedom an earnest wordB
To Garrison valiant true and strongC
Whose face was as flint against our wrongC
-
And Phillips the peerless grand and braveB2
A tower of strength to the outcast slaveB2
Earth has no marble too pure and whiteK
To enrol his name in golden lightK
Our Douglass too with his massive brainC2
Who plead our cause with his broken chainC2
And helped to hurl from his bloody seatD2
The curse that writhed and died at his feetD2
-
And Governor Andrew who looking backE2
Saw none he despised though poor and blackE2
And Harriet Beecher whose glowing penS
Corroded the chains of fettered menS
To night with greenest laurels we'll crownF2
North Elba's grave where sleeps John BrownF2
Who made the gallows an altar highG2
And showed how a brave old man could dieG2
And Lincoln our martyred PresidentH2
Who returned to his God with chains he had rentH2
And Sumner amid death's icy chillI2
Leaving to Hoar his Civil Rights BillI2
And let us remember old undergroundJ2
With all her passengers northward boundJ2
The train that ran till it ceased to payK2
With all her dividends given awayK2
Nor let it be said that we have forgotL2
The women who stood with Lucretia MottL2
Nor her who to the world was knownM2
By the simple name of Lucy stoneM2
A tribute unto a host of othersN2
Who knew that men though black were brothersN2
Who battled against our nation's sinO2
Whose graves are thick whose ranks are thinO2
Oh people chastened in the fireP2
To nobler grander things aspireQ2
-
In the new era of your lifeI
Bring love for hate and peace for strifeI
Upon your hearts this vow recordA
That ye will build unto the LordA
A nobler future true and grandG
To strengthen crown and bless the landG
A higher freedom ye may gainC2
Than that which comes from a riven chainC2
Freedom your native land to blessR2
With peace and love and righteousnessS2
As dreams that are past a tale all toldT2
Are the days when men were bought and soldT2
Now God be praised from sea to seaU2
Our flag floats o'er a country freeU2

Frances E. W. Harper



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