The Hermit's Sacrifice Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB ACDC ECAC FGHG ICJC KLAL EMNM AOPO LLQL RCLC KSAS TUVU AWKW AULU PXPX YGVG TZA2Z DB2AB2 C2D2HD2 PLDL

From Rome's palaces and villasA
Gaily issued forth a throngB
From her humbler habitationsA
Moved a human tide alongB
-
Haughty dames and blooming maidensA
Men who knew not mercy's swayC
Thronged into the ColiseumD
On that Roman holidayC
-
From the lonely wilds of AsiaE
From her jungles far awayC
From the distant torrid regionsA
Rome had gathered beasts of preyC
-
Lions restless roaring rampantF
Tigers with their stealthy treadG
Leopards bright and fierce and fieryH
Met in conflict wild and dreadG
-
Fierce and fearful was the carnageI
Of the maddened beasts of preyC
As they fought and rent each otherJ
Urged by men more fierce than theyC
-
Till like muffled thunders breakingK
On a vast and distant shoreL
Fainter grew the yells of tigersA
And the lions' dreadful roarL
-
On the crimson stained arenaE
Lay the victims of the fightM
Eyes which once had glared with anguishN
Lost in death their baleful lightM
-
Then uprose the gladiatorsA
Armed for conflict unto deathO
Waiting for the prefect's signalP
Cold and stern with bated breathO
-
Ave Caesar morituriL
Te salutant rose the cryL
From the lips of men ill fatedQ
Doomed to suffer and to dieL
-
Then began the dreadful contestR
Lives like chaff were thrown awayC
Rome with all her pride and powerL
Butchered for a holidayC
-
Eagerly the crowd were waitingK
Loud the clashing sabres rangS
When between the gladiatorsA
All unarmed a hermit sprangS
-
Cease your bloodshed cried the hermitT
On this carnage place your banU
But with flashing swords they answeredV
Back unto your place old manU
-
From their path the gladiatorsA
Thrust the strange intruder backW
Who between their hosts advancingK
Calmly parried their attackW
-
All undaunted by their weaponsA
Stood the old heroic manU
While a maddened cry of angerL
Through the vast assembly ranU
-
Down with him cried out the peopleP
As with thumbs unbent they glaredX
Till the prefect gave the signalP
That his life should not be sparedX
-
Men grew wild with wrathful passionY
When his fearless words were saidG
Cruelly they fiercely showeredV
Stones on his devoted headG
-
Bruised and bleeding fell the hermitT
Victor in that hour of strifeZ
Gaining in his death a triumphA2
That he could not win in lifeZ
-
Had he uttered on the forumD
Struggling thoughts within him bornB2
Men had jeered his words as madnessA
But his deed they could not scornB2
-
Not in vain had been his courageC2
Nor for naught his daring deedD2
From his grave his mangled bodyH
Did for wretched captives pleadD2
-
From that hour Rome grown more thoughtfulP
Ceased her sport in human goreL
And into her ColiseumD
Gladiators came no moreL

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper



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