Lepanto Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFAA GGHHIIJJKLMM NNOODPQQD KLRRRRSSATTS AADDUUVVVVVVAAAAVVW KLPQQQ XXVVAAYYZZDDCCPQQC A2A2AAAAQQB2B2VVPPQV C2C2QQDDD2D2E2E2E2E2 IIAAF2F2AAG2G2E2E2E2 E2AQQE2 H2H2AAVV

White founts falling in the courts of the sunA
And the Soldan of Byzantium is smiling as they runA
There is laughter like the fountains in that face of all men fearedB
It stirs the forest darkness the darkness of his beardB
It curls the blood red crescent the crescent of his lipsC
For the inmost sea of all the earth is shaken with his shipsC
They have dared the white republics up the capes of ItalyD
They have dashed the Adriatic round the Lion of the SeaD
And the Pope has cast his arms abroad for agony and lossE
And called the kings of Christendom for swords about the CrossE
The cold queen of England is looking in the glassF
The shadow of the Valois is yawning at the MassF
From evening isles fantastical rings faint the Spanish gunA
And the Lord upon the Golden Horn is laughing in the sunA
-
Dim drums throbbing in the hills half heardG
Where only on a nameless throne a crownless prince has stirredG
Where risen from a doubtful seat and half attainted stallH
The last knight of Europe takes weapons from the wallH
The last and lingering troubadour to whom the bird has sungI
That once went singing southward when all the world was youngI
In that enormous silence tiny and unafraidJ
Comes up along the winding road the noise of the CrusadeJ
Strong gongs groaning as the guns boom farK
Don John of Austria is going to the warL
Stiff flags straining in the night blasts coldM
In the gloom black purple in the glint old goldM
-
Torchlight crimson on the copper kettle drumsN
Then the tuckets then the trumpets then the cannon and he comesN
Don John laughing in the brave beard curledO
Spurning of his stirrups like the throne of all the worldO
Holding his head up for a flag of all the freeD
Love light of Spain hurrahP
Death light of AfricaQ
Don John of AustriaQ
Is riding to the seaD
-
Mahound is in his paradise above the evening starK
Don John of Austria is going to the warL
He moves a mighty turban on the timeless houri's kneesR
His turban that is woven of the sunset and the seasR
He shakes the peacock gardens as he rises from his easeR
And he strides among the tree tops and is taller than the treesR
And his voice through all the garden is a thunder sent to bringS
Black Azrael and Ariel and Ammon on the wingS
Giants and the GeniiA
Multiple of wing and eyeT
Whose strong obedience broke the skyT
When Solomon was kingS
-
They rush in red and purple from the red clouds of the mornA
From temples where the yellow gods shut up their eyes in scornA
They rise in green robes roaring from the green hells of the seaD
Where fallen skies and evil hues and eyeless creatures beD
On them the sea valves cluster and the grey sea forests curlU
Splashed with a splendid sickness the sickness of the pearlU
They swell in sapphire smoke out of the blue cracks of the groundV
They gather and they wonder and give worship to MahoundV
And he saith 'Break up the mountains where the hermit folk can hideV
And sift the red and silver sands lest bone of saint abideV
And chase the Giaours flying night and day not giving restV
For that which was our trouble comes again out of the westV
We have set the seal of Solomon on all things under sunA
Of knowledge and of sorrow and endurance of things doneA
But noise is in the mountains in the mountains and I knowA
The voice that shook our palaces four hundred years agoA
It is he that saith not 'Kismet' it is he that knows not FateV
It is Richard it is Raymond it is Godfrey at the gateV
It is he whose loss is laughter when he counts the wager worthW
Put down your feet upon him that our peace be on the earth '-
For he heard drums groaning and he heard guns jarK
Don John of Austria is going to the warL
Sudden and still hurrahP
Bolt from IberiaQ
Don John of AustriaQ
Is gone by AlcalarQ
-
St Michael's on his mountain in the sea roads of the northX
Don John of Austria is girt and going forthX
Where the grey seas glitter and the sharp tides shiftV
And the sea folk labour and the red sails liftV
He shakes his lance of iron and he claps his wings of stoneA
The noise is gone through Normandy the noise is gone aloneA
The North is full of tangled things and texts and aching eyesY
And dead is all the innocence of anger and surpriseY
And Christian killeth Christian in a narrow dusty roomZ
And Christian dreadeth Christ that hath a newer face of doomZ
And Christian hateth Mary that God kissed in GalileeD
But Don John of Austria is riding to the seaD
Don John calling through the blast and the eclipseC
Crying with the trumpet with the trumpet of his lipsC
Trumpet that sayeth haP
Domino gloriaQ
Don John of AustriaQ
Is shouting to the shipsC
-
King Philip's in his closet with the Fleece about his neckA2
Don Juan of Austria is armed upon the deckA2
The walls are hung with velvet that is black and soft as sinA
And little dwarfs creep out of it and little dwarfs creep inA
He holds a crystal phial that has colours like the moonA
He touches and it tingles and he trembles very soonA
And his face is as a fungus of a leprous white and greyQ
Like plants in the high houses that are shuttered from the dayQ
And death is in the phial and the end of noble workB2
But Don John of Austria has fired upon the TurkB2
Don John's hunting and his hounds have bayedV
Booms away past Italy the rumour of his raidV
Gun upon gun ha haP
Gun upon gun hurrahP
Don John of AustriaQ
Has loosed the cannonadeV
-
The Pope was in his chapel before day or battle brokeC2
Don John of Austria is hidden in the smokeC2
The hidden room in man's house where God sits all the yearQ
The secret window whence the world looks small and very dearQ
He sees as in a mirror on the monstrous twilight seaD
The crescent of his cruel ships whose name is mysteryD
They fling great shadows foe wards making Cross and Castle darkD2
They veil the plum egrave d lions on the galley's of St MarkD2
And above the ships are palaces of brown black bearded chiefsE2
And below the ships are prisons where with multitudinous griefsE2
Christian captives sick and sunless all a labouring race repinesE2
Like a race in sunken cities like a nation in the minesE2
They are lost like slaves that swat and in the skies of morning hungI
The stair ways of the tallest gods when tyranny was youngI
They are countless voiceless hopeless as those fallen or fleeing onA
Before the high Kings' horses in the granite of BabylonA
And many a one grows witless in his quiet room in hellF2
Where a yellow face looks inward through the lattice of his cellF2
And he finds his God forgotten and he seeks no more a signA
But Don John of Austria has burst the battle lineA
Don John pounding from the slaughter painted poopG2
Purpling all the ocean like a bloody pirate's sloopG2
Scarlet running over on the silvers and the goldsE2
Breaking of the hatches up and bursting of the holdsE2
Thronging of the thousands up that labour under seaE2
White for bliss and blind for sun and stunned for libertyE2
Vivat HispaniaA
Domino GloriaQ
Don John of AustriaQ
Has set his people freeE2
-
Cervantes on his galley sets the sword back in the sheathH2
Don John of Austria rides homeward with a wreathH2
And he sees across a weary land a straggling road in SpainA
Upon which a lean and foolish knight forever rides in vainA
And he smiles but not as Sultans smile and settles back the bladeV
But Don John of Austria rides home from the CrusadeV

G. K. Chesterton



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