The Borough. Letter Xviii: The Poor And Their Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBCCDEFGHI HJJKKL MMNNOOPPMMQQRRSSTTUV R UWR WRRIXYYZZRRA2A2B2B2C 2C2HHD2D2SSRR RRRCCRRRRE2E2RRRRRRF 2F2G2G2CCRRH2H2I2J2B RRYYSSF K2K2K2WWBBRRG2G2F2F2 R XJ2 XJJFGRROXRRBBL2L2YYR RDEG2G2G2CCD2D2R E2E2RRRRH2H2RRRRRRRR RRRRRRHHM2M2RRN2N2RR RRRDwellings | A |
YES we've our Borough vices and I know | B |
How far they spread how rapidly they grow | B |
Yet think not virtue quits the busy place | C |
Nor charity the virtues crown and grace | C |
'Our Poor how feed we ' To the most we give | D |
A weekly dole and at their homes they live | E |
Others together dwell but when they come | F |
To the low roof they see a kind of home | G |
A social people whom they've ever known | H |
With their own thoughts and manners like their | I |
- | |
own | H |
At her old house her dress her air the same | J |
I see mine ancient Letter loving dame | J |
'Learning my child ' said she 'shall fame command | K |
Learning is better worth than house or land | K |
For houses perish lands are gone and spent | L |
In learning then excel for that's most excellent ' | - |
'And what her learning ' 'Tis with awe to look | M |
In every verse throughout one sacred book | M |
From this her joy her hope her peace is sought | N |
This she has learned and she is nobly taught | N |
If aught of mine have gain'd the public ear | O |
If RUTLAND deigns these humble Tales to hear | O |
If critics pardon what my friends approved | P |
Can I mine ancient Widow pass unmoved | P |
Shall I not think what pains the matron took | M |
When first I trembled o'er the gilded book | M |
How she all patient both at eve and morn | Q |
Her needle pointed at the guarding horn | Q |
And how she soothed me when with study sad | R |
I labour'd on to reach the final zad | R |
Shall I not grateful still the dame survey | S |
And ask the Muse the poet's debt to pay | S |
Nor I alone who hold a trifler's pen | T |
But half our bench of wealthy weighty men | T |
Who rule our Borough who enforce our laws | U |
They own the matron as the leading cause | V |
And feel the pleasing debt and pay the just | R |
- | |
applause | U |
To her own house is borne the week's supply | W |
There she in credit lives there hopes in peace to | R |
- | |
die | W |
With her a harmless Idiot we behold | R |
Who hoards up silver shells for shining gold | R |
These he preserves with unremitted care | I |
To buy a seat and reign the Borough's mayor | X |
Alas who could th' ambitious changeling tell | Y |
That what he sought our rulers dared to sell | Y |
Near these a Sailor in that hut of thatch | Z |
A fish boat's cabin is its nearest match | Z |
Dwells and the dungeon is to him a seat | R |
Large as he wishes in his view complete | R |
A lockless coffer and a lidless hutch | A2 |
That hold his stores have room for twice as much | A2 |
His one spare shirt long glass and iron box | B2 |
Lie all in view no need has he for locks | B2 |
Here he abides and as our strangers pass | C2 |
He shows the shipping he presents the glass | C2 |
He makes unask'd their ports and business known | H |
And kindly heard turns quickly to his own | H |
Of noble captains heroes every one | D2 |
You might as soon have made the steeple run | D2 |
And then his messmates if you're pleased to stay | S |
He'll one by one the gallant souls display | S |
And as the story verges to an end | R |
He'll wind from deed to deed from friend to | R |
- | |
friend | R |
He'll speak of those long lost the brave of old | R |
As princes gen'rous and as heroes bold | R |
Then will his feelings rise till you may trace | C |
Gloom like a cloud frown o'er his manly face | C |
And then a tear or two which sting his pride | R |
These he will dash indignantly aside | R |
And splice his tale now take him from his cot | R |
And for some cleaner berth exchange his lot | R |
How will he all that cruel aid deplore | E2 |
His heart will break and he will fight no more | E2 |
Here is the poor old Merchant he declined | R |
And as they say is not in perfect mind | R |
In his poor house with one poor maiden friend | R |
Quiet he paces to his journey's end | R |
Rich in his youth he traded and he fail'd | R |
Again he tried again his fate prevail'd | R |
His spirits low and his exertions small | F2 |
He fell perforce he seem'd decreed to fall | F2 |
Like the gay knight unapt to rise was he | G2 |
But downward sank with sad alacrity | G2 |
A borough place we gain'd him in disgrace | C |
For gross neglect he quickly lost the place | C |
But still he kept a kind of sullen pride | R |
Striving his wants to hinder or to hide | R |
At length compell'd by very need in grief | H2 |
He wrote a proud petition for relief | H2 |
'He did suppose a fall like his would prove | I2 |
Of force to wake their sympathy and love | J2 |
Would make them feel the changes all may know | B |
And stir them up a due regard to show ' | - |
His suit was granted to an ancient maid | R |
Relieved herself relief for him was paid | R |
Here they together meet companions dwell | Y |
And dismal tales of man's misfortunes tell | Y |
''Twas not a world for them God help them they | S |
Could not deceive nor flatter nor betray | S |
But there's a happy change a scene to come | F |
And they God help them shall be soon at home ' | - |
If these no pleasures nor enjoyments gain | K2 |
Still none their spirits nor their speech restrain | K2 |
They sigh at ease 'mid comforts they complain | K2 |
The poor will grieve the poor will weep and sigh | W |
Both when they know and when they know not why | W |
But we our bounty with such care bestow | B |
That cause for grieving they shall seldom know | B |
Your Plan I love not with a number you | R |
Have placed your poor your pitiable few | R |
There in one house throughout their lives to be | G2 |
The pauper palace which they hate to see | G2 |
That giant building that high bounding wall | F2 |
Those bare worn walks that lofty thund'ring hall | F2 |
That large loud clock which tolls each dreaded | R |
- | |
hour | X |
Those gates and locks and all those signs of | J2 |
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power | X |
It is a prison with a milder name | J |
Which few inhabit without dread or shame | J |
Be it agreed the Poor who hither come | F |
Partake of plenty seldom found at home | G |
That airy rooms and decent beds are meant | R |
To give the poor by day by night content | R |
That none are frighten'd once admitted here | O |
By the stern looks of lordly Overseer | X |
Grant that the Guardians of the place attend | R |
And ready ear to each petition lend | R |
That they desire the grieving poor to show | B |
What ills they feel what partial acts they know | B |
Not without promise nay desire to heal | L2 |
Each wrong they suffer and each woe they feel | L2 |
Alas their sorrows in their bosoms dwell | Y |
They've much to suffer but have nought to tell | Y |
They have no evil in the place to state | R |
And dare not say it is the house they hate | R |
They own there's granted all such place can give | D |
But live repining for 'tis there they live | E |
Grandsires are there who now no more must see | G2 |
No more must nurse upon the trembling knee | G2 |
The lost loved daughter's infant progeny | G2 |
Like death's dread mansion this allows not place | C |
For joyful meetings of a kindred race | C |
Is not the matron there to whom the son | D2 |
Was wont at each declining day to run | D2 |
He when his toil was over gave delight | R |
By lifting up the latch and one 'Good night ' | - |
Yes she is here but nightly to her door | E2 |
The son still lab'ring can return no more | E2 |
Widows are here who in their huts were left | R |
Of husbands children plenty ease bereft | R |
Yet all that grief within the humble shed | R |
Was soften'd softened in the humble bed | R |
But here in all its force remains the grief | H2 |
And not one softening object for relief | H2 |
Who can when here the social neighbour meet | R |
Who learn the story current in the street | R |
Who to the long known intimate impart | R |
Facts they have learn'd or feelings of the heart | R |
They talk indeed but who can choose a friend | R |
Or seek companions at their journey's end | R |
Here are not those whom they when infants knew | R |
Who with like fortune up to manhood grew | R |
Who with like troubles at old age arrived | R |
Who like themselves the joy of life survived | R |
Whom time and custom so familiar made | R |
That looks the meaning in the mind convey'd | R |
But here to strangers words nor looks impart | R |
The various movements of the suffering heart | R |
Nor will that heart with those alliance own | H |
To whom its views and hopes are all unknown | H |
What if no grievous fears their lives annoy | M2 |
Is it not worse no prospects to enjoy | M2 |
'Tis cheerless living in such bounded view | R |
With nothing dreadful but with nothing new | R |
Nothing to bring them joy to make them weep | N2 |
The day itself is like the night asleep | N2 |
Or on the sameness if a break be made | R |
'Tis by some pauper to his grave convey'd | R |
By smuggled news from neighb'ring village told | R |
News never true or truth a twelvemonth old | R |
By some new | R |
George Crabbe
(1)
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