Monody On The Death Of The Right Hon. R. B. Sheridan Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHIJJ CCCCBBKKCCLLMMNNOOPP QQMMRRSS TUVVWWVVVVCC VVMMMXCCKKYYMMZZCCYM CCA2A2CCCCOOMMMMVV MMB2B2VVVVMMHBCCC2C2 D2D2CCMMMM

When the last sunshine of expiring dayA
In summer's twilight weeps itself awayA
Who hath not felt the softness of the hourB
Sink on the heart as dew along the flowerB
With a pure feeling which absorbs and awesC
While Nature makes that melancholy pauseC
Her breathing moment on the bridge where TimeD
Of light and darkness forms an arch sublimeD
Who hath not shared that calm so still and deepE
The voiceless thought which would not speak but weepE
A holy concord and a bright regretF
A glorious sympathy with suns that setF
'Tis not harsh sorrow but a tenderer woeG
Nameless but dear to gentle hearts belowG
Felt without bitterness but full and clearH
A sweet dejection a transparent tearI
Unmix'd with worldly grief or selfish stainJ
Shed without shame and secret without painJ
-
Even as the tenderness that hour instilsC
When Summer's day declines along the hillsC
So feels the fulness of our heart and eyesC
When all of Genius which can perish diesC
A mighty Spirit is eclipsed a PowerB
Hath pass'd from day to darkness to whose hourB
Of light no likeness is bequeath'd no nameK
Focus at once of all the rays of FameK
The flash of Wit the bright IntelligenceC
The beam of Song the blaze of EloquenceC
Set with their Sun but still have left be hindL
The enduring produce of immortal MindL
Fruits of a genial morn and glorious noonM
A deathless part of him who died too soonM
But small that portion of the wondrous wholeN
These sparkling segments of that circling soulN
Which all embraced and lighten'd over allO
To cheer to pierce to please or to appalO
From the charm'd council to the festive boardP
Of human feelings the unbounded lordP
In whose acclaim the loftiest voices viedQ
The praised the proud who made his praise their prideQ
When the loud cry of trampled HindostanM
Arose to Heaven in her appeal from manM
His was the thunder his the avenging rodR
The wrath the delegated voice of GodR
Which shook the nations through his lips and blazedS
Till vanquish 'd senates trembled as they praisedS
-
And here oh here where yet all young and warmT
The gay creations of is spirit charmU
The matchless dialogue the deathless witV
Which knew not what it was to intermitV
The glowing portraits fresh from life that bringW
Home to our hearts the truth from which they springW
These wondrous beings of his fancy wroughtV
To fulness by the fiat of his thoughtV
Here in their first abode you still may meetV
Bright with the hues of his Promethean heatV
A halo of the light of other daysC
Which still the splendour of its orb betraysC
-
But should there be to whom the fatal blightV
Of failing Wisdom yields a base delightV
Men who exult when minds of heavenly toneM
Jar in the music which was born their ownM
Still let them pause ah little do they knowM
That what to them seem'd Vice might be but WooX
Hard is his fate on whom the public gazeC
Is fix'd for ever to detract or praiseC
Repose denies her requiem to his nameK
And Folly loves the martyrdom of FameK
The secret enemy whose sleepless eyeY
Stands sentinel accuser judge and spyY
The foe the fool the jealous and the vainM
The envious who but breathe in others' painM
Behold the host delighting to depraveZ
Who track the steps of Glory to the graveZ
Watch every fault that daring Genius owesC
Half to the ardour which its birth bestowsC
Distort the troth accumulate the lieY
And pile the pyramid of CalumnyM
These are his portion but if join'd to theseC
Gaunt Poverty should league with deep DiseaseC
If the high Spirit must forget to soarA2
And stoop to strive with Misery at the doorA2
To soothe Indignity and face to faceC
Meet sordid Rage and wrestle with DisgraceC
To find in Hope but the renew'd caressC
The serpent fold of further FaithlessnessC
If such may be the ills which men assailO
What marvel if at last the mightiest failO
Breasts to whom all the strength of feeling givenM
Bear hearts electric charged with fire from HeavenM
Black with the rude collision inly tornM
By clouds surrounded and on whirl winds borneM
Driven o'er the lowering atmosphere that nurstV
Thoughts which have turn'd to thunderscorch and burstV
-
But far from us and from our mimic sceneM
Such things should be if such have ever beenM
Ours be the gentler wish the kinder taskB2
To give the tribute Glory need not askB2
To mourn the vanish'd beam and add our miteV
Of praise in payment of a long delightV
Ye Orators whom yet our councils yieldV
Mourn for the veteran Hero of your fieldV
The worthy rival of the wondrous ThreeM
Whose words were sparks of ImmortalityM
Ye Bards to whom the Drama's muse is dearH
He was your Master emulate him herB
Ye men of wit and social eloquenceC
He was your brother bear his ashes henceC
While Powers of mind almost of boundless rangeC2
Complete in kind as various in their changeC2
While Eloquence Wit Poesy and MirthD2
That humbler Harmonist of care on EarthD2
Survive within our souls while lives our senseC
Of pride in Merit's proud preeminenceC
Long shall we seek his likeness long in vainM
And turn to all of him which may remainM
Sighing that nature form'd but one such manM
And broke the die in moulding SheridanM

George Gordon Byron



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