The Island - Canto The Fourth Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BBABCCDD A EFGGEEHHIIJJKKFFLMNN OOEE A PPDDQQRRSSTTBBUUVVWE AAXX X VVWWYZA2A2B2B2DDVVEE VVC2C2MMD2D2E2E2FFXX F2G2ABRRFF B H2H2VVKKMMI2I2 A BBJ2K2L2L2VVVVM2M2VV EEXXEEFFVVN2N2FFQO2E E X EFH2H2RRFFXBFFFFLLXX VXVVVV X FFFFFFFFFFDLB2B2FFEE CCEVFFLLVV V FFFFFFRRFFP2P2RRFFDD RRRRVQ2FFDDFFVVXXR2S 2FFDLFX V RRFFMMVVFFFFFFFFFFFF YZ F FFXFVVFFG2G2VVVVFFFF FFFFG2G2RRFF V FFFFRRB2B2XXDDFFP2P2 KKFFDDFFVVT2T2F2KFFK KB2B2XXFFKKDDFXRFRRX XFXFFH2H2RRVVP2P2VVF FFFFFFFVV V FFFFQO2RRU2U2RRFFFF F FFDDCCFFFFVVRRV2V2G2 G2DDFFDDDDRR F FFP2P2FFFFFFFFFFFFFF VV W2

I	A
	-
White as a white sail on a dusky sea	B
When half the horizon's clouded and half free	B
Fluttering between the dun wave and the sky	A
Is Hope's last gleam in Man's extremity	B
Her anchor parts but still her snowy sail	C
Attracts our eye amidst the rudest gale	C
Though every wave she climbs divides us more	D
The heart still follows from the loneliest shore	D
	-
	-
II	A
	-
Not distant from the isle of Toobonai	E
A black rock rears its bosom o'er the spray	F
The haunt of birds a desert to mankind	G
Where the rough seal reposes from the wind	G
And sleeps unwieldy in his cavern dun	E
Or gambols with huge frolic in the sun	E
There shrilly to the passing oar is heard	H
The startled echo of the Ocean bird	H
Who rears on its bare breast her callow brood	I
The feathered fishers of the solitude	I
A narrow segment of the yellow sand	J
On one side forms the outline of a strand	J
Here the young turtle crawling from his shell	K
Steals to the deep wherein his parents dwell	K
Chipped by the beam a nursling of the day	F
But hatched for ocean by the fostering ray	F
The rest was one bleak precipice as e'er	L
Gave mariners a shelter and despair	M
A spot to make the saved regret the deck	N
Which late went down and envy the lost wreck	N
Such was the stern asylum Neuha chose	O
To shield her lover from his following foes	O
But all its secret was not told she knew	E
In this a treasure hidden from the view	E
	-
	-
III	A
	-
Ere the canoes divided near the spot	P
The men that manned what held her Torquil's lot	P
By her command removed to strengthen more	D
The skiff which wafted Christian from the shore	D
This he would have opposed but with a smile	Q
She pointed calmly to the craggy isle	Q
And bade him speed and prosper She would take	R
The rest upon herself for Torquil's sake	R
They parted with this added aid afar	S
The Proa darted like a shooting star	S
And gained on the pursuers who now steered	T
Right on the rock which she and Torquil neared	T
They pulled her arm though delicate was free	B
And firm as ever grappled with the sea	B
And yielded scarce to Torquil's manlier strength	U
The prow now almost lay within its length	U
Of the crag's steep inexorable face	V
With nought but soundless waters for its base	V
Within a hundred boats' length was the foe	W
And now what refuge but their frail canoe	E
This Torquil asked with half upbraiding eye	A
Which said Has Neuha brought me here to die	A
Is this a place of safety or a grave	X
And yon huge rock the tombstone of the wave	X
	-
	-
IV	X
	-
They rested on their paddles and uprose	V
Neuha and pointing to the approaching foes	V
Cried Torquil follow me and fearless follow	W
Then plunged at once into the Ocean's hollow	W
There was no time to pause the foes were near	Y
Chains in his eye and menace in his ear	Z
With vigour they pulled on and as they came	A2
Hailed him to yield and by his forfeit name	A2
Headlong he leapt to him the swimmer's skill	B2
Was native and now all his hope from ill	B2
But how or where He dived and rose no more	D
The boat's crew looked amazed o'er sea and shore	D
There was no landing on that precipice	V
Steep harsh and slippery as a berg of ice	V
They watched awhile to see him float again	E
But not a trace rebubbled from the main	E
The wave rolled on no ripple on its face	V
Since their first plunge recalled a single trace	V
The little whirl which eddied and slight foam	C2
That whitened o'er what seemed their latest home	C2
White as a sepulchre above the pair	M
Who left no marble mournful as an heir	M
The quiet Proa wavering o'er the tide	D2
Was all that told of Torquil and his bride	D2
And but for this alone the whole might seem	E2
The vanished phantom of a seaman's dream	E2
They paused and searched in vain then pulled away	F
Even Superstition now forbade their stay	F
Some said he had not plunged into the wave	X
But vanished like a corpse light from a grave	X
Others that something supernatural	F2
Glared in his figure more than mortal tall	G2
While all agreed that in his cheek and eye	A
There was a dead hue of Eternity	B
Still as their oars receded from the crag	R
Round every weed a moment would they lag	R
Expectant of some token of their prey	F
But no he had melted from them like the spray	F
	-
	-
V	B
	-
And where was he the Pilgrim of the Deep	H2
Following the Nereid Had they ceased to weep	H2
For ever or received in coral caves	V
Wrung life and pity from the softening waves	V
Did they with Ocean's hidden sovereigns dwell	K
And sound with Mermen the fantastic shell	K
Did Neuha with the mermaids comb her hair	M
Flowing o'er ocean as it streamed in air	M
Or had they perished and in silence slept	I2
Beneath the gulf wherein they boldly leapt	I2
	-
	-
VI	A
	-
Young Neuha plunged into the deep and he	B
Followed her track beneath her native sea	B
Was as a native's of the element	J2
So smoothly bravely brilliantly she went	K2
Leaving a streak of light behind her heel	L2
Which struck and flashed like an amphibious steel	L2
Closely and scarcely less expert to trace	V
The depths where divers hold the pearl in chase	V
Torquil the nursling of the northern seas	V
Pursued her liquid steps with heart and ease	V
Deep deeper for an instant Neuha led	M2
The way then upward soared and as she spread	M2
Her arms and flung the foam from off her locks	V
Laughed and the sound was answered by the rocks	V
They had gained a central realm of earth again	E
But looked for tree and field and sky in vain	E
Around she pointed to a spacious cave	X
Whose only portal was the keyless wave	X
A hollow archway by the sun unseen	E
Save through the billows' glassy veil of green	E
In some transparent ocean holiday	F
When all the finny people are at play	F
Wiped with her hair the brine from Torquil's eyes	V
And clapped her hands with joy at his surprise	V
Led him to where the rock appeared to jut	N2
And form a something like a Triton's hut	N2
For all was darkness for a space till day	F
Through clefts above let in a sobered ray	F
As in some old cathedral's glimmering aisle	Q
The dusty monuments from light recoil	O2
Thus sadly in their refuge submarine	E
The vault drew half her shadow from the scene	E
	-
	-
	-
VII	X
	-
Forth from her bosom the young savage drew	E
A pine torch strongly girded with gnatoo	F
A plantain leaf o'er all the more to keep	H2
Its latent sparkle from the sapping deep	H2
This mantle kept it dry then from a nook	R
Of the same plantain leaf a flint she took	R
A few shrunk withered twigs and from the blade	F
Of Torquil's knife struck fire and thus arrayed	F
The grot with torchlight Wide it was and high	X
And showed a self born Gothic canopy	B
The arch upreared by Nature's architect	F
The architrave some Earthquake might erect	F
The buttress from some mountain's bosom hurled	F
When the Poles crashed and water was the world	F
Or hardened from some earth absorbing fire	L
While yet the globe reeked from its funeral pyre	L
The fretted pinnacle the aisle the nave	X
Were there all scooped by Darkness from her cave	X
There with a little tinge of phantasy	V
Fantastic faces moped and mowed on high	X
And then a mitre or a shrine would fix	V
The eye upon its seeming crucifix	V
Thus Nature played with the stalactites	V
And built herself a Chapel of the Seas	V
	-
	-
	-
VIII	X
	-
And Neuha took her Torquil by the hand	F
And waved along the vault her kindled brand	F
And led him into each recess and showed	F
The secret places of their new abode	F
Nor these alone for all had been prepared	F
Before to soothe the lover's lot she shared	F
The mat for rest for dress the fresh gnatoo	F
And sandal oil to fence against the dew	F
For food the cocoa nut the yam the bread	F
Born of the fruit for board the plantain spread	F
With its broad leaf or turtle shell which bore	D
A banquet in the flesh it covered o'er	L
The gourd with water recent from the rill	B2
The ripe banana from the mellow hill	B2
A pine torch pile to keep undying light	F
And she herself as beautiful as night	F
To fling her shadowy spirit o'er the scene	E
And make their subterranean world serene	E
She had foreseen since first the stranger's sail	C
Drew to their isle that force or flight might fail	C
And formed a refuge of the rocky den	E
For Torquil's safety from his countrymen fs	V
Each dawn had wafted there her light canoe	F
Laden with all the golden fruits that grew	F
Each eve had seen her gliding through the hour	L
With all could cheer or deck their sparry bower	L
And now she spread her little store with smiles	V
The happiest daughter of the loving isles	V
	-
	-
IX	V
	-
She as he gazed with grateful wonder pressed	F
Her sheltered love to her impassioned breast	F
And suited to her soft caresses told	F
An olden tale of Love for Love is old	F
Old as eternity but not outworn	F
With each new being born or to be born	F
How a young Chief a thousand moons ago	R
Diving for turtle in the depths below	R
Had risen in tracking fast his ocean prey	F
Into the cave which round and o'er them lay	F
How in some desperate feud of after time	P2
He sheltered there a daughter of the clime	P2
A foe beloved and offspring of a foe	R
Saved by his tribe but for a captive's woe	R
How when the storm of war was stilled he led	F
His island clan to where the waters spread	F
Their deep green shadow o'er the rocky door	D
Then dived it seemed as if to rise no more	D
His wondering mates amazed within their bark	R
Or deemed him mad or prey to the blue shark	R
Rowed round in sorrow the sea girded rock	R
Then paused upon their paddles from the shock	R
When fresh and springing from the deep they saw	V
A Goddess rise so deemed they in their awe	Q2
And their companion glorious by her side	F
Proud and exulting in his Mermaid bride	F
And how when undeceived the pair they bore	D
With sounding conchs and joyous shouts to shore	D
How they had gladly lived and calmly died	F
And why not also Torquil and his bride	F
Not mine to tell the rapturous caress	V
Which followed wildly in that wild recess	V
This tale enough that all within that cave	X
Was love though buried strong as in the grave	X
Where Abelard through twenty years of death	R2
When Elo sa's form was lowered beneath	S2
Their nuptial vault his arms outstretched and pressed	F
The kindling ashes to his kindled breast	F
The waves without sang round their couch their roar	D
As much unheeded as if life were o'er	L
Within their hearts made all their harmony	F
Love's broken murmur and more broken sigh	X
	-
	-
X	V
	-
And they the cause and sharers of the shock	R
Which left them exiles of the hollow rock	R
Where were they O'er the sea for life they plied	F
To seek from Heaven the shelter men denied	F
Another course had been their choice but where	M
The wave which bore them still their foes would bear	M
Who disappointed of their former chase	V
In search of Christian now renewed their race	V
Eager with anger their strong arms made way	F
Like vultures baffled of their previous prey	F
They gained upon them all whose safety lay	F
In some bleak crag or deeply hidden bay	F
No further chance or choice remained and right	F
For the first further rock which met their sight	F
They steered to take their latest view of land	F
And yield as victims or die sword in hand	F
Dismissed the natives and their shallop who	F
Would still have battled for that scanty crew	F
But Christian bade them seek their shore again	F
Nor add a sacrifice which were in vain	F
For what were simple bow and savage spear	Y
Against the arms which must be wielded here	Z
	-
	-
XI	F
	-
They landed on a wild but narrow scene	F
Where few but Nature's footsteps yet had been	F
Prepared their arms and with that gloomy eye	X
Stern and sustained of man's extremity	F
When Hope is gone nor Glory's self remains	V
To cheer resistance against death or chains	V
They stood the three as the three hundred stood	F
Who dyed Thermopyl with holy blood	F
But ah how different 'tis the cause makes all	G2
Degrades or hallows courage in its fall	G2
O'er them no fame eternal and intense	V
Blazed through the clouds of Death and beckoned hence	V
No grateful country smiling through her tears	V
Begun the praises of a thousand years	V
No nation's eyes would on their tomb be bent	F
No heroes envy them their monument	F
However boldly their warm blood was spilt	F
Their Life was shame their Epitaph was guilt	F
And this they knew and felt at least the one	F
The leader of the band he had undone	F
Who born perchance for better things had set	F
His life upon a cast which lingered yet	F
But now the die was to be thrown and all	G2
The chances were in favour of his fall	G2
And such a fall But still he faced the shock	R
Obdurate as a portion of the rock	R
Whereon he stood and fixed his levelled gun	F
Dark as a sullen cloud before the sun	F
	-
	-
XII	V
	-
The boat drew nigh well armed and firm the crew	F
To act whatever Duty bade them do	F
Careless of danger as the onward wind	F
Is of the leaves it strews nor looks behind	F
And yet perhaps they rather wished to go	R
Against a nation's than a native foe	R
And felt that this poor victim of self will	B2
Briton no more had once been Britain's still	B2
They hailed him to surrender no reply	X
Their arms were poised and glittered in the sky	X
They hailed again no answer yet once more	D
They offered quarter louder than before	D
The echoes only from the rock's rebound	F
Took their last farewell of the dying sound	F
Then flashed the flint and blazed the volleying flame	P2
And the smoke rose between them and their aim	P2
While the rock rattled with the bullets' knell	K
Which pealed in vain and flattened as they fell	K
Then flew the only answer to be given	F
By those who had lost all hope in earth or heaven	F
After the first fierce peal as they pulled nigher	D
They heard the voice of Christian shout Now fire	D
And ere the word upon the echo died	F
Two fell the rest assailed the rock's rough side	F
And furious at the madness of their foes	V
Disdained all further efforts save to close	V
But steep the crag and all without a path	T2
Each step opposed a bastion to their wrath	T2
While placed 'midst clefts the least accessible	F2
Which Christian's eye was trained to mark full well	K
The three maintained a strife which must not yield	F
In spots where eagles might have chosen to build	F
Their every shot told while the assailant fell	K
Dashed on the shingles like the limpet shell	K
But still enough survived and mounted still	B2
Scattering their numbers here and there until	B2
Surrounded and commanded though not nigh	X
Enough for seizure near enough to die	X
The desperate trio held aloof their fate	F
But by a thread like sharks who have gorged the bait	F
Yet to the very last they battled well	K
And not a groan informed their foes who fell	K
Christian died last twice wounded and once more	D
Mercy was offered when they saw his gore	D
Too late for life but not too late to die ft	F
With though a hostile hand to close his eye	X
A limb was broken and he drooped along	R
The crag as doth a falcon reft of young fu	F
The sound revived him or appeared to wake	R
Some passion which a weakly gesture spake	R
He beckoned to the foremost who drew nigh	X
But as they neared he reared his weapon high	X
His last ball had been aimed but from his breast	F
He tore the topmost button from his vest fv	X
Down the tube dashed it levelled fired and smiled	F
As his foe fell then like a serpent coiled	F
His wounded weary form to where the steep	H2
Looked desperate as himself along the deep	H2
Cast one glance back and clenched his hand and shook	R
His last rage 'gainst the earth which he forsook	R
Then plunged the rock below received like glass	V
His body crushed into one gory mass	V
With scarce a shred to tell of human form	P2
Or fragment for the sea bird or the worm	P2
A fair haired scalp besmeared with blood and weeds	V
Yet reeked the remnant of himself and deeds	V
Some splinters of his weapons to the last	F
As long as hand could hold he held them fast	F
Yet glittered but at distance hurled away	F
To rust beneath the dew and dashing spray	F
The rest was nothing save a life mis spent	F
And soul but who shall answer where it went	F
'Tis ours to bear not judge the dead and they	F
Who doom to Hell themselves are on the way	F
Unless these bullies of eternal pains	V
Are pardoned their bad hearts for their worse brains	V
	-
	-
	-
XIII	V
	-
The deed was over All were gone or ta'en	F
The fugitive the captive or the slain	F
Chained on the deck where once a gallant crew	F
They stood with honour were the wretched few	F
Survivors of the skirmish on the isle	Q
But the last rock left no surviving spoil	O2
Cold lay they where they fell and weltering	R
While o'er them flapped the sea birds' dewy wing	R
Now wheeling nearer from the neighbouring surge	U2
And screaming high their harsh and hungry dirge	U2
But calm and careless heaved the wave below	R
Eternal with unsympathetic flow	R
Far o'er its face the Dolphins sported on	F
And sprung the flying fish against the sun	F
Till its dried wing relapsed from its brief height	F
To gather moisture for another flight	F
	-
	-
XIV	F
	-
'Twas morn and Neuha who by dawn of day	F
Swam smoothly forth to catch the rising ray	F
And watch if aught approached the amphibious lair	D
Where lay her lover saw a sail in air	D
It flapped it filled and to the growing gale	C
Bent its broad arch her breath began to fail	C
With fluttering fear her heart beat thick and high	F
While yet a doubt sprung where its course might lie	F
But no it came not fast and far away	F
The shadow lessened as it cleared the bay	F
She gazed and flung the sea foam from her eyes	V
To watch as for a rainbow in the skies	V
On the horizon verged the distant deck	R
Diminished dwindled to a very speck	R
Then vanished All was Ocean all was Joy	V2
Down plunged she through the cave to rouse her boy	V2
Told all she had seen and all she hoped and all	G2
That happy love could augur or recall	G2
Sprung forth again with Torquil following free	D
His bounding Nereid over the broad sea	D
Swam round the rock to where a shallow cleft	F
Hid the canoe that Neuha there had left	F
Drifting along the tide without an oar	D
That eve the strangers chased them from the shore	D
But when these vanished she pursued her prow	D
Regained and urged to where they found it now	D
Nor ever did more love and joy embark	R
Than now were wafted in that slender ark	R
	-
	-
XV	F
	-
Again their own shore rises on the view	F
No more polluted with a hostile hue	F
No sullen ship lay bristling o'er the foam	P2
A floating dungeon all was Hope and Home	P2
A thousand Proas darted o'er the bay	F
With sounding shells and heralded their way	F
The chiefs came down around the people poured	F
And welcomed Torquil as a son restored	F
The women thronged embracing and embraced	F
By Neuha asking where they had been chased	F
And how escaped The tale was told and then	F
One acclamation rent the sky again	F
And from that hour a new tradition gave	F
Their sanctuary the name of Neuha's Cave	F
A hundred fires far flickering from the height fw	F
Blazed o'er the general revel of the night	F
The feast in honour of the guest returned	F
To Peace and Pleasure perilously earned	F
A night succeeded by such happy days	V
As only the yet infant world displays fx	V
	-
J th	W2

George Gordon Byron

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