The Diary Of An Old Soul. - September Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCDDD EEEEFFE GEEEEGG HIIHEEI EJEKEJE LELEEEL MMNNOMO PQQEPEP REREJJE SCIETCE UVWUVWU QXYYXQX JEEEJEE HZHA2A2ZB2 C2D2E2E2F2B2E2 B2G2G2B2VVV A2A2JJH2H2A2 I2J2K2K2DDD EEB2EEB2B EEEEVVE EEEEEVV RL2EM2ERL2 VVN2N2VVN2 ZO2TO2TZZ VEVEP2P2P2 VENVENN EN2EN2EN2E EBEBEEB EEQ2EQ2EE BR2BR2B2BS2

A
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WE are a shadow and a shining weB
One moment nothing seems but what we seeB
Nor aught to rule but common circumstanceC
Nought is to seek but praise to shun but chanceC
A moment more and God is all in allD
And not a sparrow from its nest can fallD
But from the ground its chirp goes up into his hallD
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I know at least which is the better moodE
When on a heap of cares I sit and broodE
Like Job upon his ashes sorely vextE
I feel a lower thing than when I stoodE
The world's true heir fearless as on its stalkF
A lily meeting Jesus in his walkF
I am not all mood I can judge betwixtE
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Such differing moods can scarce to one belongG
Shall the same fountain sweet and bitter yieldE
Shall what bore late the dust mood think and broodE
Till it bring forth the great believing moodE
Or that which bore the grand mood bald and peeledE
Sit down to croon the shabby sensual songG
To hug itself and sink from wrong to meaner wrongG
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In the low mood the mere man acts aloneH
Moved by impulses which if from withinI
Yet far outside the centre man beginI
But in the grand mood every softest toneH
Comes from the living God at very heartE
From thee who infinite core of being artE
Thee who didst call our names ere ever we could sinI
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There is a coward sparing in the heartE
Offspring of penury and low born fearJ
Prayer must take heed nor overdo its partE
Asking too much of him with open earK
Sinners must wait not seek the very bestE
Cry out for peace and be of middling cheerJ
False heart thou cheatest God and dost thy life molestE
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Thou hungerest not thou thirstest not enoughL
Thou art a temporizing thing mean heartE
Down drawn thou pick'st up straws and wretched stuffL
Stooping as if the world's floor were the chartE
Of the long way thy lazy feet must treadE
Thou dreamest of the crown hung o'er thy headE
But that is safe thou gatherest hairs and fluffL
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Man's highest action is to reach up higherM
Stir up himself to take hold of his sireM
Then best I love you dearest when I goN
And cry to love's life I may love you soN
As to content the yearning making loveO
That perfects strength divine in weakness' fireM
And from the broken pots calls out the silver doveO
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Poor am I God knows poor as withered leafP
Poorer or richer than I dare not askQ
To love aright for me were hopeless taskQ
Eternities too high to comprehendE
But shall I tear my heart in hopeless griefP
Or rise and climb and run and kneel and bendE
And drink the primal love so love in chiefP
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Then love shall wake and be its own high lifeR
Then shall I know 'tis I that love indeedE
Ready without a moment's questioning strifeR
To be forgot like bursting water beadE
For the high good of the eternal dearJ
All hope all claim resting with spirit clearJ
Upon the living love that every love doth breedE
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Ever seem to fail in utteranceS
Sometimes amid the swift melodious danceC
Of fluttering words as if it had not beenI
The thought has melted vanished into nightE
Sometimes I say a thing I did not meanT
And lo 'tis better by thy ordered chanceC
Than what eluded me floating too feathery lightE
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If thou wouldst have me speak Lord give me speechU
So many cries are uttered now a daysV
That scarce a song however clear and trueW
Will thread the jostling tumult safe and reachU
The ears of men buz filled with poor denaysV
Barb thou my words with light make my song newW
And men will hear or when I sing or preachU
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Can anything go wrong with me I askQ
And the same moment at a sudden painX
Stand trembling Up from the great river's brimY
Comes a cold breath the farther bank is dimY
The heaven is black with clouds and coming rainX
High soaring faith is grown a heavy taskQ
And all is wrong with weary heart and brainX
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Things do go wrong I know grief pain and fearJ
I see them lord it sore and wide aroundE
From her fair twilight answers Truth star crownedE
Things wrong are needful where wrong things aboundE
Things go not wrong but Pain with dog and spearJ
False faith from human hearts will hunt and houndE
The earth shall quake 'neath them that trust the solid groundE
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Things go not wrong when sudden I fall proneH
But when I snatch my upheld hand from thineZ
And proud or careless think to walk aloneH
Then things go wrong when I poor silly sheepA2
To shelves and pits from the good pasture creepA2
Not when the shepherd leaves the ninety and nineZ
And to the mountains goes after the foolish oneB2
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Lo now thy swift dogs over stone and bushC2
After me straying sheep loud barking rushD2
There's Fear and Shame and Empty heart and LackE2
And Lost love and a thousand at their backE2
I see thee not but know thou hound'st them onF2
And I am lost indeed escape is noneB2
See there they come down streaming on my trackE2
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I rise and run staggering double and runB2
But whither whither whither for escapeG2
The sea lies all about this long necked capeG2
There come the dogs straight for me every oneB2
Me live despair live centre of alarmsV
Ah lo 'twixt me and all his barking harmsV
The shepherd lo I run fall folded in his armsV
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There let the dogs yelp let them growl and leapA2
It is no matter I will go to sleepA2
Like a spent cloud pass pain and grief and fearJ
Out from behind it unchanged love shines clearJ
Oh save me Christ I know not what I amH2
I was thy stupid self willed greedy lambH2
Would be thy honest and obedient sheepA2
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Why is it that so often I returnI2
From social converse with a spirit wornJ2
A lack a disappointment even a stingK2
Of shame as for some low unworthy thingK2
Because I have not careful first of allD
Set my door open wide back to the wallD
Ere I at others' doors did knock and callD
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Yet more and more of me thou dost demandE
My faith and hope in God alone shall standE
The life of law not trust the rain and sunB2
To draw the golden harvest o'er the landE
I must not say This too will pass and dieE
The wind will change Round will the seasons runB2
Law is the body of will of conscious harmonyB
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Who trusts a law might worship a god of woodE
Half his soul slumbers if it be not deadE
He is a live thing shut in chaos crudeE
Hemmed in with dragons a remorseless headE
Still hanging over its uplifted eyesV
No God is all in all and nowhere diesV
The present heart and thinking will of goodE
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Law is our schoolmaster Our master ChristE
Lived under all our laws yet always prayedE
So walked the water when the storm was highestE
Law is Thy father's thou hast it obeyedE
And it thereby subject to thee hast madeE
To rule it master for thy brethren's sakesV
Well may he guide the law by whom law's maker makesV
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Death haunts our souls with dissolution's strifeR
Soaks them with unrest makes our every breathL2
A throe not action from God's purest giftE
Wipes off the bloom and on the harp of faithM2
Its fretted strings doth slacken still and shiftE
Life everywhere perfect and always lifeR
Is sole redemption from this haunting deathL2
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God thou from death dost lift me As I riseV
Its Lethe from my garment drips and flowsV
Ere long I shall be safe in upper airN2
With thee my life with thee my answered prayerN2
Where thou art God in every wind that blowsV
And self alone and ever softly diesV
There shall my being blossom and I know it fairN2
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I would dig Master in no field but thineZ
Would build my house only upon thy rockO2
Yet am but a dull day with a sea sheenT
Why should I wonder then that they should mockO2
Who in the limbo of things heard and seenT
Hither and thither blowing lose the shineZ
Of every light that hangs in the firmament divineZ
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Lord loosen in me the hold of visible thingsV
Help me to walk by faith and not by sightE
I would through thickest veils and coveringsV
See into the chambers of the living lightE
Lord in the land of things that swell and seemP2
Help me to walk by the other light supremeP2
Which shows thy facts behind man's vaguely hinting dreamP2
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I see a little child whose eager handsV
Search the thick stream that drains the crowded streetE
For possible things hid in its current slowN
Near by behind him a great palace standsV
Where kings might welcome nobles to their feetE
Soft sounds sweet scents fair sights there only goN
There the child's father lives but the child does not knowN
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On eager hungry busy seeking childE
Rise up turn round run in run up the stairN2
Far in a chamber from rude noise exiledE
Thy father sits pondering how thou dost fareN2
The mighty man will clasp thee to his breastE
Will kiss thee stroke the tangles of thy hairN2
And lap thee warm in fold on fold of lovely restE
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The prince of this world came and nothing foundE
In thee O master but ah woe is meB
He cannot pass me on other business boundE
But spying in me things familiar heB
Casts over me the shadow of his flightE
And straight I moan in darkness and the fightE
Begins afresh betwixt the world and theeB
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In my own heart O master in my thoughtE
Betwixt the woolly sheep and hairy goatE
Not clearly I distinguish but I thinkQ2
Thou knowest that I fight upon thy sideE
The how I am ashamed of for I shrinkQ2
From many a blow am borne on the battle tideE
When I should rush to the front and take thy foe by the throatE
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The enemy still hath many things in meB
Yea many an evil nest with open holeR2
Gapes out to him at which he enters freeB
But like the impact of a burning coalR2
His presence mere straight rouses the garrisonB2
And all are up in arms and down on kneeB
Fighting and praying till the foe is goneS2

George Macdonald



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