Peru. Canto The Sixth Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B C DDEEFFGHIIJJ KKLMNNEEOPQQIIRRDDII SSTTUUUUVVWWXYZZA2A2 IIDDUUTTIIB2B2UU ZZC2C2IID2D2E2E2F2F2 G2TIIZZTTIIIIZZH2H2D DUUIIUUUUA2A2VVIIDDT T I2I2UUIIUUJ2J2UUK2TV VTTNNIIL2L2DDM2M2UUN 2N2A2A2O2O2VVP2P2JJA 2A2DDUUQ2IR2R2S2S2DD IIT2T2U2L2TTUUIIUUII IIUUV2V2IIG2G2DDUUL2 W2IITK2C2C2II IIMX2UUE2E2UUA2A2I2I 2E2E2H2H2UIA2A2UUUUU UNNK2K2Y2Y2IIHGGGUUE 2E2IIVVTTUUZ2Z2IIA3A 3GGUU GGE2E2TTUUIIUUDDB3W2 DDGGUUNNUU GGIINNGGUUGGGGIIE2E2 IIGG UUGGGGDDGGL2L2NNGGDD C3NUUD3D3E2E2UUGGE3E 3IIE2E2GG GYF3U

THE ARGUMENT	A
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The troops of Almagro and Alphonso meet on the plains of Cuzco Manco Capac attacks them by night his army is defeated and he is forced to fly with its scattered remains Cora goes in search of him her infant in her arms overcome with fatigue she rests at the foot of a mountain an earthquake a band of Indians fly to the mountains for shelter Cora discovers her husband their interview her death he escapes with his infant Almagro claims a share of the spoils of Cuzco his contention with Pizarro the Spaniards destroy each other Almagro is taken prisoner and put to death his soldiers in revenge assassinate Pizarro in his palace Las Casas dies Gasca a Spanish ecclesiastic arrives in Peru invested with great power his virtuous conduct the annual festival of the Peruvians their late victories over the Spaniards in Chili a wish for the restoration of their liberty the Poem concludes	B
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PERU CANTO THE SIXTH	C
	-
At length Almagro and Alphonso's train	D
Each peril past unite on Cusco's plain	D
Capac who now beheld with anxious woe	E
Th' increasing numbers of the powerful foe	E
Resolves to pierce beneath the shroud of night	F
The hostile camp and brave the vent'rous fight	F
Tho' weak the wrong'd Peruvians arrowy showers	G
To the dire weapons stern Iberia pours	H
Fierce was th' unequal contest for the soul	I
When rais'd by some high passion's strong controul	I
New strings the nerves and o'er the glowing frame	J
Breathes the warm spirit of heroic flame	J
	-
But from the scene where raging slaughter burns	K
The timid muse with pallid horror turns	K
The sounds of frantic woe she panting hears	L
Where anguish dims a mother's eye with tears	M
Or where the maid who gave to love's soft power	N
Her faithful spirit weeps the parting hour	N
And ah till death shall ease the tender woe	E
That soul must languish and those tears must flow	E
For never with the thrill that rapture proves	O
Shall bless'd affection hail the form she loves	P
Her eager glance no more that form shall view	Q
Her quiv'ring lip has breath'd the last adieu	Q
Now night that pour'd upon her hollow gale	I
The moan of death withdrew her mournful veil	I
The sun rose lovely from the sleeping flood	R
And morning glitter'd o'er the field of blood	R
Where bath'd in gore Peruvia's vanquish'd train	D
Lay cold and senseless on the sanguine plain	D
Capac their gen'rous chief whose ardent soul	I
Had sought the rage of battle to controul	I
Beheld with keen despair his warriors yield	S
And fled indignant from the conquer'd field	S
From Cusco now a wretched throng repair	T
Who tread mid' slaughter'd heaps in mute despair	T
O'er some lov'd corse the shroud of earth to spread	U
And drop the sacred tear that sooths the dead	U
No shriek was heard for agony supprest	U
The fond complaints which ease the swelling breast	U
Each hope for ever lost they only crave	V
The deep repose which wraps the shelt'ring grave	V
So the meek Lama lur'd by some decoy	W
Of man from all his unembitter'd joy	W
Ere while as free as roves the wand'ring breeze	X
Meets the hard burden on his bending knees A	Y
O'er rocks and mountains dark and waste he goes	Z
Nor shuns the path where no soft herbage grows	Z
Till worn with toil on earth he prostrate lies	A2
Heeds not the barb'rous lash but patient dies	A2
Swift o'er the field of death sad Cora flew	I
Her infant to his mother's bosom grew	I
She seeks her wretched lord who fled the plain	D
With the last remnant of his vanquish'd train	D
Thro' the lone vale or forest's sombrous shade	U
A dreary solitude the mourner stray'd	U
Her timid heart can now each danger dare	T
Her drooping soul is arm'd by deep despair	T
Long long she wander'd till oppress'd with toil	I
Her trembling footsteps track with blood the soil	I
In vain with moans her distant lord she calls	B2
In vain the bitter tear of anguish falls	B2
Her moan expires along the desert wood	U
Her tear is mingled with the crimson flood	U
	-
Where o'er an ample vale a mountain rose	Z
Low at its base her fainting form she throws	Z
And here my child she cried with panting breath	C2
Here let us wait the hour of ling'ring death	C2
This famish'd bosom can no more supply	I
The streams that nourish life my babe must die	I
In vain I strive to cherish for thy sake	D2
My failing strength but when my heart strings break	D2
When my chill'd bosom can no longer warm	E2
My stiff'ning arms no more enfold thy form	E2
Soft on this bed of leaves my child shall sleep	F2
Close to his mother's corse he will not weep	F2
Oh weep not then my tender babe tho' near	G2
I shall not hear thy moan nor see thy tear	T
Hope not to move me by thy piercing cry	I
Nor seek with searching look my answering eye	I
As thus the dying Cora's plaints arose	Z
O'er the fair valley sudden darkness throws	Z
A hideous horror thro' the wounded air	T
Howl'd the shrill voice of nature in despair	T
The birds dart screaming thro' the fluid sky	I
And dash'd upon the cliff's hard surface die	I
High o'er their rocky bounds the billows swell	I
Then to their deep abyss affrighted fell	I
Earth groaning heaves with dire convulsive throws	Z
While yawning gulphs her central caves disclose	Z
Now rush'd a frighted throng with trembling pace	H2
Along the vale and sought the mountain's base	H2
Purpos'd its perilous ascent to gain	D
And shun the ruin low'ring o'er the plain	D
They reach'd the spot where Cora clasp'd her child	U
And gaz'd on present death with aspect mild	U
They pitying paus'd she lifts her mournful eye	I
And views her lord he hears his Cora's sigh	I
He meets her look their melting souls unite	U
O'erwhelm'd and agoniz'd with wild delight	U
At length she faintly cried we yet must part	U
Short are these rising joys I feel my heart	U
My suff'ring heart is cold and mists arise	A2
That shroud thy image from my closing eyes	A2
Oh save my child our tender infant save	V
And shed a tear upon thy Cora's grave	V
The flutt'ring pulse of life now ceas'd to play	I
And in his arms a pallid corse she lay	I
O'er her dear form he hung in speechless pain	D
And still on Cora call'd but call'd in vain	D
Scarce could his soul in one short moment bear	T
The wild extreme of transport and despair	T
	-
Now o'er the west in melting softness streams	I2
A lustre milder than the morning beams	I2
A purer dawn dispell'd the fearful night	U
And nature glow'd in all the blooms of light	U
The birds awake the note that hails the day	I
And spread their pinions in the purple ray	I
A zone of gold the wave's still bosom bound	U
And beauty shed a placid smile around	U
Then first awaking from his mournful trance	J2
The wretched Capac cast an eager glance	J2
On his lov'd babe th' unconscious infant smil'd	U
And showers of softer sorrow bath'd his child	U
The hollow voice now sounds in fancy's ear	K2
She sees the dying look the parting tear	T
That sought with anxious tenderness to save	V
That dear memorial from the closing grave	V
He clasps the object of his love's last care	T
And vows for him the load of life to bear	T
To rear the blossom of a faded flower	N
And bid remembrance sooth each ling'ring hour	N
He journey'd o'er a dreary length of way	I
To plains where freedom shed her hallow'd ray	I
O'er many a pathless wood and mountain hoar	L2
To that fair clime her lifeless form he bore	L2
Ye who ne'er suffer'd passions hopeless pain	D
Deem not the toil that sooths its anguish vain	D
Its fondness to the mould'ring corse extends	M2
Its faithful tear with the cold ashes blends	M2
Perchance the conscious spirit of the dead	U
Numbers the drops affection loves to shed	U
Perchance a sigh of holy pity gives	N2
To the sad bosom where its image lives	N2
Oh nature sure thy sympathetic ties	A2
Shall o'er the ruins of the grave arise	A2
Undying spring from the relentless tomb	O2
And shed in scenes of love a lasting bloom	O2
Not long Iberia's sullied trophies wave	V
Her guilty warriors press th' untimely grave	V
For av'rice rising from the caves of earth	P2
Wakes all her savage spirit into birth	P2
Bids proud Almagro feel her baleful flame	J
And Cusco's treasures from Pizarro claim	J
Pizarro holds the rich alluring prize	A2
With firmer grasp the fires of discord rise	A2
Now fierce in hostile rage each warlike train	D
Purple with issuing gore Peruvia's plain	D
There breathing hate and vengeful death they flood	U
And bath'd their impious bands in kindred blood	U
While pensive on each hill whose lofty brow	Q2
O'erhung with sable woods the vale below	I
Peruvia's hapless tribes in scatter'd throngs	R2
Beheld the fiends of strife avenge their wrongs	R2
Now conquest bending on her crimson wings	S2
Her sanguine laurel to Pizarro brings	S2
While bound and trembling in her iron chain	D
Almagro swells the victor's captive train	D
In vain his pleading voice his suppliant eye	I
Conjure his conqu'ror by the holy tie	I
That seal'd their mutual league with sacred force	T2
When first to climes unknown they bent their course	T2
When danger's rising horrors lowr'd afar	U2
The storms of ocean and the toils of war	L2
The sad remains of wasted life to spare	T
The shrivell'd bosom and the silver'd hair	T
But vainly from his lips these accents part	U
Nor move Pizarro's cold relentless heart	U
That never trembled to the suff'rer's sigh	I
Or view'd the suff'rer's tear with melting eye	I
Almagro dies the victor's savage pride	U
To his pale corse funereal rites denied	U
Chill'd by the heavy dews of night it lay	I
And wither'd in the sultry beam of day	I
Till Indian bosoms touch'd with gen'rous woe	I
In the pale form forgot the tyrant foe	I
The last sad duties to his ashes paid	U
And sooth'd with pity's tear the hov'ring shade	U
With unrelenting hate the conqu'ror views	V2
Almagro's band and vengeance still pursues	V2
Condemns the victims of his power to stray	I
In drooping poverty's chill thorny way	I
To pine with famine's agony severe	G2
And all the ling'ring forms of death to fear	G2
Till by despair impell'd the rival train	D
Rush to the haughty victor's glitt'ring fane	D
Swift on their foe with rage impetuous dart	U
And plunge their daggers in his guilty heart	U
How unavailing now the treasur'd ore	L2
That made Peruvia's rifled bosom poor	W2
He falls no mourner near to breathe a sigh	I
Catch the last breath and close the languid eye	I
Deserted and refus'd the holy tear	T
That warm affection sheds o'er virtue's bier	K2
Denied those drops that stay the parting breath	C2
That sooth the spirit on the verge of death	C2
Tho' now the pale expiring form would buy	I
With Andes' glitt'ring mines one faithful sigh	I
	-
Now faint with virtue's toil Las Casas' soul	I
Sought with exulting hope her heav'nly goal	I
A bending angel consecrates his tears	M
And leads his kindred mind to purer spheres	X2
But ah whence pours that stream of lambent light	U
That soft descending on the raptur'd sight	U
Gilds the dark horrors of the raging storm	E2
It lights on earth mild vision gentle form	E2
'Tis Sensibility she stands confest	U
With trembling step she moves and panting breast	U
Wav'd by the gentle breath of passing sighs	A2
Loose in the air her robe expanded flies	A2
Wet with the dew of tears her soft veil streams	I2
And in her eye the ray of pity beams	I2
No vivid roses her mild cheek illume	E2
Sorrow's wan touch has chas'd the purple bloom	E2
Yet ling'ring there in tender pensive grace	H2
The softer lily fills the vacant place	H2
And ever as her precious tears bedew	U
Its modest flowers they shed a paler hue	I
To yon deserted grave lo swift she flies	A2
Where her lov'd victim mild Las Casas lies	A2
Light on the hallow'd turf I see her stand	U
And slowly wave in air her snowy wand	U
I see her deck the solitary haunt	U
With chaplets twin'd from every weeping plant	U
Its odours mild the simple vi'let shed	U
The shrinking lily hung its drooping head	U
A moaning zephyr sigh'd within the bower	N
And bent the yielding stem of every flower	N
Hither she cried her melting tone I hear	K2
It vibrates full on fancy's raptur'd ear	K2
Ye gentle spirits whom my soul refines	Y2
Where all its animating lustre shines	Y2
Ye who can exquisitely feel the glow	I
Whose soft suffusion gilds the cloud of woe	I
Warm as the colours varying iris pours	H
That tinge with streaming rays the chilling showers	G
Ye to whose yielding hearts my power endears	G
The transport blended with delicious tears	G
The bliss that swells to agony the breast	U
The sympathy that robs the soul of rest	U
Hither with fond devotion pensive come	E2
Kiss the pale shrine and murmur o'er the tomb	E2
Bend on the hallow'd turf the tear full eye	I
And breathe the precious incense of a sigh	I
Las Casas' tear has moisten'd mis'ry's grave	V
His sigh has moan'd the wretch it fail'd to save	V
He while conflicting pangs his bosom tear	T
Has sought the lonely cavern of despair	T
Where desolate she fled and pour'd her thought	U
To the dread verge of wild distraction wrought	U
White drops of mercy bath'd his hoary cheek	Z2
He pour'd by heav'n inspir'd its accents meek	Z2
In truth's clear mirror bade the mourner's view	I
Pierce the deep veil which darkling error drew	I
And vanquish'd empire with a smile resign	A3
While brighter worlds in fair perspective shine	A3
She paus'd yet still the sweet enthusiast bends	G
O'er the cold turf and still her tear descends	G
The ever falling tears her beauties shroud	U
Till slow she vanish'd in a fleecy cloud	U
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Mild Gasca now the messenger of peace	G
Suspends the storm and bids the tumult cease	G
Pure spirit in Religion's garb he came	E2
And all his bosom felt her holy flame	E2
'Twas then her vot'ries glory and their care	T
To bid oppression's harpy talons spare	T
To bend the crimson banner he unfurl'd	U
And shelter from his grasp a suff'ring world	U
Gasca the guardian minister of woe	I
Bids o'er her wounds the balms of comfort flow	I
While rich Potosi B rolls the copious tide	U
Of wealth unbounded as the wish of pride	U
His pure unsullied soul with high disdain	D
For virtue spurns the fascinating bane	D
Her seraph form can still his breast allure	B3
Tho' drest in weeds she triumph'd to be poor	W2
Hopeless ambition's murders to restrain	D
And virtue's wrongs he sought Iberia's plain	D
Without one mean reserve he nobly brings	G
A massive treasure yet unknown to kings	G
No purple pomp around his dome was spread	U
No gilded roofs hung glitt'ring o'er his head	U
Yet peace with milder radiance deck'd his bower	N
And crown'd with dearer joy life's evening hour	N
While virtue whisper'd to his conscious heart	U
The sweet reflexion of its high desert	U
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Ah meek Peruvia still thy murmur'd sighs	G
Thy stifled groans in fancy's ear arise	G
Sadd'ning she views thy desolated soul	I
As slow the circling years of bondage roll	I
Redeem from tyranny's oppressive power	N
With fond affection's force one sacred hour	N
And consecrate its fleeting precious space	G
The dear remembrance of the past to trace	G
Call from her bed of dust joy's buried shade	U
She smiles in mem'ry's lucid robes array'd	U
O'er thy creative scene C majestic moves	G
And wakes each mild delight thy fancy loves	G
But soon the image of thy wrongs in clouds	G
The fair and transient ray of pleasure shrouds	G
Far other visions melt thy mournful eye	I
And wake the gushing tear th' indignant sigh	I
There Ataliba's sacred murder'd form	E2
Sinks in the billow of oppression's storm	E2
Wild o'er the scene of death thy glances roll	I
And pangs tumultuous swell thy troubled soul	I
Thy bosom burns distraction spreads her flames	G
And from the tyrant foe her victim claims	G
	-
But lo where bursting desolation's night	U
A sudden ray of glory cheers my sight	U
From my fond eye the tear of rapture flows	G
My heart with pure delight exulting glows	G
A blooming chief of India's royal race	G
Whose soaring soul its high descent can trace	G
The flag of freedom rears on Chili's D plain	D
And leads to glorious strife his gen'rous train	D
And see Iberia bleeds while vict'ry twines	G
Her fairest blossoms round Peruvia's shrines	G
The gaping wounds of earth disclose no more	L2
The lucid silver and the glowing ore	L2
A brighter glory gilds the passing hour	N
While freedom breaks the rod of lawless power	N
Lo on the Andes' icy steep she glows	G
And prints with rapid step th' eternal snows	G
Or moves majestic o'er the desert plain	D
And eloquently pours her potent strain	D
Still may that strain the patriot's soul inspire	C3
And still this injur'd race her spirit fire	N
O Freedom may thy genius still ascend	U
Beneath thy crest may proud Iberia bend	U
While roll'd in dust thy graceful feet beneath	D3
Fades the dark laurel of her sanguine wreath	D3
Bend her red trophies tear her victor plume	E2
And close insatiate slaughter's yawning tomb	E2
Again on soft Peruvia's fragrant breast	U
May beauty blossom and may pleasure rest	U
Peru the muse that vainly mourn'd thy woes	G
Whom pity robb'd so long of dear repose	G
The muse whose pensive soul with anguish wrung	E3
Her early lyre for thee has trembling strung	E3
Shed the weak tear and breath'd the powerless sigh	I
Which soon in cold oblivion's shade must die	I
Pants with the wish thy deeds may rise to fame	E2
Bright on some living harp's immortal frame	E2
While on the string of extasy it pours	G
Thy future triumphs o'er unnumber'd shores	G
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A The Lama's bend their knees and stoop their body in such a manner as not to discompose their burden They move with a slow but firm pace in countries that are impracticable to other animals They are neither dispirited by fasting nor drudgery while they have any strength remaining but when they are totally exhausted or fall under their burden it is to no purpose to harrass and beat them they will continue striking their heads on the ground first on one side then on the other till they kill themselves Abb Raynal's History of the European Settlements	G
B See a delightful representation of the incorruptible integrity of this Spaniard in Robertson's History of America	Y
C O'er thy creative scene The Peruvians have solemn days on which they assume their antient dress Some among them represent a tragedy the subject of which is the death of Atabalipa The audience who begin with shedding tears are afterwards transported into a kind of madness It seldom happens in these festivals but that some Spaniard is slain Abb Raynal's History	F3
D On Chili's plain An Indian descended from the Inca's has lately obtained several victories over the Spaniards the gold mines have been for some time shut up and there is much reason to hope that these injured nations may recover the liberty of which they have been so cruelly deprived	U

Helen Maria Williams

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