Peruvian Tales: Cora, Tale Vi Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCDEFFGGHHIJKKLLMN OOFFPPBBQQRRSSSSTTUU VVWWXXOOBBSSRRFFWWYY FFZZA2A2B2B2C2RFFWWR RFFFFWWD2D2BBSSFFSSS SXXTT FFBBRRE2E2SSF2F2G2G2 TTRRFFH2H2BBC2C2TTI2 I2GGBBJ2LK2K2BB FFL2L2M2H2RRSSFFLLN2 N2FFC2C2O2

The troops of ALMAGRO and ALPHONSO meet on the plain of CUZCO MANCO CAPAC attacks them by nights 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 mountain 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 The annual festival of the PERUVIANS Their victories over the Spaniards in Chili A wish for the restoration of their liberty ConclusionA
-
-
At length ALMAGRO and ALPHONSO'S trainB
Each peril past unite on Cuzco's plainB
CAPAC resolves beneath the shroud of nightC
To pierce the hostile camp and brave the fightC
Though weak the wrong'd PERUVIANS ' arrowy showersD
To the dire weapons stern IBERIA poursE
Fierce was th' unequal contest for the soulF
When rais'd by some high passion's strong controulF
New strings the nerves and o'er the glowing frameG
Breathes the warm spirit of heroic flameG
But from the scene where raging slaughter burnsH
The timid muse with silent horror turnsH
The blended sounds of grief she panting hearsI
Where anguish dims a mother's eye with tearsJ
Or where the maid who gave to love's soft powerK
Her faithful spirit weeps the parting hourK
And O till death shall ease the tender woeL
That soul must languish and those tears must flowL
For never with the thrill that rapture provesM
Her voice again shall hail the youth she lovesN
Her earnest eye no more his form shall viewO
Her quiv'ring lip has breath'd the last adieuO
Now night that pour'd upon the hollow galeF
The din of battle dropp'd her mournful veilF
The sun rose lovely from the sleeping floodP
And morning glitter'd o'er the field of bloodP
Where bath'd in gore PERUVIA'S vanquish'd trainB
Lay cold and senseless on the sanguine plainB
The gen'rous CAPAC saw his warriors yieldQ
And fled indignant from the conquer'd fieldQ
A wretched throng from Cuzco now repairR
Who tread 'mid slaughter'd heaps in mute despairR
O'er some lov'd corse the shroud of earth to spreadS
And breathe some ritual that may soothe the deadS
No moan was heard for agony supprestS
The fond complaints which ease the swelling breastS
Each hope for ever lost they only craveT
The deep repose that wraps the shelt'ring graveT
So the meek lama lur'd by some decoyU
Of man from all his unembitter'd joyU
Erewhile as free as roves the wand'ring breezeV
Meets the hard burden on his bending kneesV
O'er rocks and mountains dark and waste he goesW
Nor shuns the path where no fresh herbage growsW
Till worn with toil on earth he prostrate liesX
Heeds not the barb'rous lash and scornful diesX
Swift o'er the field of death sad CORA flewO
Her infant to his mother's bosom grewO
She seeks her wretched lord who fled the plainB
With the last remnant of his vanquish'd trainB
Thro' the long glen or forest's gloomy shadeS
A dreary solitude the mourner stray'dS
Her timid heart can now each danger dareR
Her drooping soul is arm'd by deep despairR
Long long she wander'd till oppress'd with toilF
Her trembling footsteps track with blood the soilF
Where o'er an ample vale a mountain roseW
Low at its base her fainting form she throwsW
And here my child she cried with panting breathY
Here let us wait the hour of ling'ring deathY
This famish'd bosom can no more supplyF
The streams that nourish life my babe must dieF
In vain I strive to cherish for thy sakeZ
My failing strength but when my heart strings breakZ
When my cold bosom can no longer warmA2
My stiff'ning arms no more enfold thy formA2
Soft on this bed of leaves my child shall sleepB2
Close to his mother's corse he will not weepB2
O weep not then my tender babe tho' nearC2
I shall not hear thy moan nor see thy tearR
Hope not to move me by thy mournful cryF
Nor seek with earnest look my answering eyeF
As thus the dying CORA'S plaints aroseW
O'er the fair valley sudden darkness throwsW
A hideous horror thro' the wounded airR
Howl'd the shrill voice of nature in despairR
The birds dart screaming thro' the fluid skyF
And dash'd upon the cliff's hard surface dieF
High o'er their rocky bounds the billows swellF
Then to their deep abyss affrighted fellF
Earth groaning heaves with dire convulsive throesW
While yawning gulphs its central caves discloseW
Now rush'd a frighted throng with trembling paceD2
Along the vale and sought the mountain's baseD2
Purpos'd its perilous ascent to gainB
And shun the ruin low'ring o'er the plainB
They reach'd the spot where CORA clasp'd her childS
And gaz'd on present death with aspect wildS
They pitying pause she lifts her mournful eyeF
And views her lord he hears his CORA'S sighF
He meets her looks their melting souls uniteS
O'erwhelmed and agoniz'd with wild delightS
At length she faintly cried we yet must partS
Short are these rising joys I feel my heartS
My suff'ring heart is cold and mists ariseX
That shroud thy image from my closing eyesX
O save my child our helpless infant saveT
And shed a tear upon thy CORA'S graveT
-
The fluttering pulse of life now ceas'd to playF
And in his arms a pallid corse she layF
O'er her dear form he hung in speechless painB
And still on CORA call'd but call'd in vainB
Scarce could his soul in one short moment bearR
The wild extremes of transport and despairR
Now o'er the west in melting softness streamsE2
A lustre milder than the morning beamsE2
A purer dawn dispell'd the fearful nightS
And nature glow'd in all the blooms of lightS
Then first the mourner waking from his tranceF2
Cast on his smiling babe an eager glanceF2
Then rose the hollow voice on fancy's earG2
The parting words he hears or seems to hearG2
That sought with anxious tenderness to saveT
That dear memorial from the closing graveT
He clasps the object of his love's last careR
And vows for him the load of life to bearR
He journey'd o'er a dreary length of wayF
To plains where freedom shed her hallow'd rayF
There o'er the pathless wood and mountain hoarH2
His faithful band the lifeless CORA boreH2
Ye who ne'er pin'd in sorrow's hopeless painB
Deem not the toil that soothes its anguish vainB
Perchance the conscious spirit hovers nearC2
And love's fond tribute to the dead is dearC2
Not long IBERIA'S sullied trophies waveT
Her guilty warriors press th' untimely graveT
For av'rice rising from the caves of earthI2
Wakes all her savage spirit into birthI2
Bids proud ALMAGRO feel her baleful flameG
And Cuzco's treasures from PIZARRO claimG
Now fierce in hostile rage each warlike trainB
Purple with kindred blood PERUVIA'S plainB
While pensive on the hills whose lofty browJ2
O'erhung with waving woods the vale belowL
PERUVIA'S hapless tribes in scatter'd throngsK2
Behold the fiends of strife avenge their wrongsK2
Till fetter'd in PIZARRO'S iron chainB
ALMAGRO swells the victor's captive trainB
-
In vain his pleading voice his suppliant eyeF
Conjure his conqu'ror by the holy tieF
That seal'd their mutual league with sacred forceL2
When first to climes unknown they bent their courseL2
When danger's rising horrors low'r'd afarM2
The storms of ocean and the toils of warH2
The sad remains of wasted life to spareR
The shrivell'd bosom and the silver'd hairR
ALMAGRO dies the victor's barb'rous prideS
To his pale corpse funereal rites deniedS
Chill'd by the heavy dews of night it layF
And wither'd in the sultry beam of dayF
Till Indian bosoms touch'd with gen'rous woeL
Paid the last duties to a prostrate foeL
With unrelenting hate the conqu'ror viewsN2
ALMAGRO'S band and vengeance still pursuesN2
Condemns the victims of his power to strayF
In drooping poverty's chill thorny wayF
To pine with famine's agony severeC2
And all the ling'ring forms of death to fearC2
Till by despair impell'd theO2

Helen Maria Williams



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Peruvian Tales: Cora, Tale Vi poem by Helen Maria Williams


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 1 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets