Manasseh Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST UVWXYZA2B2C2D2E2F2G2 H2A2LI2J2K2CL2HA2M2W N2K2O2P2Q2 R2S2T2HXWU2S2LV2W2X2 Y2I Z2S2A3B3C3D3S2S2I2I2 S2E3F3G3S2M2H3I3J3G3 K3L3M3 N3S2H3HS2O3A2P3S2S2 A2Q3S2L3R3FK3D3 S3QT3U3V3Q3S2S2W3AAX 3Q3Y3L3S2S2J2Z3A4B4C 4

Manasseh lord of Judah and the sonA
Of him who favoured of Jehovah sawB
At midnight when the skies were flushed with fireC
The splendid mystery of the shining airD
That flamed above the black Assyrian campsE
And breathed upon the evil hosts at restF
And shed swift violent sleep into their eyesG
Manasseh lord of Judah when he cameH
To fortify himself upon his throneI
And saw great strength was gathered unto himJ
Let slip satanic passions he had nursedK
For years and years and lo the land that HeL
Who thundered on the Oriental MountM
Girt round with awful light had set apartN
For Jacob s seed the land that Moses strainedO
On Nebo s topmost cone to see grew blackP
Beneath the shadow of despotic SinQ
That stalked on foot ways dashed with human bloodR
And mocked high Heaven by audacious firesS
And as when Storm that voice of God is loudT
Within the mountained Syrian wildernessU
There flits a wailing through the wilted pinesV
So in the city of the wicked kingW
A voice like Abel s crying from the groundX
Made sorrow of the broken evening windsY
And darkness of the fair young morning lightsZ
And silence in the homes of hunted menA2
But in a time when grey winged Autumn fogsB2
Shut off the sun from Carmel s seaward sideC2
And fitful gusts did speak within the treesD2
Of rain beyond the waters while the priestsE2
In Hinnom s echoing valley offered upF2
Unhallowed sacrifices unto godsG2
Of brass and stone there came a trumpet s voiceH2
Along the bald bleak northern flats and thenA2
A harnessed horseman riding furiouslyL
Dashed down the ridge with an exceeding cryI2
Of Esarhaddon Esarhaddon hasteJ2
Away ye elders lo the swarthy foeK2
Six leagues from hence hath made the land a fireC
And all the dwellers of the hollowed hillsL2
Are flying hitherwards before a flameH
Of fifty thousand swords At this the menA2
Of Baal turned about set face and fledM2
Towards the thickets where the impious kingW
Ringed round by grey gaunt wizards with the brandN2
Of Belial on their features cowered lowK2
And hid himself amongst the tangled thornsO2
And shivered in a bitter seaborn windP2
And caught the whiteness of a deathly fearQ2
-
There where the ash pale forest leaves were touchedR2
By Morning s shining fingers and the inland depthsS2
Sent out rain plenished voices west and southT2
The steel clad scouts of Esarhaddon cameH
And searched and found Manasseh whom they boundX
And dragged before the swart Assyrian kingW
And Esarhaddon scourge of Heaven sentU2
To strange Evil at its chiefest fanesS2
And so fulfil a dread divine decreeL
Took Judah s despot fettered hand and footV2
And cast him bleeding on a dungeon floorW2
Hard by where swift Euphrates chafes his brinkX2
And gleams from cataract to cataractY2
And gives the gale a deep midwinter toneI
-
So fared Manasseh for the sins which broughtZ2
Pale featured Desolation to the tentsS2
Of alienated Judah but one nightA3
When ninety moons of wild unrest had passedB3
The humbled son of Hezekiah turnedC3
Himself towards the wall and prayed and weptD3
And in an awful darkness face to faceS2
With God he said I know O Lord of HostsS2
That Thou art wise and just and kind and II2
Am shapen in iniquity but byI2
The years of black captivity whose daysS2
And nights have marked my spirit passing throughE3
Fierce furnaces of suffering and seenF3
It groping in blind shadows with a hopeG3
To reach Thy Hand by these O Father theseS2
That brought the swift sad silver to my headM2
Which should have come with Age which came with PainH3
I pray Thee hear these supplications nowI3
And stoop and lift me from my low estateJ3
And lend me this once my dominionshipG3
So I may strive to live the bad Past downK3
And lead henceforth a white and wholesome lifeL3
And be thy contrite servant Lord indeedM3
-
The prayer was not in vain for while the stormN3
Sang high above the dim Chaldean domesS2
While in the pines the spirit of the rainH3
Sobbed fitfully Jehovah s angel cameH
And made a splendour of the dungeon wallsS2
And smote the bars and led Manasseh forthO3
And caught him up nor set him down againA2
Until the turrets of JerusalemP3
Sprang white before the flying travellersS2
Against the congregated morning hillsS2
-
And he the broken man made whole againA2
Was faithful to his promise Every dayQ3
Thereafter passing bore upon its wingsS2
Some shining record of his faultless lifeL3
Some brightness of a high resolve fulfilledR3
And in good time when all the land had restF
He found that he had lived the bad Past downK3
And gave God praise and with his fathers sleptD3
-
Thus ends the story of Manasseh IfS3
This verse should catch the eyes of one whose sinQ
Lies heavy on his soul who finds himselfT3
A shame faced alien when he walks abroadU3
A moping shadow when he sits at homeV3
Who has no human friends who day by dayQ3
Is smitten down by icy level looksS2
From that cold Virtue which is mercilessS2
Because it knoweth not what wrestling withW3
A fierce temptation means if such a oneA
Should read my tale of Hezekiah s sonA
Let him take heart and gather up his strengthX3
And step above men s scorn and find his wayQ3
By paths of fire as brave Manasseh didY3
Up to the white heights of a blameless lifeL3
And it will come to pass that in the faceS2
Of grey old enmities whose partial eyesS2
Are blind to reformation he will tasteJ2
A sweetness in his thoughts and live his timeZ3
Arrayed with the efficient armour ofA4
That noble power which grows of self respectB4
And makes a man a pillar in the worldC4

Henry Kendall



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