Childhood, A Poem: Part I Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEE FFDDGGHHII AAIIFFHHFF JKLMDDNNOO FFPPBBQQRSFFFF TTUUSSVVWWW FFDDIIFF KKFFXXYY XXTTHHZZFFFFFFXXFF A2B2B2BBFFFXXXXXXC2C 2 XXD2D2XXXXE2E2XXF2G2 UUXXGGXXXXH2H2C2C2C2 C2 XXQI2HHFFXXC2C2QQ| Pictured in memory's mellowing glass how sweet | A |
| Our infant days our infant joys to greet | A |
| To roam in fancy in each cherish'd scene | B |
| The village churchyard and the village green | B |
| The woodland walk remote the greenwood glade | C |
| The mossy seat beneath the hawthorn shade | C |
| The whitewashed cottage where the woodbine grew | D |
| And all the favourite haunts our childhood knew | D |
| How sweet while all the evil shuns the gaze | E |
| To view the unclouded skies of former days | E |
| - | |
| Beloved age of innocence and smiles | F |
| When each wing'd hour some new delight beguiles | F |
| When the gay heart to life's sweet dayspring true | D |
| Still finds some insect pleasure to pursue | D |
| Bless'd Childhood hail Thee simply will I sing | G |
| And from myself the artless picture bring | G |
| These long lost scenes to me the past restore | H |
| Each humble friend each pleasure now no more | H |
| And every stump familiar to my sight | I |
| Recalls some fond idea of delight | I |
| - | |
| This shrubby knoll was once my favourite seat | A |
| Here did I love at evening to retreat | A |
| And muse alone till in the vault of night | I |
| Hesper aspiring show'd his golden light | I |
| Here once again remote from human noise | F |
| I sit me down to think of former joys | F |
| Pause on each scene each treasured scene once more | H |
| And once again each infant walk explore | H |
| While as each grove and lawn I recognize | F |
| My melted soul suffuses in my eyes | F |
| - | |
| And oh thou Power whose myriad trains resort | J |
| To distant scenes and picture them to thought | K |
| Whose mirror held unto the mourner's eye | L |
| Flings to his soul a borrow'd gleam of joy | M |
| Bless'd Memory guide with finger nicely true | D |
| Back to my youth my retrospective view | D |
| Recall with faithful vigour to my mind | N |
| Each face familiar each relation kind | N |
| And all the finer traits of them afford | O |
| Whose general outline in my heart is stored | O |
| - | |
| In yonder cot along whose mouldering walls | F |
| In many a fold the mantling woodbine falls | F |
| The village matron kept her little school | P |
| Gentle of heart yet knowing well to rule | P |
| Staid was the dame and modest was her mien | B |
| Her garb was coarse yet whole and nicely clean | B |
| Her neatly border'd cap as lily fair | Q |
| Beneath her chin was pinn'd with decent care | Q |
| And pendent ruffles of the whitest lawn | R |
| Of ancient make her elbows did adorn | S |
| Faint with old age and dim were grown her eyes | F |
| A pair of spectacles their want supplies | F |
| These does she guard secure in leathern case | F |
| From thoughtless wights in some unweeted place | F |
| - | |
| Here first I enter'd though with toil and pain | T |
| The low vestibule of learning's fane | T |
| Enter'd with pain yet soon I found the way | U |
| Though sometimes toilsome many a sweet display | U |
| Much did I grieve on that ill fated morn | S |
| When I was first to school reluctant borne | S |
| Severe I thought the dame though oft she tried | V |
| To soothe my swelling spirits when I sigh'd | V |
| And oft when harshly she reproved I wept | W |
| To my lone corner broken hearted crept | W |
| And thought of tender home where anger never kept | W |
| - | |
| But soon inured to alphabetic toils | F |
| Alert I met the dame with jocund smiles | F |
| First at the form my task for ever true | D |
| A little favourite rapidly I grew | D |
| And oft she stroked my head with fond delight | I |
| Held me a pattern to the dunce's sight | I |
| And as she gave my diligence its praise | F |
| Talk'd of the honours of my future days | F |
| - | |
| Oh had the venerable matron thought | K |
| Of all the ills by talent often brought | K |
| Could she have seen me when revolving years | F |
| Had brought me deeper in the vale of tears | F |
| Then had she wept and wish'd my wayward fate | X |
| Had been a lowlier an unlettered state | X |
| Wish'd that remote from worldly woes and strife | Y |
| Unknown unheard I might have pass'd through life | Y |
| - | |
| Where in the busy scene by peace unbless'd | X |
| Shall the poor wanderer find a place of rest | X |
| A lonely mariner on the stormy main | T |
| Without a hope the calms of peace to gain | T |
| Long toss'd by tempests o'er the world's wide shore | H |
| When shall his spirit rest to toil no more | H |
| Not till the light foam of the sea shall lave | Z |
| The sandy surface of his unwept grave | Z |
| Childhood to thee I turn from life's alarms | F |
| Serenest season of perpetual calms | F |
| Turn with delight and bid the passions cease | F |
| And joy to think with thee I tasted peace | F |
| Sweet reign of innocence when no crime defiles | F |
| But each new object brings attendant smiles | F |
| When future evils never haunt the sight | X |
| But all is pregnant with unmix'd delight | X |
| To thee I turn from riot and from noise | F |
| Turn to partake of more congenial joys | F |
| - | |
| 'Neath yonder elm that stands upon the moor | A2 |
| When the clock spoke the hour of labour o'er | B2 |
| What clamorous throngs what happy groups were | B2 |
| In various postures scattering o'er the green | B |
| Some shoot the marble others join the chase seen | B |
| Of self made stag or run the emulous race | F |
| While others seated on the dappled grass | F |
| With doleful tales the light wing'd minutes pass | F |
| Well I remember how with gesture starch'd | X |
| A band of soldiers oft with pride we march'd | X |
| For banners to a tall ash we did bind | X |
| Our handkerchiefs flapping to the whistling wind | X |
| And for our warlike arms we sought the mead | X |
| And guns and spears we made of brittle reed | X |
| Then in uncouth array our feats to crown | C2 |
| We storm'd some ruin'd pigsty for a town | C2 |
| - | |
| Pleased with our gay disports the dame was wont | X |
| To set her wheel before the cottage front | X |
| And o'er her spectacles would often peer | D2 |
| To view our gambols and our boyish gear | D2 |
| Still as she look'd her wheel kept turning round | X |
| With its beloved monotony of sound | X |
| When tired with play we'd set us by her side | X |
| For out of school she never knew to chide | X |
| And wonder at her skill well known to fame | E2 |
| For who could match in spinning with the dame | E2 |
| Her sheets her linen which she show'd with pride | X |
| To strangers still her thriftness testified | X |
| Though we poor wights did wonder much in troth | F2 |
| How't was her spinning manufactured cloth | G2 |
| - | |
| Oft would we leave though well beloved our play | U |
| To chat at home the vacant hour away | U |
| Many's the time I' we scamper'd in the glade | X |
| To ask the promised ditty from the maid | X |
| Which well she loved as well she knew to sing | G |
| While we around her form'd a little ring | G |
| She told of innocence foredoom'd to bleed | X |
| Of wicked guardians bent on bloody deed | X |
| Or little children murder'd as they slept | X |
| While at each pause we wrung our hands and wept | X |
| Sad was such tale and wonder much did we | H2 |
| Such hearts of stone there in the world could be | H2 |
| Poor simple wights ah little did we ween | C2 |
| The ills that wait on man in life's sad scene | C2 |
| Ah little thought that we ourselves should know | C2 |
| This world's a world of weeping and of woe | C2 |
| - | |
| Beloved moment then 'twas first I caught | X |
| The first foundation of romantic thought | X |
| Then first I shed bold Fancy's thrilling tear | Q |
| Then first that poesy charm'd mine infant ear | I2 |
| Soon stored with much of legendary lore | H |
| The sports of childhood charm'd my soul no more | H |
| Far from the scene of gaiety and noise | F |
| Far far from turbulent and empty joys | F |
| I hied me to the thick overarching shade | X |
| And there on mossy carpet listless laid | X |
| While at my feet the rippling runnel ran | C2 |
| The days of wild romance antique I'd scan | C2 |
| Soar on the wings of fancy through the air | Q |
| To realms of light and pierce the radiance there | Q |
Henry Kirk White
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
About Childhood, A Poem: Part I
Childhood, A Poem: Part I is a poem by Henry Kirk White. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
Write your comment about Childhood, A Poem: Part I poem by Henry Kirk White
sujay majumdar: I am eighty years of age, and while reading this poem waas transported to my age of ten. unforgettable sensation