The Christiad: A Divine Poem: Book I Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCDCCECEE A FGHGGIGIJ A DKDKKLMNL O PQPQQRQRR O STSTTUTUU O VWVWW WXX O FYFYYZYZZ O A2GA2GGOGB2B2 D WPWPPDPDD D C2WC2WWYWYY W PD2PE2E2GE2GG W OF2OF2F2G2H2G2G2 W I2WI2WWJ2WJ2J2 O WK2WK2K2FK2FF O WPWPPWPWW O L2B2L2B2B2B2B2B2 O WB2WB2B2WB2W O B2M2B2M2M2OM2OO W B2B2B2B2B2WB2WW W UWUWWK2WK2 W B2M2B2M2M2WM2WW W B2OB2OOEOEE W N2M2N2M2M2B2M2B2B2 O M2B2M2B2B2WB2WW O B2B2B2B2B2O2B2O2O2 O WWWWWWWWW O M2P2M2P2P2B2P2B2B2 O OB2OB2B2WB2WW W OQ2WQ2Q2B2Q2B2B2 W M2B2M2B2B2B2B2B2B2 B2WR2B2B2WWWWWS2T2U2 U2B2S2U2WWWT2WV2 WE2WE2E2WD2WW B2WB2WWWWWW B2B2B2V2 O EM2EM2M2WM2WW W2B2W2B2B2WB2WW

I	A
	-
I sing the Cross Ye white robed angel choirs	B
Who know the chords of harmony to sweep	C
Ye who o'er holy David's varying wires	D
Were wont of old your hovering watch to keep	C
Oh now descend and with your harpings deep	C
Pouring sublime the full symphonious stream	E
Of music such as soothes the saint's last sleep	C
Awake my slumbering spirit from its dream	E
And teach me how to exalt the high mysterious theme	E
	-
II	A
	-
Mourn Salem mourn low lies thine humbled state	F
Thy glittering fanes are level'd with the ground	G
Fallen is thy pride Thine halls are desolate	H
Where erst was heard the timbrels' sprightly sound	G
And frolic pleasures tripp'd the nightly round	G
There breeds the wild fox lonely and aghast	I
Stands the mute pilgrim at the void profound	G
Unbroke by noise save when the hurrying blast	I
Sighs like a spirit deep along the cheerless waste	J
	-
III	A
	-
It is for this proud Solyma thy towers	D
Lie crumbling in the dust for this forlorn	K
Thy genius wails along thy desert bowers	D
While stern Destruction laughs as if in scorn	K
That thou didst dare insult God's eldest born	K
And with most bitter persecuting ire	L
Pursued his footsteps till the last day dawn	M
Rose on his fortunes and thou saw'st the fire	N
That came to light the world in one great flash expire	L
	-
IV	O
	-
Oh for a pencil dipp'd in living light	P
To paint the agonies that Jesus bore	Q
Oh for the long lost harp of Jesse's might	P
To hymn the Saviour's praise from shore to shore	Q
While seraph hosts the lofty p an pour	Q
And Heaven enraptured lists the loud acclaim	R
May a frail mortal dare the theme explore	Q
May he to human ears his weak song frame	R
Oh may he dare to sing Messiah's glorious name	R
	-
V	O
	-
Spirits of pity mild crusaders come	S
Buoyant on clouds around your minstrel float	T
And give him eloquence who else were dumb	S
And raise to feeling and to fire his note	T
And thou Urania who dost still devote	T
Thy nights and days to God's eternal shrine	U
Whose mild eyes 'lumined what Isaiah wrote	T
Throw o'er thy Bard that solemn stole of thine	U
And clothe him for the fight with energy divine	U
	-
VI	O
	-
When from the temple's lofty summit prone	V
Satan o'ercome fell down and 'throned there	W
The son of God confess'd in splendour shone	V
Swift as the glancing sunbeam cuts the air	W
Mad with defeat and yelling his despair	W
	-
Fled the stern king of Hell and with the glare	W
Of gliding meteors ominous and red	X
Shot athwart the clouds that gather'd round his head	X
	-
VII	O
	-
Right o'er the Euxine and that gulf which late	F
The rude Massaget adored he bent	Y
His northering course while round in dusky state	F
The assembling fiends their summon'd troops augment	Y
Clothed in dark mists upon their way they went	Y
While as they pass'd to regions more severe	Z
The Lapland sorcerer swell'd with loud lament	Y
The solitary gale and fill'd with fear	Z
The howling dogs bespoke unholy spirits near	Z
	-
VIII	O
	-
Where the North Pole in moody solitude	A2
Spreads her huge tracks and frozen wastes around	G
There ice rocks piled aloft in order rude	A2
Form a gigantic hall where never sound	G
Startled dull Silence' ear save when profound	G
The smoke frost mutter'd there drear Cold for aye	O
Thrones him and fix'd on his prim val mound	G
Ruin the giant sits while stern Dismay	B2
Stalks like some woe struck man along the desert way	B2
	-
IX	D
	-
In that drear spot grim Desolation's lair	W
No sweet remain of life encheers the sight	P
The dancing heart's blood in an instant there	W
Would freeze to marble Mingling day and night	P
Sweet interchange which makes our labours light	P
Are there unknown while in the summer skies	D
The sun rolls ceaseless round his heavenly height	P
Nor ever sets till from the scene he flies	D
And leaves the long bleak night of half the year to rise	D
	-
X	D
	-
'T was there yet shuddering from the burning lake	C2
Satan had fix'd their next consistory	W
When parting last he fondly hoped to shake	C2
Messiah's constancy and thus to free	W
The powers of darkness from the dread decree	W
Of bondage brought by him and circumvent	Y
The unerring ways of Him whose eye can see	W
The womb of Time and in its embryo pent	Y
Discern the colours clear of every dark event	Y
	-
XI	W
	-
Here the stern monarch stay'd his rapid flight	P
And his thick hosts as with a jetty pall	D2
Hovering obscured the north star's peaceful light	P
Waiting on wing their haughty chieftain's call	E2
He meanwhile downward with a sullen fall	E2
Dropp'd on the echoing ice Instant the sound	G
Of their broad vans was hush'd and o'er the hall	E2
Vast and obscure the gloomy cohorts bound	G
Till wedged in ranks the seat of Satan they surround	G
	-
XII	W
	-
High on a solium of the solid wave	O
Prank'd with rude shapes by the fantastic frost	F2
He stood in silence now keen thoughts engrave	O
Dark figures on his front and tempest toss'd	F2
He fears to say that every hope is lost	F2
Meanwhile the multitude as death are mute	G2
So ere the tempest on Malacca's coast	H2
Sweet Quiet gently touching her soft lute	G2
Sings to the whispering waves the prelude to dispute	G2
	-
XIII	W
	-
At length collected o'er the dark Divan	I2
The arch fiend glanced as by the Boreal blaze	W
Their downcast brows were seen and thus began	I2
His fierce harangue Spirits our better days	W
Are now elapsed Moloch and Belial's praise	W
Shall sound no more in groves by myriads trod	J2
Lo the light breaks The astonish'd nations gaze	W
For us is lifted high the avenging rod	J2
For spirits this is He this is the Son of God	J2
	-
XIV	O
	-
What then shall Satan's spirit crouch to fear	W
Shall he who shook the pillars of God's reign	K2
Drop from his unnerved arm the hostile spear	W
Madness The very thought would make me fain	K2
To tear the spanglets from yon gaudy plain	K2
And hurl them at their Maker Fix'd as Fate	F
I am his foe Yea though his pride should deign	K2
To soothe mine ire with half his regal state	F
Still would I burn with fix'd unalterable hate	F
	-
XV	O
	-
Now hear the issue of my cursed emprize	W
When from our last sad synod I took flight	P
Buoyed with false hopes in some deep laid disguise	W
To tempt this vaunted Holy One to write	P
His own self condemnation in the plight	P
Of aged man in the lone wilderness	W
Gathering a few stray sticks I met his sight	P
And leaning on my staff seem'd much to guess	W
What cause could mortal bring to that forlorn recess	W
	-
XVI	O
	-
Then thus in homely guise I featly framed	L2
My lowly speech 'Good Sir what leads this way	B2
Your wandering steps must hapless chance be blamed	L2
That you so far from haunt of mortals stray	B2
Here have I dwelt for many a lingering day	B2
Nor trace of man have seen but how methought	B2
Thou wert the youth on whom God's holy ray	B2
I saw descend in Jordan when John taught	B2
That he to fallen man the saving promise brought '	-
	-
XVII	O
	-
'I am that man ' said Jesus 'I am He	W
But truce to questions Canst thou point my feet	B2
To some low hut if haply such there be	W
In this wild labyrinth where I may meet	B2
With homely greeting and may sit and eat	B2
For forty days I have tarried fasting here	W
Hid in the dark glens of this lone retreat	B2
And now I hunger and my fainting ear	W
Longs much to greet the sound of fountains gushing near '	-
	-
XVIII	O
	-
Then thus I answer'd wily 'If indeed	B2
Son of our God thou be'st what need to seek	M2
For food from men Lo on these flint stones feed	B2
Bid them be bread Open thy lips and speak	M2
And living rills from yon parch'd rock will break'	M2
Instant as I had spoke his piercing eye	O
Fix'd on my face the blood forsook my cheek	M2
I could not bear his gaze my mask slipp'd by	O
I would have shunn'd his look but had not power to fly	O
	-
XIX	W
	-
Then he rebuked me with the holy word	B2
Accursed sounds but now my native pride	B2
Return'd and by no foolish qualm deterr'd	B2
I bore him from the mountain's woody side	B2
Up to the summit where extending wide	B2
Kingdoms and cities palaces and fanes	W
Bright sparkling in the sunbeams were descried	B2
And in gay dance amid luxuriant plains	W
Tripp'd to the jocund reed the emasculated swains	W
	-
XX	W
	-
'Behold ' I cried 'these glories scenes divine	U
Thou whose sad prime in pining want decays	W
And these O rapture these shall all be thine	U
If thou wilt give to me not God the praise	W
Hath he not given to indigence thy days	W
Is not thy portion peril here and pain	K2
Oh leave his temples shun his wounding ways	W
Seize the tiara these mean weeds disdain	K2
Kneel kneel thou man of woe and peace and splendour gain '	-
	-
XXI	W
	-
'Is it not written ' sternly he replied	B2
'Tempt not the Lord thy God ' Frowning he spake	M2
And instant sounds as of the ocean tide	B2
Rose and the whirlwind from its prison brake	M2
And caught me up aloft till in one flake	M2
The sidelong volley met my swift career	W
And smote me earthward Jove himself might quake	M2
At such a fall my sinews crack'd and near	W
Obscure and dizzy sounds seem'd ringing in mine ear	W
	-
XXII	W
	-
Senseless and stunn'd I lay till casting round	B2
My half unconscious gaze I saw the foe	O
Borne on a car of roses to the ground	B2
By volant angels and as sailing slow	O
He sunk the hoary battlement below	O
While on the tall spire slept the slant sunbeam	E
Sweet on the enamour'd zephyr was the flow	O
Of heavenly instruments Such strains oft seem	E
On star light hill to soothe the Syrian shepherd's dream	E
	-
XXIII	W
	-
I saw blaspheming Hate renew'd my strength	N2
I smote the ether with my iron wing	M2
And left the accursed scene Arrived at length	N2
In these drear halls to ye my peers I bring	M2
The tidings of defeat Hell's haughty king	M2
Thrice vanquished baffled smitten and dismay'd	B2
O shame Is this the hero who could fling	M2
Defiance at his Maker while array'd	B2
High o'er the walls of light rebellion's banners play'd	B2
	-
XXIV	O
	-
Yet shall not Heaven's bland minions triumph long	M2
Hell yet shall have revenge O glorious sight	B2
Prophetic visions on my fancy throng	M2
I see wild Agony's lean finger write	B2
Sad figures on his forehead Keenly bright	B2
Revenge's flambeau burns Now in his eyes	W
Stand the hot tears immantled in the night	B2
Lo he retires to mourn I hear his cries	W
He faints he falls and lo 't is true ye powers he dies	W
	-
XXV	O
	-
Thus spake the chieftain and as if he view'd	B2
The scene he pictured with his foot advanced	B2
And chest inflated motionless he stood	B2
While under his uplifted shield he glanced	B2
With straining eyeball fix'd like one entranced	B2
On viewless air thither the dark platoon	O2
Gazed wondering nothing seen save when there danced	B2
The northern flash or fiend late fled from noon	O2
Darken'd the disk of the descending moon	O2
	-
XXVI	O
	-
Silence crept stilly through the ranks The breeze	W
Spake most distinctly As the sailor stands	W
When all the midnight gasping from the seas	W
Break boding sobs and to his sight expands	W
High on the shrouds the spirit that commands	W
The ocean farer's life so stiff so sear	W
Stood each dark power while through their numerous bands	W
Beat not one heart and mingling hope and fear	W
Now told them all was lost now bade revenge appear	W
	-
XXVII	O
	-
One there was there whose loud defying tongue	M2
Nor hope nor fear had silenced but the swell	P2
Of over boiling malice Utterance long	M2
His passion mock'd and long he strove to tell	P2
His labouring ire still syllable none fell	P2
From his pale quivering lip but died away	B2
For very fury from each hollow cell	P2
Half sprang his eyes that cast a flamy ray	B2
And	B2
	-
	-
XXVIII	O
	-
This comes at length burst from the furious chief	O
This comes of distant counsels Here behold	B2
The fruits of wily cunning the relief	O
Which coward policy would fain unfold	B2
To soothe the powers that warr'd with Heaven of old	B2
O wise O potent O sagacious snare	W
And lo our prince the mighty and the bold	B2
There stands he spell struck gaping at the air	W
While Heaven subverts his reign and plants her standard there	W
	-
XXIX	W
	-
Here as recovered Satan fix'd his eye	O
Full on the speaker dark it was and stern	Q2
He wrapp'd his black vest round him gloomily	W
And stood like one whom weightiest thoughts concern	Q2
Him Moloch mark'd and strove again to turn	Q2
His soul to rage Behold behold he cried	B2
The lord of Hell who made these legions spurn	Q2
Almighty rule behold he lays aside	B2
The spear of just revenge and shrinks by man defied	B2
	-
XXX	W
	-
Thus ended Moloch and his burning tongue	M2
Hung quivering as if mad to quench its heat	B2
In slaughter So his native wilds among	M2
The famish'd tiger pants when near his seat	B2
Press'd on the sands he marks the traveller's feet	B2
Instant low murmurs rose and many a sword	B2
Had from its scabbard sprung but toward the seat	B2
Of the arch fiend all turn'd with one accord	B2
As loud he thus harangued the sanguinary horde	B2
	-
	-
	-
Ye powers of Hell I am no coward I proved	B2
this of old who led your forces against the armies	W
of Jehovah Who coped with Ithuriel and the	R2
thunders of the Almighty Who when stunned	B2
and confused ye lay on the burning lake who first	B2
awoke and collected your scattered powers Lastly	W
who led you across the unfathomable abyss to this	W
delightful world and established that reign here	W
which now totters to its base How therefore	W
dares yon treacherous fiend to cast a stain on Satan's	W
bravery he who preys only on the defenceless who	S2
sucks the blood of infants and delights only in	T2
acts of ignoble cruelty and unequal contention	U2
Away with the boaster who never joins in action	U2
but like a cormorant hovers over the field to feed	B2
upon the wounded and overwhelm the dying True	S2
bravery is as remote from rashness as from hesitation	U2
let us counsel coolly but let us execute our	W
counselled purposes determinately In power we	W
have learned by that experiment which lost us	W
Heaven that we are inferior to the Thunder bearer In	T2
subtlety in subtlety alone we are his equals	W
Open war is impossible	V2
	-
	-
	-
Thus we shall pierce our conqueror through the race	W
Which as himself he loves thus if we fall	E2
We fall not with the anguish the disgrace	W
Of falling unrevenged The stirring call	E2
Of vengeance rings within me Warriors all	E2
The word is vengeance and the spur despair	W
Away with coward wiles Death's coal black pall	D2
Be now our standard Be our torch the glare	W
Of cities fired our fifes the shrieks that fill the air	W
	-
Him answering rose Mecashpim who of old	B2
Far in the silence of Chaldea's groves	W
Was worshipp'd God of Fire with charms untold	B2
And mystery His wandering spirit roves	W
Now vainly searching for the flame it loves	W
And sits and mourns like some white robed sire	W
Where stood his temple and where fragrant cloves	W
And cinnamon unheap'd the sacred pyre	W
And nightly magi watch'd the everlasting fire	W
	-
He waved his robe of flame he cross'd his breast	B2
And sighing his papyrus scarf survey'd	B2
Woven with dark characters then thus address'd	B2
The troubled council	V2
	-
	-
	-
I	O
	-
Thus far have I pursued my solemn theme	E
With self rewarding toil thus far have sung	M2
Of godlike deeds far loftier than beseem	E
The lyre which I in early days have strung	M2
And now my spirit's faint and I have hung	M2
The shell that solaced me in saddest hour	W
On the dark cypress and the strings which rung	M2
With Jesus' praise their harpings now are o'er	W
Or when the breeze comes by moan and are heard no more	W
	-
And must the harp of Judah sleep again	W2
Shall I no more reanimate the lay	B2
Oh thou who visitest the sons of men	W2
Thou who dost listen when the humble pray	B2
One little space prolong my mournful day	B2
One little lapse suspend thy last decree	W
I am a youthful traveller in the way	B2
And this slight boon would consecrate to thee	W
Ere I with Death shake hands and smile that I am free	W

Henry Kirk White

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