The World Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAABBCCDDEEFFGH IIIJKLLMMNNNNNN OOONNPPNNNNPPQN RRRAASSTUNNNNVV| I saw Eternity the other night | A |
| Like a great ring of pure and endless light | A |
| All calm as it was bright | A |
| And round beneath it Time in hours days years | B |
| Driv'n by the spheres | B |
| Like a vast shadow mov'd in which the world | C |
| And all her train were hurl'd | C |
| The doting lover in his quaintest strain | D |
| Did there complain | D |
| Near him his lute his fancy and his flights | E |
| Wit's sour delights | E |
| With gloves and knots the silly snares of pleasure | F |
| Yet his dear treasure | F |
| All scatter'd lay while he his eyes did pour | G |
| Upon a flow'r | H |
| - | |
| The darksome statesman hung with weights and woe | I |
| Like a thick midnight fog mov'd there so slow | I |
| He did not stay nor go | I |
| Condemning thoughts like sad eclipses scowl | J |
| Upon his soul | K |
| And clouds of crying witnesses without | L |
| Pursued him with one shout | L |
| Yet digg'd the mole and lest his ways be found | M |
| Work'd under ground | M |
| Where he did clutch his prey but one did see | N |
| That policy | N |
| Churches and altars fed him perjuries | N |
| Were gnats and flies | N |
| It rain'd about him blood and tears but he | N |
| Drank them as free | N |
| - | |
| The fearful miser on a heap of rust | O |
| Sate pining all his life there did scarce trust | O |
| His own hands with the dust | O |
| Yet would not place one piece above but lives | N |
| In fear of thieves | N |
| Thousands there were as frantic as himself | P |
| And hugg'd each one his pelf | P |
| The downright epicure plac'd heav'n in sense | N |
| And scorn'd pretence | N |
| While others slipp'd into a wide excess | N |
| Said little less | N |
| The weaker sort slight trivial wares enslave | P |
| Who think them brave | P |
| And poor despised Truth sate counting by | Q |
| Their victory | N |
| - | |
| Yet some who all this while did weep and sing | R |
| And sing and weep soar'd up into the ring | R |
| But most would use no wing | R |
| O fools said I thus to prefer dark night | A |
| Before true light | A |
| To live in grots and caves and hate the day | S |
| Because it shews the way | S |
| The way which from this dead and dark abode | T |
| Leads up to God | U |
| A way where you might tread the sun and be | N |
| More bright than he | N |
| But as I did their madness so discuss | N |
| One whisper'd thus | N |
| This ring the Bridegroom did for none provide | V |
| But for his bride | V |
Henry Vaughan
(1)
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