Evangeline: Part The First. Iv. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABAACDEFGHIHJAHAKHAK H HLHMKKHAKLFFKKNAM KHHKHNAHLKAOKKAKPKKA L AKKKKAKAIKKMKHK AH OOAKLLKQQAKKHHQO K LF AHAHO KOHFRKLKAAHKOHKSF| PLEASANTLY rose next morn the sun on the village of Grand Pr | A |
| Pleasantly gleamed in the soft sweet air the Basin of Minas | B |
| Where the ships with their wavering shadows were riding at anchor | A |
| Life had long been astir in the village and clamorous labor | A |
| Knocked with its hundred hands at the golden gates of the morning | C |
| Now from the country around from the farms and neighboring hamlets | D |
| Came in their holiday dresses the blithe Acadian peasants | E |
| Many a glad good morrow and jocund laugh from the young folk | F |
| Made the bright air brighter as up from the numerous meadows | G |
| Where no path could be seen but the track of wheels in the greensward | H |
| Group after group appeared and joined or passed on the highway | I |
| Long ere noon in the village all sounds of labor were silenced | H |
| Thronged were the streets with people and noisy groups at the house doors | J |
| Sat in the cheerful sun and rejoiced and gossiped together | A |
| Every house was an inn where all were welcomed and feasted | H |
| For with this simple people who lived like brothers together | A |
| All things were held in common and what one had was another's | K |
| Yet under Benedict's roof hospitality seemed more abundant | H |
| For Evangeline stood among the guests of her father | A |
| Bright was her face with smiles and words of welcome and gladness | K |
| Fell from her beautiful lips and blessed the cup as she gave it | H |
| - | |
| Under the open sky in the odorous air of the orchard | H |
| Bending with golden fruit was spread the feast of betrothal | L |
| There in the shade of the porch were the priest and the notary seated | H |
| There good Benedict sat and sturdy Basil the blacksmith | M |
| Not far withdrawn from these by the cider press and the beehives | K |
| Michael the fiddler was placed with the gayest of hearts and of waistcoats | K |
| Shadow and light from the leaves alternately played on his snow white | H |
| Hair as it waved in the wind and the jolly face of the fiddler | A |
| Glowed like a living coal when the ashes are blown from the embers | K |
| Gayly the old man sang to the vibrant sound of his fiddle | L |
| Tous les Bourgeois de Chartres and Le Carillon de Dunkerque | F |
| And anon with his wooden shoes beat time to the music | F |
| Merrily merrily whirled the wheels of the dizzying dances | K |
| Under the orchard trees and down the path to the meadows | K |
| Old folk and young together and children mingled among them | N |
| Fairest of all the maids was Evangeline Benedict's daughter | A |
| Noblest of all the youths was Gabriel son of the blacksmith | M |
| - | |
| So passed the morning away And lo with a summons sonorous | K |
| Sounded the bell from its tower and over the meadows a drum beat | H |
| Thronged erelong was the church with men Without in the churchyard | H |
| Waited the women They stood by the graves and hung on the headstones | K |
| Garlands of autumn leaves and evergreens fresh from the forest | H |
| Then came the guard from the ships and marching proudly among them | N |
| Entered the sacred portal With loud and dissonant clangor | A |
| Echoed the sound of their brazen drums from ceiling and casement | H |
| Echoed a moment only and slowly the ponderous portal | L |
| Closed and in silence the crowd awaited the will of the soldiers | K |
| Then uprose their commander and spake from the steps of the altar | A |
| Holding aloft in his hands with its seals the royal commission | O |
| 'You are convened this day ' he said 'by his Majesty's orders | K |
| Clement and kind has he been but how you have answered his kindness | K |
| Let your own hearts reply To my natural make and my temper | A |
| Painful the task is I do which to you I know must be grievous | K |
| Yet must I bow and obey and deliver the will of our monarch | P |
| Namely that all your lands and dwellings and cattle of all kinds | K |
| Forfeited be to the crown and that you yourselves from this province | K |
| Be transported to other lands God grant you may dwell there | A |
| Ever as faithful subjects a happy and peaceable people | L |
| Prisoners now I declare you for such is his Majesty's pleasure ' | - |
| As when the air is serene in the sultry solstice of summer | A |
| Suddenly gathers a storm and the deadly sling of the hailstones | K |
| Beats down the farmer's corn in the field and shatters his windows | K |
| Hiding the sun and strewing the ground with thatch from the house roofs | K |
| Bellowing fly the herds and seek to break their enclosures | K |
| So on the hearts of the people descended the words of the speaker | A |
| Silent a moment they stood in speechless wonder and then rose | K |
| Louder and ever louder a wail of sorrow and anger | A |
| And by one impulse moved they madly rushed to the door way | I |
| Vain was the hope of escape and cries and fierce imprecations | K |
| Rang through the house of prayer and high o'er the heads of the others | K |
| Rose with his arms uplifted the figure of Basil the blacksmith | M |
| As on a stormy sea a spar is tossed by the billows | K |
| Flushed was his face and distorted with passion and wildly he shouted | H |
| 'Down with the tyrants of England we never have sworn them allegiance | K |
| Death to these foreign soldiers who seize on our homes and our harvests ' | - |
| More he fain would have said but the merciless hand of a soldier | A |
| Smote him upon the mouth and dragged him down to the pavement | H |
| - | |
| In the midst of the strife and tumult of angry contention | O |
| Lo the door of the chancel opened and Father Felician | O |
| Entered with serious mien and ascended the steps of the altar | A |
| Raising his reverend hand with a gesture he awed into silence | K |
| All that clamorous throng and thus he spake to his people | L |
| Deep were his tones and solemn in accents measured and mournful | L |
| Spake he as after the tocsin's alarum distinctly the clock strikes | K |
| 'What is this that ye do my children what madness has seized you | Q |
| Forty years of my life have I labored among you and taught you | Q |
| Not in word alone but in deed to love one another | A |
| Is this the fruit of my toils of my vigils and prayers and privations | K |
| Have you so soon forgotten all lessons of love and forgiveness | K |
| This is the house of the Prince of Peace and would you profane it | H |
| Thus with violent deeds and hearts overflowing with hatred | H |
| Lo where the crucified Christ from his cross is gazing upon you | Q |
| See in those sorrowful eyes what meekness and holy compassion | O |
| Hark how those lips still repeat the prayer O Father forgive them ' | - |
| Let us repeat that prayer in the hour when the wicked assail us | K |
| Let us repeat it now and say O Father forgive them ' ' | - |
| Few were his words of rebuke but deep in the hearts of his people | L |
| Sank they and sobs of contrition succeeded the passionate outbreak | F |
| And they repeated his prayer and said 'O Father forgive them ' | - |
| - | |
| Then came the evening service The tapers gleamed from the altar | A |
| Fervent and deep was the voice of the priest and the people responded | H |
| Not with their lips alone but their hearts and the Ave Maria | A |
| Sang they and fell on their knees and their souls with devotion translated | H |
| Rose on the ardor of prayer like Elijah ascending to heaven | O |
| - | |
| Meanwhile had spread in the village the tidings of ill and on all sides | K |
| Wandered wailing from house to house the women and children | O |
| Long at her father's door Evangeline stood with her right hand | H |
| Shielding her eyes from the level rays of the sun that descending | F |
| Lighted the village street with mysterious splendor and roofed each | R |
| Peasant's cottage with golden thatch and emblazoned its windows | K |
| Long within had been spread the snow white cloth on the table | L |
| There stood the wheaten loaf and the honey fragrant with wild flowers | K |
| There stood the tankard of ale and the cheese fresh brought from the dairy | A |
| And at the head of the board the great arm chair of the farmer | A |
| Thus did Evangeline wait at her father's door as the sunset | H |
| Threw the long shadows of trees o'er the broad ambrosial meadows | K |
| Ah on her spirit within a deeper shadow had fallen | O |
| And from the fields of her soul a fragrance celestial ascended | H |
| Charity meekness love and hope and forgiveness and patience | K |
| Then all forgetful of self she wandered into the village | S |
| Cheering with looks and words the disco | F |
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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