Evangeline: Part The Second. Iii. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJDKLMNOPQRO STU RVWNGOSXONOKDRYDZNGA 2DGB2KC2ND2 NNGNNNANYGLE2ZF2E2GG ZO GGSLK QG2NVFA2GNH2I2NKG NGJ2NG2G2NNSG2FGGPGK 2GAL2M2 LKNLGGN ONFG2FN| NEAR to the bank of the river o'ershadowed by oaks from whose branches | A |
| Garlands of Spanish moss and of mystic mistletoe flaunted | B |
| Such as the Druids cut down with golden hatchets at Yule tide | C |
| Stood secluded and still the house of the herdsman A garden | D |
| Girdled it round about with a belt of luxuriant blossoms | E |
| Filling the air with fragrance The house itself was of timbers | F |
| Hewn from the cypress tree and carefully fitted together | G |
| Large and low was the roof and on slender columns supported | H |
| Rose wreathed vine encircled a broad and spacious veranda | I |
| Haunt of the humming bird and the bee extended around it | J |
| At each end of the house amid the flowers of the garden | D |
| Stationed the dove cots were as love's perpetual symbol | K |
| Scenes of endless wooing and endless contentions of rivals | L |
| Silence reigned o'er the place The line of shadow and sunshine | M |
| Ran near the tops of the trees but the house itself was in shadow | N |
| And from its chimney top ascending and slowly expanding | O |
| Into the evening air a thin blue column of smoke rose | P |
| In the rear of the house from the garden gate ran a pathway | Q |
| Through the great groves of oak to the skirts of the limitless prairie | R |
| Into whose sea of flowers the sun was slowly descending | O |
| Full in his track of light like ships with shadowy canvas | S |
| Hanging loose from their spars in a motionless calm in the tropics | T |
| Stood a cluster of trees with tangled cordage of grape vines | U |
| - | |
| Just where the woodlands met the flowery surf of the prairie | R |
| Mounted upon his horse with Spanish saddle and stirrups | V |
| Sat a herdsman arrayed in gaiters and doublet of deerskin | W |
| Broad and brown was the face that from under the Spanish sombrero | N |
| Gazed on the peaceful scene with the lordly look of its master | G |
| Round about him were numberless herds of kine that were grazing | O |
| Quietly in the meadows and breathing the vapory freshness | S |
| That uprose from the river and spread itself over the landscape | X |
| Slowly lifting the horn that hung at his side and expanding | O |
| Fully his broad deep chest he blew a blast that resounded | N |
| Wildly and sweet and far through the still damp air of the evening | O |
| Suddenly out of the grass the long white horns of the cattle | K |
| Rose like flakes of foam on the adverse currents of ocean | D |
| Silent a moment they gazed then bellowing rushed o'er the prairie | R |
| And the whole mass became a cloud a shade in the distance | Y |
| Then as the herdsman turned to the house through the gate of the garden | D |
| Saw he the forms of the priest and the maiden advancing to meet him | Z |
| Suddenly down from his horse he sprang in amazement and forward | N |
| Rushed with extended arms and exclamations of wonder | G |
| When they beheld his face they recognized Basil the blacksmith | A2 |
| Hearty his welcome was as he led his guests to the garden | D |
| There in an arbor of roses with endless question and answer | G |
| Gave they vent to their hearts and renewed their friendly embraces | B2 |
| Laughing and weeping by turns or sitting silent and thoughtful | K |
| Thoughtful for Gabriel came not and now dark doubts and misgivings | C2 |
| Stole o'er the maiden's heart and Basil somewhat embarrassed | N |
| Broke the silence and said 'If you came by the Atchafalaya | D2 |
| How have you nowhere encountered my Gabriel's boat on the bayous ' | - |
| Over Evangeline's face at the words of Basil a shade passed | N |
| Tears came into her eyes and she said with a tremulous accent | N |
| 'Gone is Gabriel gone ' and concealing her face on his shoulder | G |
| All her o'erburdened heart gave way and she wept and lamented | N |
| Then the good Basil said and his voice grew blithe as he said it | N |
| 'Be of good cheer my child it is only to day he departed | N |
| Foolish boy he has left me alone with my herds and my horses | A |
| Moody and restless grown and tried and troubled his spirit | N |
| Could no longer endure the calm of this quiet existence | Y |
| Thinking ever of thee uncertain and sorrowful ever | G |
| Ever silent or speaking only of thee and his troubles | L |
| He at length had become so tedious to men and to maidens | E2 |
| Tedious even to me that at length I bethought me and sent him | Z |
| Unto the town of Adayes to trade for mules with the Spaniards | F2 |
| Thence he will follow the Indian trails to the Ozark Mountains | E2 |
| Hunting for furs in the forests on rivers trapping the beaver | G |
| Therefore be of good cheer we will follow the fugitive lover | G |
| He is not far on his way and the Fates and the streams are against him | Z |
| Up and away to morrow and through the red dew of the morning | O |
| We will follow him fast and bring him back to his prison ' | - |
| - | |
| Then glad voices were heard and up from the banks of the river | G |
| Borne aloft on his comrades' arms came Michael the fiddler | G |
| Long under Basil's roof had he lived like a god on Olympus | S |
| Having no other care than dispensing music to mortals | L |
| Far renowned was he for his silver locks and his fiddle | K |
| 'Long live Michael ' they cried 'our brave Acadian minstrel ' | - |
| As they bore him aloft in triumphal procession and straightway | Q |
| Father Felician advanced with Evangeline greeting the old man | G2 |
| Kindly and oft and recalling the past while Basil enraptured | N |
| Hailed with hilarious joy his old companions and gossips | V |
| Laughing loud and long and embracing mothers and daughters | F |
| Much they marvelled to see the wealth of the ci devant blacksmith | A2 |
| All his domains and his herds and his patriarchal demeanor | G |
| Much they marvelled to hear his tales of the soil and the climate | N |
| And of the prairies whose numberless herds were his who would take them | H2 |
| Each one thought in his heart that he too would go and do likewise | I2 |
| Thus they ascended the steps and crossing the airy veranda | N |
| Entered the hall of the house where already the supper of Basil | K |
| Waited his late return and they rested and feasted together | G |
| - | |
| Over the joyous feast the sudden darkness descended | N |
| All was silent without and illuming the landscape with silver | G |
| Fair rose the dewy moon and the myriad stars but within doors | J2 |
| Brighter than these shone the faces of friends in the glimmering lamplight | N |
| Then from his station aloft at the head of the table the herdsman | G2 |
| Poured forth his heart and his wine together in endless profusion | G2 |
| Lighting his pipe that was filled with sweet Natchitoches tobacco | N |
| Thus he spake to his guests who listened and smiled as they listened | N |
| 'Welcome once more my friends who long have been friendless and homeless | S |
| Welcome once more to a home that is better perchance than the old one | G2 |
| Here no hungry winter congeals our blood like the rivers | F |
| Here no stony ground provokes the wrath of the farmer | G |
| Smoothly the ploughshare runs through the soil as a keel through the water | G |
| All the year round the orange groves are in blossom and grass grows | P |
| More in a single night than a whole Canadian summer | G |
| Here too numberless herds run wild and unclaimed in the prairies | K2 |
| Here too lands may be had for the asking and forests of timber | G |
| With a few blows of the axe are hewn and framed into houses | A |
| After your houses are built and your fields are yellow with harvests | L2 |
| No King George of England shall drive you away from your homesteads | M2 |
| Burning your dwellings and barns and stealing your farms and your cattle ' | - |
| Speaking these words he blew a wrathful cloud from his nostrils | L |
| While his huge brown hand came thundering down on the table | K |
| So that the guests all started and Father Felician astounded | N |
| Suddenly paused with a pinch of snuff halfway to his nostrils | L |
| But the brave Basil resumed and his words were milder and gayer | G |
| 'Only beware of the fever my friends beware of the fever | G |
| For it is not like that of our cold Acadian climate | N |
| Cured by wearing a spider hung round one's neck in a nutshell ' | - |
| Then there were voices heard at the door and footsteps approaching | O |
| Sounded upon the stairs and the floor of the breezy veranda | N |
| It was the neighboring Creoles and small Acadian planters | F |
| Who had been summoned all to the house of Basil the Herdsman | G2 |
| Merry the meeting was of ancient comrades and neighbors | F |
| Friend | N |
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(1)
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