John Maynard. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFE GCHCIJKJ ELMLNOMO DPQPRSGS TUVUWSBS XGYBZA2B2A2 B2C2D2C2E2GJB F2SIG2B2H2I2H2 J2SK2SL2M2N2M2 O2P2EP2K2Q2R2S2 K2G2UST2D2G2D2 I2UU2UV2G2W2G2| 'Twas on Lake Erie's broad expanse | A |
| One bright midsummer day | B |
| The gallant steamer Ocean Queen | C |
| Swept proudly on her way | B |
| Bright faces clustered on the deck | D |
| Or leaning o'er the side | E |
| Watched carelessly the feathery foam | F |
| That flecked the rippling tide | E |
| - | |
| Ah who beneath that cloudless sky | G |
| That smiling bends serene | C |
| Could dream that danger awful vast | H |
| Impended o'er the scene | C |
| Could dream that ere an hour had sped | I |
| That frame of sturdy oak | J |
| Would sink beneath the lake's blue waves | K |
| Blackened with fire and smoke | J |
| - | |
| A seaman sought the captain's side | E |
| A moment whispered low | L |
| The captain's swarthy face grew pale | M |
| He hurried down below | L |
| Alas too late Though quick and sharp | N |
| And clear his orders came | O |
| No human efforts could avail | M |
| To quench the insidious flame | O |
| - | |
| The bad news quickly reached the deck | D |
| It sped from lip to lip | P |
| And ghastly Faces everywhere | Q |
| Looked from the doomed ship | P |
| Is there no hope no chance of life | R |
| A hundred lips implore | S |
| But one the captain made reply | G |
| To run the ship on shore | S |
| - | |
| A sailor whose heroic soul | T |
| That hour should yet reveal | U |
| By name John Maynard eastern born | V |
| Stood calmly at the wheel | U |
| Head her south east the captain shouts | W |
| Above the smothered roar | S |
| Head her south east without delay | B |
| Make for the nearest shore | S |
| - | |
| No terror pales the helmsman's cheek | X |
| Or clouds his dauntless eye | G |
| As in a sailor's measured tone | Y |
| His voice responds Ay ay | B |
| Three hundred souls the steamer's freight | Z |
| Crowd forward wild with fear | A2 |
| While at the stern the dreaded flames | B2 |
| Above the deck appear | A2 |
| - | |
| John Maynard watched the nearing flames | B2 |
| But still with steady hand | C2 |
| He grasped the wheel and steadfastly | D2 |
| He steered the ship to land | C2 |
| John Maynard can you still hold out | E2 |
| He heard the captain cry | G |
| A voice from out the stifling smoke | J |
| Faintly responds Ay ay | B |
| - | |
| But half a mile a hundred hands | F2 |
| Stretch eagerly to shore | S |
| But half a mile That distance sped | I |
| Peril shall all be o'er | G2 |
| But half a mile Yet stay the flames | B2 |
| No longer slowly creep | H2 |
| But gather round that helmsman bold | I2 |
| With fierce impetuous sweep | H2 |
| - | |
| John Maynard with an anxious voice | J2 |
| The captain cries once more | S |
| Stand by the wheel five minutes yet | K2 |
| And we shall reach the shore | S |
| Through flame and smoke that dauntless heart | L2 |
| Responded firmly still | M2 |
| Unawed though face to face with death | N2 |
| With God's good help I will | M2 |
| - | |
| The flames approach with giant strides | O2 |
| They scorch his hand and brow | P2 |
| One arm disabled seeks his side | E |
| Ah he is conquered now | P2 |
| But no his teeth are firmly set | K2 |
| He crushes down his pain | Q2 |
| His knee upon the stanchion pressed | R2 |
| He guides the ship again | S2 |
| - | |
| One moment yet one moment yet | K2 |
| Brave heart thy task is o'er | G2 |
| The pebbles grate beneath the keel | U |
| The steamer touches shore | S |
| Three hundred grateful voice rise | T2 |
| In praise to God that he | D2 |
| Hath saved them from the fearful fire | G2 |
| And from the engulphing sea | D2 |
| - | |
| But where is he that helmsman bold | I2 |
| The captain saw him reel | U |
| His nerveless hands released their task | U2 |
| He sank beside the wheel | U |
| The wave received his lifeless corpse | V2 |
| Blackened with smoke and fire | G2 |
| God rest him Never hero had | W2 |
| A nobler funeral pyre | G2 |
Horatio Alger, Jr.
(1)
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