A Story Of The Caracas Valley Poem Rhyme Scheme

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James Barron Hope

A Story Of The Caracas Valley Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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High perch'd upon the rocky way	A
Stands a Posada stern and grey	A
Which from the valley seems as if	B
A condor there had paus'd to 'light	C
And rest upon that lonely cliff	B
From some stupendous flight	C
But when the road you gain at length	D
It seems a ruin'd hold of strength	D
With archway dark and bridge of stone	E
By waving shrubs all overgrown	E
Which clings 'round that ruin'd gate	C
Making it look less desolate	C
For here and there a wild flower's bloom	F
With brilliant hue relieves the gloom	F
Which clings 'round that Posada's wall	G
A sort of misty funeral pall	H
	-
The gulf spann'd by that olden arch	I
Might stop an army's onward march	I
For dark and dim far down below	J
'Tis lost amid a torrent's flow	J
And blending with the eagle's scream	K
Sounds dismally that mountain stream	K
That rushes foaming down a fall	G
Which Chamois hunter might appal	G
Nor shame his manhood did he shrink	L
In treading on its dizzy brink	L
In years long past ere bridge or wall	G
Had spann'd that gulf and water fall	G
'Tis said perhaps an idle tale	G
That on the road above the vale	G
Occurred as strange and wild a scene	M
As ever ballad told I ween	M
Yes on this road which seems to be	N
Suspended o'er eternity	N
So dim so shadow like the vale	G
O'er which it hangs but to my tale	G
Once 'tis well known this sunny land	C
Was ravag'd by full many a band	C
Of reckless buccaneers	O
Cities were captur'd old men slain	M
Trampled the fields of waving cane	M
Or scatter'd wide the garner'd grain	M
An hour wrought wreck of years	P
	-
Where'er these stern freebooters trod	C
In hacienda church of God	C
Or on the green enamell'd sod	C
They left foot prints so deep	Q
That but their simple names would start	C
The blood back to each Spanish heart	C
And make the children weep	Q
	-
E'en to this day their many crimes	R
The peasants sing in drowsy rhymes	R
On mountain or on plain	M
And as they sing the plaintive song	S
Tells many a deed of guilt and wrong	S
Each has a doleful strain	M
	-
	-
	-
One glorious morn it so befell	G
I heard the tale which I shall tell	G
At that Posada dark and grey	A
Which stands upon the mountain way	A
Between Caracas and the sea	N
So grim so dark it seem'd to me	N
Fit place for deed of guilt or sin	M
Tho' peaceful peasants dwelt therein	M
	-
At midnight we my friends and I	T
Beneath a tranquil tropic sky	T
Bestrode our mules and onward rode	C
Behind the guide who swiftly strode	C
Up the dark mountain side while we	N
With many a jest and repartee	N
With jingling swords and spurs and bits	U
Made trial of our youthful wits	U
Ah we were gay for we were young	V
And care had never on us flung	V
But to my tale the purple sky	T
Was thick overlaid with burning stars	W
And oft the breeze that murmur'd by	T
Brought dreamy tones from soft guitars	W
Until we sank in silence deep	Q
It was a night for thought not sleep	Q
It was a night for song and love	X
The burning planets shone above	X
The Southern Cross was all ablaze	Y
'Tis long since it then met my gaze	Y
Above us whisp'ring in the breeze	Z
Were many strange gigantic trees	Z
And in their shadow deep and dark	A2
Slept many a pile of mould'ring bones	B2
For tales of murder fell and stark	A2
Are told by monumental stones	B2
Flung by the passer's hand until	G
The place grows to a little hill	G
Up through the shade we rode nor spoke	C2
Till suddenly the morning broke	C2
Beneath we saw in purple shade	C
The mighty sea above display'd	C
A thousand gorgeous hues which met	C
In tints that I remember yet	C
But which I may not paint my skill	G
Alas would but depict it ill	G
E'en Claude has never given hints	D2
On canvas of such splendid tints	D2
The mountains which ere dawn of day	A
I'd liken'd unto friars grey	A
Gigantic friars clad in grey	A
Stood now like kings wrapp'd in the fold	C
	-
Of gorgeous clouds around them roll'd	C
Their lofty heads all crown'd with gold	C
And many a painted bird went by	T
Strange to my unaccustom'd eye	T
Their plumage mimicking the sky	T
O'er many a league and many a mile	G
Crag pinnacle and lone defile	G
All Nature woke woke with a smile	G
As tho' the morning's golden gleam	K
Had broken some enchanting dream	K
But left its soft impression still	G
On lofty peak and dancing rill	G
With many a halt and many a call	G
At last we saw the rugged wall	G
And gaz'd upon the ruin'd gate	C
Which even then look'd desolate	C
For that Posada so forlorn	M
Seem'd sad e'en on so gay a morn	M
The heavy gate at length unbarr'd	C
We rode within the busy yard	C
Well scatter'd o'er with many a pack	E2
For on that wild romantic track	E2
The long and heavy laden trains	F2
Toil seaward from the valley's plains	F2
And often on its silence swells	G2
The distant tinkle of the bells	G2
While muleteers' shrill angry cries	H2
From the dim road before you rise	H2
And such were group'd in circles round	C
Playing at mont on the ground	C
Each swarthy face that met my eye	T
To thought of honesty gave lie	T
In each fierce orb there was a spark	A2
That few would care to see by dark	A2
And many a sash I saw gleam thro'	A
The keen cuchillo into view	I2
Within the place was rude enough	J2
The walls of clay in color buff	J2
A pictur'd saint a cross or so	J
A hammock swinging to and fro	J
A gittern by the window laid	C
Whereon the morning breezes play'd	C
And its low tones and broken parts	K2
Seem'd like some thoughtless minstrel's arts	K2
A rugged table in the floor	A
Ran thro' this homely comedor	A
Here weary as you well may think	L
An hour or so we made abode	C
To give our mules both food and drink	L
Before we took again the road	C
And honestly our own repast	C
Was that of monks from lenten fast	C
The meal once o'er our stores replaced	C
We gather'd where the window fac'd	C
Upon the vale and gaz'd below	J
Where mists from a mad torrent's flow	J
Were dimly waving to and fro	J
Meanwhile the old guitar replied	C
To the swift fingers of our guide	C
His voice was deep and rich and strong	S
And he himself a child of song	S
At first the music's liquid flow	J
Was soft and plaintive rich and low	J
The murmur of a fountain's stream	K
Where sleeping water lilies dream	K
Or like the breathing of love vows	L2
Beneath the shade of orange boughs	L2
And then more stirring grew his song	S
A strain which swept the blood along	S
And as he sang his eyes so sad	C
Which lately wore the look of pain	M
Danc'd with a gleam both proud and glad	C
Awaken'd by his fervid strain	M
His face now flush'd and now grew pale	G
The song he sang was this my tale	G
	-
A fort above Laguayra stands	M2
Which all the town below commands	M2
The damp moss clings upon its walls	N2
The rotting drawbridge slowly falls	N2
Its dreary silentness appalls	N2
The iron bars are thick with rust	C
And slowly moulder into dust	C
The roofless turrets show the sky	T
The moats below are bare and dry	T
No captain issues proud behest	C
The guard room echoes to no jest	C
As I have said within those walls	N2
The very silentness appalls	N2
In other days it was not so	J
The Spanish banner long ago	J
Above the turrets tall did flow	J
And many a gallant soldier there	A
With musket or with gleaming spear	A
Pac'd on the battlements that then	M
Were throng'd with tall and proper men	M
But this was many a year ago	J
A long shot back for mem'ry's bow	O2
The Governor here made his home	P2
Beneath the great hall's gilded dome	P2
And here his lady wife he brought	C
From Spain across the sea	N
And sumptuous festival was made	C
Where now the tangled ivy's shade	C
Is hanging drearily	J
The lady was both fair and young	V
Fair as a poet ever sung	V
And well they lov'd so it is told	C
Had plighted troth in days gone by	T
Ere he had won his spurs of gold	C
Or gain'd his station high	T
And often from the martial keep	Q
They'd sail together on the deep	Q
Or wander many a weary mile	J
In lonely valley or defile	J
	-
Well once upon this road a pair	A
A lady and a cavalier	A
Were riding side by side	C
And she was young and passing fair	A
With crimson lips and ebon hair	A
She was the gallant's bride	C
And he was cast in manly mould	C
His port was high and free and bold	C
Fitting a cavalier	A
But now bent reverently low	J
His crest's unsullied plume of snow	J
Play'd 'mid the lady's hair	A
	-
This knight with orders on his breast	C
The Governor as you have guess'd	C
The lady was his wife and they	A
Alone were on the road that day	A
Their horses moving at a walk	Q2
And they engaged in earnest talk	Q2
Low words and sweet they spoke	C2
The lady smil'd and blush'd and then	M
Smiling and blushing spoke again	M
When sleeping echo woke	C2
Woke with the shouts of a wild band	C
Who urg'd with spur and heavy hand	C
Their steeds along the way	A
	-
Gave but one look the cavalier	A
Murmur'd a vow the lady fair	A
His right arm is around her thrown	M
Her form close gather'd to his own	M
While his brave steed white as the snow	J
Darts like an arrow from the bow	O2
His hoofs fall fast as tempest rain	M
Spurning the road that rings again	M
Onward the race now fainter sounds	R2
The yell and whoop but still like hounds	R2
The pirate band behind him rush	S2
Breaking the mountains solemn hush	S2
On speeds he now his steed so white	C
Far in advance proclaims his flight	C
God speed him and his bride	C
But ah that chasm's fearful gape	T2
Seems to forbid hope of escape	T2
He cannot turn aside	C
	-
He bends his head is it in pray'r	A
Is it to shed a bitter tear	A
Or utter craven vow	O2
No 'tis to gaze into those eyes	H2
Which are to him love litten skies	H2
To kiss his lady's brow	O2
And must he on full well he knew	I2
That none were spar'd by that wild crew	I2
Never a lady fair	A
And now a shout a fierce halloo	J
Told that they were again in view	I2
Close to his ear a bullet sings	U2
And then the distant carbine rings	U2
	-
Why pales the cavalier	A
And why does he now set his teeth	V2
And draw his dagger from its sheath	V2
He breasts his charger at the leap	Q
He pricketh him full sharp and deep	Q
He leaps and then with heaving flank	W2
Gains footing on the other bank	W2
A moment 'mid the pass's gloom	F
Vanish both veil and dancing plume	F
It seems a dream No there is proof	X2
The clatter of a flying hoof	X2
And too the lady's steed remains	F2
With empty seat and flying reins	F2
And then is borne to that wild rout	C
A long and proud triumphant shout	C
And he who led the pirate band	C
Urg'd on his horse with spur and hand	C
The long locks drifted from his brow	O2
Like midnight waves from storm vexed prow	O2
And darkly flashed his eyes of jet	C
Beneath the brows which almost met	C
Stern was his face but war and crime	Y2
For he had sinn'd in many a clime	Y2
Had plough'd it deeper far than time	Y2
He was their chief will he draw rein	M
Will he the yawning rift refrain	M
And with his halting band remain	M
He rais'd up in his stirrups high	T
Better the chasm to descry	O2
And measure with his hawk like eye	T
While his dark steed begrim'd with toil	J
Tried madly vainly to recoil	J
A mutter'd curse a sabre goad	C
Full at the leap the robber rode	C
Great God his horse near dead and spent	C
Scarce halfway o'er the chasm went	C
That fearful rush and daring bound	C
Was followed by a crashing sound	C
A sudden awful knell	J
For down more than a thousand feet	C
Where mist and mountain torrent meet	C
That reckless rider fell	J
	-
His band drew up they could not speak	Z2
For long and loud his charger's shriek	Z2
Was heard in an unearthly scream	Y2
Above that roaring mountain stream	Y2
Like fancied sound in fever'd dream	Y2
When the sick brain with crazy skill	J
Weaves fantasies of woe and ill	J
Some said no steed gave forth that yell	J
And hinted solemnly of hell	J
And others said that from his vest	C
A miniature with haughty crest	C
And features like the lady's 'pressed	C
Fell on the rugged bank	W2
But who he was none knew or tell	J
	-
They simply point out where he fell	J
When horse and horseman sank	W2
Like Ravenswood he left no trace	A3
Tradition only points the place	A3
	-
Rude is my hand and rude my lay	J
Rude as the Inn time worn and grey	J
Where resting on the mountain way	J
I heard the tale which I have tried	C
To tell to thee and saw the wide	C
Deep rift ten yards from side to side	C
Great God it was a fearful ride	C
The robber took that day	J