The Plate Of Gold Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFCGHIJBKBBLBBM NOIPBBBBQBBBBRSBTBBU VWBXYBLZBTCBA2B2IBC2 BD2LE2CBBB| One day there fell in great Benares' temple court | A |
| A wondrous plate of gold whereon these words were writ | B |
| 'To him who loveth best a gift from Heaven ' | C |
| Thereat | B |
| The priests made proclamation 'At the midday hour | D |
| Each day let those assemble who for virtue deem | E |
| their right to Heaven's gift the best and we will hear | F |
| the deeds of mercy done and so adjudge ' | C |
| The news | G |
| ran swift as light and soon from every quarter came | H |
| nobles and munshis hermits scholars holy men | I |
| and all renowned for gracious or for splendid deeds | J |
| meanwhile the priests in solemn council sat and heard | B |
| what each had done to merit best the gift of Heaven | K |
| So for a year the claimants came and went | B |
| At last | B |
| after a patient weighing of the worth of all | L |
| the priests bestowed the plate of gold on one who seemed | B |
| the largest lover of the race whose whole estate | B |
| within the year had been parted among the poor | M |
| This man all trembling with his joy advanced to take | N |
| the golden plate when lo at his finger's first touch | O |
| it changed to basest lead All stood aghast but when | I |
| the hapless claimant dropt it clanging on the floor | P |
| Heaven's guerdon was again transformed to shining gold | B |
| So for another twelve month sat he priests and judged | B |
| Thrice they awarded thrice did Heaven refuse the gift | B |
| Meanwhile a host of poor maimed beggars in the street | B |
| lay all about the temple gate in hope to move | Q |
| that love whereby each claimant hoped to win the gift | B |
| and well for them it was if gold be charity | B |
| for every pilgrim to the temple gate praised God | B |
| that love might thus approve itself before the test | B |
| and so coins rained freely in the outstretched hands | R |
| but none of those who gave so much as turned to look | S |
| into the poor sad eyes of them that begged | B |
| And now | T |
| The second year had almost passed but still the plate | B |
| of gold by whomsoever touched was turned to lead | B |
| At length there came a simple peasant not aware | U |
| of that strange contest for the gift of God to pay | V |
| a vow within the temple As he passed along | W |
| the line of shrivelled beggars all his soul was moved | B |
| within him to sweet pity and the tears well up | X |
| and trembled in his eyes | Y |
| Now by the temple gate | B |
| there lay a poor sore creature blind and shunned by all | L |
| but when the peasant came and saw the sightless face | Z |
| and trembling maimed hands he could not pass but knelt | B |
| and took both palms in his and softly said 'O thou | T |
| my brother bear the trouble bravely God is good ' | C |
| The he arose and walked straightway across the court | B |
| and entered where they wrangled of their deeds of love | A2 |
| before the priests | B2 |
| A while he listened sadly then | I |
| had turned away but something moved the priest who held | B |
| the plate of gold to beckon to the peasant So | C2 |
| he came not understanding and obeyed and stretched | B |
| his hand and took the sacred vessel Lo it shone | D2 |
| with thrice its former lustre and amazed them all | L |
| 'Son' cried the priest 'rejoice the gift of God is thine | E2 |
| Thou lovest best ' And all made answer 'It is well ' | C |
| And one by one departed But the peasant knelt | B |
| and prayed bowing his head above the golden plate | B |
| while o'er his soul like morning streamed the love of God | B |
James Henry Leigh Hunt
(1)
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