Liberty Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCDD EFEFGG HCICJJ KLKMNN OPOPQQ A RBRBSS TATANN UKUKVV WAWAXX YZYA2B2B2 C2ZZC2CCC D2E2E2D2RRR NF2F2NCCC A RRCCCCG2G2CCH2I2CCCC ACJ2J2CCK2K2CCC2C2WW CCCC CCCCMEL2L2M2M2N2N2CC CCO2NNCCZZZA2ZA2 A P2Q2P2Q2 R2S2R2S2 I2Q2H2Q2 B2J2B2J2 T2CT2C CU2CU2 Q2CQ2 K2 CCV2V2EMCCW2W2X2X2CC PY2Z2Z2CCA3A3A3T2T2B 3B3A3A3CCBBCCCCNT

i New Castle July iA
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or a hundred years the pulse of timeB
Has throbbed for LibertyC
For a hundred years the grand old climeB
Columbia has been freeC
For a hundred years our country's loveD
The Stars and Stripes has waved aboveD
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Away far out on the gulf of yearsE
Misty and faint and whiteF
Through the fogs of wrong a sail appearsE
And the Mayflower heaves in sightF
And drifts again with its little flockG
Of a hundred souls on Plymouth RockG
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Do you see them there as long long sinceH
Through the lens of HistoryC
Do you see them there as their chieftain printsI
In the snow his bended kneeC
And lifts his voice through the wintry blastJ
In thanks for a peaceful home at lastJ
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Though the skies are dark and the coast is bleakK
And the storm is wild and fierceL
Its frozen flake on the upturned cheekK
Of the Pilgrim melts in tearsM
And the dawn that springs from the darkness thereN
Is the morning light of an answered prayerN
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The morning light of the day of PeaceO
That gladdens the aching eyesP
And gives to the soul that sweet releaseO
That the present verifiesP
Nor a snow so deep nor a wind so chillQ
To quench the flame of a freeman's willQ
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IIA
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Days of toil when the bleeding handR
Of the pioneer grew numbB
When the untilled tracts of the barren landR
Where the weary ones had comeB
Could offer nought from a fruitful soilS
To stay the strength of the stranger's toilS
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Days of pain when the heart beat lowT
And the empty hours went byA
Pitiless with the wail of woeT
And the moan of Hunger's cryA
When the trembling hands upraised in prayerN
Had only the strength to hold them thereN
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Days when the voice of hope had fledU
Days when the eyes grown weakK
Were folded to and the tears they shedU
Were frost on a frozen cheekK
When the storm bent down from the skies and gaveV
A shroud of snow for the Pilgrim's graveV
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Days at last when the smiling sunW
Glanced down from a summer skyA
And a music rang where the rivers runW
And the waves went laughing byA
And the rose peeped over the mossy bankX
While the wild deer stood in the stream and drankX
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And the birds sang out so loud and goodY
In a symphony so clearZ
And pure and sweet that the woodman stoodY
With his ax upraised to hearA2
And to shape the words of the tongue unknownB2
Into a language all his ownB2
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-
-
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'Sing every bird to dayC2
Sing for the sky so clearZ
And the gracious breath of the atmosphereZ
Shall waft our cares awayC2
Sing sing for the sunshine freeC
Sing through the land from sea to seaC
Lift each voice in the highest keyC
And sing for Liberty '-
-
-
-
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'Sing for the arms that flingD2
Their fetters in the dustE2
And lift their hands in higher trustE2
Unto the one Great KingD2
Sing for the patriot heart and handR
Sing for the country they have plannedR
Sing that the world may understandR
This is Freedom's land '-
-
-
-
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'Sing in the tones of prayerN
Sing till the soaring soulF2
Shall float above the world's controlF2
In freedom everywhereN
Sing for the good that is to beC
Sing for the eyes that are to seeC
The land where man at last is freeC
O sing for liberty '-
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IIIA
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A holy quiet reigned save where the handR
Of labor sent a murmur through the landR
And happy voices in a harmonyC
Taught every lisping breeze a melodyC
A nest of cabins where the smoke upcurledC
A breathing incense to the other worldC
A land of languor from the sun of noonG2
That fainted slowly to the pallid moonG2
Till stars thick scattered in the garden landC
Of Heaven by the great Jehovah's handC
Had blossomed into light to look uponH2
The dusky warrior with his arrow drawnI2
As skulking from the covert of the nightC
With serpent cunning and a fiend's delightC
With murderous spirit and a yell of hateC
The voice of Hell might tremble to translateC
When the fond mother's tender lullabyA
Went quavering in shrieks all suddenlyC
And baby lips were dabbled with the stainJ2
Of crimson at the bosom of the slainJ2
And peaceful homes and fortunes ruined lostC
In smoldering embers of the holocaustC
Yet on and on through years of gloom and strifeK2
Our country struggled into stronger lifeK2
Till colonies like footprints in the sandC
Marked Freedom's pathway winding through the landC
And not the footprints to be swept awayC2
Before the storm we hatched in Boston BayC2
But footprints where the path of war begunW
That led to Bunker Hill and LexingtonW
For he who dared to lead where others daredC
To follow found the promise there declaredC
Of Liberty in blood of Freedom's hostC
Baptized to Father Son and Holy GhostC
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Oh there were times when every patriot breastC
Was riotous with sentiments expressedC
In tones that swelled in volume till the soundC
Of lusty war itself was well nigh drownedC
Oh those were times when happy eyes with tearsM
Brimmed o'er as all the misty doubts and fearsE
Were washed away and Hope with gracious mienL2
Reigned from her throne again a sovereign queenL2
Until at last upon a day like thisM2
When flowers were blushing at the summer's kissM2
And when the sky was cloudless as the faceN2
Of some sweet infant in its angel graceN2
There came a sound of music thrown afloatC
Upon the balmy air a clanging noteC
Reiterated from the brazen throatC
Of Independence Bell A sound so sweetC
The clamoring throngs of people in the streetsO2
Were stilled as at the solemn voice of prayerN
And heads were bowed and lips were moving thereN
That made no sound until the spell had passedC
And then as when all sudden comes the blastC
Of some tornado came the cheer on cheerZ
Of every eager voice while far and nearZ
The echoing bells upon the atmosphereZ
Set glorious rumors floating till the earA2
Of every listening patriot tingled clearZ
And thrilled with joy and jubilee to hearA2
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IA
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'Stir all your echoes upP2
O Independence BellQ2
And pour from your inverted cupP2
The song we love so wellQ2
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'Lift high your happy voiceR2
And swing your iron tongueS2
Till syllables of praise rejoiceR2
That never yet were sungS2
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'Ring in the gleaming dawnI2
Of Freedom Toll the knellQ2
Of Tyranny and then ring onH2
O Independence BellQ2
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'Ring on and drown the moanB2
Above the patriot slainJ2
Till sorrow's voice shall catch the toneB2
And join the glad refrainJ2
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'Ring out the wounds of wrongT2
And rankle in the breastC
Your music like a slumber songT2
Will lull revenge to restC
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'Ring out from OccidentC
To Orient and pealU2
From continent to continentC
The mighty joy you feelU2
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'Ring Independence BellQ2
Ring on till worlds to beC
Shall listen to the tale you tellQ2
Of love and Liberty '-
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IVK2
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O Liberty the dearest wordC
A bleeding country ever heardC
We lay our hopes upon thy shrineV2
And offer up our lives for thineV2
You gave us many happy yearsE
Of peace and plenty ere the tearsM
A mourning country wept were driedC
Above the graves of those who diedC
Upon thy threshold And againW2
When newer wars were bred and menW2
Went marching in the cannon's breathX2
And died for thee and loved the deathX2
While high above them gleaming brightC
The dear old flag remained in sightC
And lighted up their dying eyesP
With smiles that brightened paradiseY2
O Liberty it is thy powerZ2
To gladden us in every hourZ2
Of gloom and lead us by thy handC
As little children through a landC
Of bud and blossom while the daysA3
Are filled with sunshine and thy praiseA3
Is warbled in the roundelaysA3
Of joyous birds and in the songT2
Of waters murmuring alongT2
The paths of peace whose flowery fringeB3
Has roses finding deeper tingeB3
Of crimson looking on themselvesA3
Reflected leaning from the shelvesA3
Of cliff and crag and mossy moundC
Of emerald splendor shadow drownedC
We hail thy presence as you comeB
With bugle blast and rolling drumB
And booming guns and shouts of gleeC
Commingled in a symphonyC
That thrills the worlds that throng to seeC
The glory of thy pageantryC
And with thy praise we breathe a prayerN
That God who leaves yoT

James Whitcomb Riley



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