Party Strife. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDDEFGHFIIFJJJKK KKAAAAAKAKKKLLLAMAM KK| Among the beasts a feud arose | A |
| The lion as the story goes | A |
| Once on a time laid down | B |
| His sceptre and his crown | B |
| And in his stead the beasts elected | C |
| As often as it suited them | D |
| A sort of king pro tem | D |
| Some animal they much respected | E |
| At first they all concurr'd | F |
| The horse the stag the unicorn | G |
| Were chosen each in turn | H |
| And then the noble bird | F |
| That looks undazzled at the sun | I |
| But party strife began to run | I |
| Through burrow den and herd | F |
| Some beasts proposed the patient ox | J |
| And others named the cunning fox | J |
| The quarrel came to bites and knocks | J |
| Nor was it duly settled | K |
| Till many a beast high mettled | K |
| Had bought an aching head | K |
| Or possibly had bled | K |
| The fox as one might well suppose | A |
| At last above his rival rose | A |
| But truth to say his reign was bootless | A |
| Of honour being rather fruitless | A |
| All prudent beasts began to see | A |
| The throne a certain charm had lost | K |
| And won by strife as it must be | A |
| Was hardly worth the pains it cost | K |
| So when his majesty retired | K |
| Few worthy beasts his seat desired | K |
| Especially now stood aloof | L |
| The wise of head the swift of hoof | L |
| The beasts whose breasts were battle proof | L |
| It consequently came to pass | A |
| Not first but as we say in fine | M |
| For king the creatures chose the ass | A |
| He for prime minister the swine | M |
| - | |
| 'Tis thus that party spirit | K |
| Is prone to banish merit | K |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Party Strife. poem by Jean De La Fontaine
Best Poems of Jean De La Fontaine