The Falcon Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCC DDEEFFBBGGHHFF FFFFFF FFFFIIBBJJFF FFBBKKFFFFBBGG FFFFLL FFMMFF NNOOFFKKPPFFFF FFFFQQFFFF RRFFFF KKOSBBFF TT KKFFFFFFOO FFFFUUMMFFOOFFFFFFVV FFFF FFKK FFFFFFBBWXTTFFFFFFFF FBFTT FFFFBBFFXXVVFO| I RECOLLECT that lately much I blamed | A |
| The sort of lover avaricious named | A |
| And if in opposites we reason see | B |
| The liberal in paradise should be | B |
| The rule is just and with the warmest zeal | C |
| To prove the fact I to the CHURCH appeal | C |
| - | |
| IN Florence once there dwelled a gentle youth | D |
| Who loved a certain beauteous belle with truth | D |
| O'er all his actions she had full control | E |
| To please he would have sold his very soul | E |
| If she amusements wished he'd lavish gold | F |
| Convinced in love or war you should be bold | F |
| The cash ne'er spare invincible its pow'rs | B |
| O'erturning walls or doors where'er it show'rs | B |
| The precious ore can every thing o'ercome | G |
| 'Twill silence barking curs make servants dumb | G |
| And these can render eloquent at will | H |
| Excel e'en Tully in persuasive skill | H |
| In short he'd leave no quarter unsubdued | F |
| Unless therein the fair he could include | F |
| - | |
| SHE stood th' attack howe'er and Frederick failed | F |
| His force was vain whenever he assailed | F |
| Without the least return his wealth he spent | F |
| Lands houses manors of immense extent | F |
| Were ev'ry now and then to auction brought | F |
| To gratify his love was all he thought | F |
| - | |
| THE rank of 'squire till lately he had claimed | F |
| Now scarcely was he even mister named | F |
| Of wealth by Cupid's stratagems bereft | F |
| A single farm was all the man had left | F |
| Friends very few and such as God alone | I |
| Could tell if friendship they might not disown | I |
| The best were led their pity to express | B |
| 'Twas all he got it could not well be less | B |
| To lend without security was wrong | J |
| And former favours they'd forgotten long | J |
| With all that Frederick could or say or do | F |
| His liberal conduct soon was lost to view | F |
| - | |
| WITH Clytia he no longer was received | F |
| Than while he was a man of wealth believed | F |
| Balls concerts op'ras tournaments and plays | B |
| Expensive dresses all engaging ways | B |
| Were used to captivate this lady fair | K |
| While scarcely one around but in despair | K |
| Wife widow maid his fond affection sought | F |
| To gain him ev'ry wily art was brought | F |
| But all in vain by passion overpow'red | F |
| The belle whose conduct others would have soured | F |
| To him appeared a goddess full of charms | B |
| Superior e'en to Helen in his arms | B |
| From whence we may conclude the beauteous dame | G |
| Was always deaf to Fred'rick's ardent flame | G |
| - | |
| ENAMOURED of the belle his lands he sold | F |
| The family estates were turned to gold | F |
| And many who the purchases had made | F |
| With pelf accumulated by their trade | F |
| Assumed the airs of men of noble birth | L |
| Fair subjects oft for ridicule and mirth | L |
| - | |
| RICH Clytia was and her good spouse 'tis said | F |
| Had lands which far and wide around were spread | F |
| No cash nor presents she would ever take | M |
| Yet suffered Frederick splendid treats to make | M |
| Without designing recompense to grant | F |
| Or being more than merely complaisant | F |
| - | |
| ALREADY if my mem'ry do not fail | N |
| I've said the youth's estates were put to sale | N |
| To pay for feasts the fair to entertain | O |
| And what he'd left was only one domain | O |
| A petty farm to which he now retired | F |
| Ashamed to show where once so much admired | F |
| And wretched too a prey to lorn despair | K |
| Unable to obtain by splendid care | K |
| A beauty he'd pursued six years and more | P |
| And should for ever fervently adore | P |
| His want of merit was the cause he thought | F |
| That she could never to his wish be brought | F |
| While from him not a syllable was heard | F |
| Against the lovely belle his soul preferred | F |
| - | |
| 'MID poverty oft Fred'rick sighed and wept | F |
| A toothless hag his only servant kept | F |
| His kitchen cold where commonly he dwelled | F |
| A pretty decent horse his stable held | F |
| A falcon too and round about the grange | Q |
| Our quondam 'squire repeatedly would range | Q |
| Where oft to melancholy he was led | F |
| To sacrifice the game which near him fed | F |
| By Clytia's cruelty the gun was seized | F |
| And feathered victims black chagrin appeased | F |
| - | |
| 'TWAS thus the lover whiled his hours away | R |
| His heart felt torments nothing could allay | R |
| Blessed if with fortune love he'd also lost | F |
| Which constantly his earthly comforts crossed | F |
| But this lorn passion preyed upon his mind | F |
| Where'er he rode BLACK CARE would mount behind | F |
| - | |
| DEATH took at length the husband of the fair | K |
| An only son appointed was his heir | K |
| A sickly child whose life 'twas pretty plain | O |
| Could scarcely last till spring returned again | S |
| Which made the husband by his will decree | B |
| His wife the infant's successor should be | B |
| In case the babe at early years should die | F |
| Who soon grew worse and raised the widow's sigh | F |
| - | |
| TOO much affection parents ne'er can show | T |
| A mother's feelings none but mothers know | T |
| - | |
| FAIR Clytia round her child with anxious care | K |
| Watched day and night and no expense would spare | K |
| Inquired if this or that would please his taste | F |
| What he desired should be procured with haste | F |
| But nothing would he have that she proposed | F |
| An ardent wish howe'er the boy disclosed | F |
| For Fred'rick's Falcon and most anxious grew | F |
| Tear followed tear and nothing else would do | F |
| When once a child has got a whim in brain | O |
| No peace no rest till he the boon obtain | O |
| - | |
| WE should observe our belle near Fred'rick's cot | F |
| A handsome house and many lands had got | F |
| 'Twas there the lovely babe had lately heard | F |
| Most wondrous stories of the bird averred | F |
| No partridge e'er escaped its rapid wing | U |
| On every morn down numbers it would bring | U |
| No money for it would its owner take | M |
| Much grieved was Clytia such request to make | M |
| The man for her of wealth had been bereft | F |
| How ask the only treasure he had left | F |
| And him if she were led to importune | O |
| Could she expect that he'd accord the boon | O |
| Alas ungratefully she oft repaid | F |
| His liberal treats his concerts serenade | F |
| And haughtily behaved from first to last | F |
| How be so bold reflecting on the past | F |
| To see the man that she so ill had used | F |
| And ask a favour could she be excused | F |
| But then her child perhaps his life 'twould save | V |
| Naught would he take the falcon she must crave | V |
| - | |
| THAT her sweet babe might be induced to eat | F |
| So meant the bird of Fred'rick to intreat | F |
| Her boy was heard continually to cry | F |
| Unless he had the falcon he should die | F |
| - | |
| THESE reasons strongly with the mother weighed | F |
| Her visit to the 'squire was not delayed | F |
| With fond affection for her darling heir | K |
| One morn alone she sought the lorn repair | K |
| - | |
| TO Fred'rick's eye an angel she appeared | F |
| But shame he felt that she his soul revered | F |
| Should find him poor no servants to attend | F |
| Nor means to give a dinner to a friend | F |
| The poverty in which he now was viewed | F |
| Distressed his mind and all his griefs renewed | F |
| Why come said he what led you thus to trace | B |
| An humble slave of your celestial face | B |
| A villager a wretched being here | W |
| Too great the honour doubtless must appear | X |
| 'Twas somewhere else you surely meant to go | T |
| The lady in a moment answered no | T |
| Cried he I've neither cook nor kettle left | F |
| Then how can I receive you thus bereft | F |
| But you have bread said Clytia that will do | F |
| The lover quickly to the poultry flew | F |
| In search of eggs some bacon too he found | F |
| But nothing else except the hawk renowned | F |
| Which caught his eye and instantly was seized | F |
| Slain plucked and made a fricassee that pleased | F |
| - | |
| MEANWHILE the house keeper for linen sought | F |
| Knives forks plates spoons cups glass and chairs she | B |
| brought | F |
| The fricassee was served the dame partook | T |
| And on the dish with pleasure seemed to look | T |
| - | |
| THE dinner o'er the widow then resolved | F |
| To ask the boon which in her mind resolved | F |
| She thus begun good sir you'll think me mad | F |
| To come and to your breast fresh trouble add | F |
| I've much to ask and you will feel surprise | B |
| That one for whom your love could ne'er suffice | B |
| Should now request your celebrated bird | F |
| Can I expect the grant the thought 's absurd | F |
| But pardon pray a mother's anxious fear | X |
| 'Tis for my child his life to me is dear | X |
| The falcon solely can the infant save | V |
| Yet since to you I nothing ever gave | V |
| For all your kindness oft on me bestowed | F |
| Your fortune | O |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
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