The Mice And The Owl Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABBCCDDEEFFGHIIJJE KLLMNMNNOOPNPNQQEERR| A pine was by a woodman fell'd | A |
| Which ancient huge and hollow tree | B |
| An owl had for his palace held | A |
| A bird the Fates had kept in fee | B |
| Interpreter to such as we | B |
| Within the caverns of the pine | C |
| With other tenants of that mine | C |
| Were found full many footless mice | D |
| But well provision'd fat and nice | D |
| The bird had bit off all their feet | E |
| And fed them there with heaps of wheat | E |
| That this owl reason'd who can doubt | F |
| When to the chase he first went out | F |
| And home alive the vermin brought | G |
| Which in his talons he had caught | H |
| The nimble creatures ran away | I |
| Next time resolved to make them stay | I |
| He cropp'd their legs and found with pleasure | J |
| That he could eat them at his leisure | J |
| It were impossible to eat | E |
| Them all at once did health permit | K |
| His foresight equal to our own | L |
| In furnishing their food was shown | L |
| Now let Cartesians if they can | M |
| Pronounce this owl a mere machine | N |
| Could springs originate the plan | M |
| Of maiming mice when taken lean | N |
| To fatten for his soup tureen | N |
| If reason did no service there | O |
| I do not know it anywhere | O |
| Observe the course of argument | P |
| These vermin are no sooner caught than gone | N |
| They must be used as soon 'tis evident | P |
| But this to all cannot be done | N |
| Hence while their ribs I lard | Q |
| I must from their elopement guard | Q |
| But how A plan complete | E |
| I'll clip them of their feet | E |
| Now find me in your human schools | R |
| A better use of logic's tools | R |
Jean De La Fontaine
(2)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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