Vision Of Columbus - Book 1 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ KKFFAALLMMBBBBNO BBONBBPP FFAAQQBBFF AABBRRSTUUFFBBFFVV BBCC BBBBCCWGXXBBYY VVWWFFVVXXLLZZBBA2A2 XXB2B2VVQQWW DDXXBBDD BBBBBBBBBBVVDDBBC2C2 D2D2DDBBFFBBBBE2E2F2 F2VVBBG2H2I2J2K2Long had the Sage the first who dared to brave | A |
The unknown dangers of the western wave | A |
Who taught mankind where future empires lay | B |
In these fair confines of descending day | B |
With cares o'erwhelm'd in life's distressing gloom | C |
Wish'd from a thankless world a peaceful tomb | C |
While kings and nations envious of his name | D |
Enjoy'd his toils and triumph'd o'er his fame | D |
And gave the chief from promised empire hurl'd | E |
Chains for a crown a prison for a world | E |
Now night and silence held their lonely reign | F |
The half orb'd moon declining to the main | F |
Descending clouds o'er varying ether driven | G |
Obscured the stars and shut the eye from heaven | G |
Cold mists through opening grates the cell invade | H |
And deathlike terrors haunt the midnight shade | H |
When from a visionary short repose | I |
That raised new cares and temper'd keener woes | I |
Columbus woke and to the walls address'd | J |
The deep felt sorrows of his manly breast | J |
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Here lies the purchase here the wretched spoil | K |
Of painful years and persevering toil | K |
For these dread walks this hideous haunt of pain | F |
I traced new regions o'er the pathless main | F |
Dared all the dangers of the dreary wave | A |
Hung o'er its clefts and topp'd the surging grave | A |
Saw billowy seas in swelling mountains roll | L |
And bursting thunders rock the reddening pole | L |
Death rear his front in every dreadful form | M |
Gape from beneath and blacken in the storm | M |
Till tost far onward to the skirts of day | B |
Where milder suns dispens'd a smiling ray | B |
Through brighter skies my happier sails descry'd | B |
The golden banks that bound the western tide | B |
And gave the admiring world that bounteous shore | N |
Their wealth to nations and to kings their power | O |
- | |
Oh land of transport dear delusive coast | B |
To these fond aged eyes forever lost | B |
No more thy gladdening vales I travel o'er | O |
For me thy mountains rear the head no more | N |
For me thy rocks no sparkling gems unfold | B |
Or streams luxuriant wear their paths in gold | B |
From realms of promised peace forever borne | P |
I hail dread anguish and in secret mourn | P |
- | |
But dangers past fair climes explored in vain | F |
And foes triumphant shew but half my pain | F |
Dissembling friends each earlier joy who gave | A |
And fired my youth the storms of fate to brave | A |
Swarm'd in the sunshine of my happier days | Q |
Pursued the fortune and partook the praise | Q |
Bore in my doubtful cause a twofold part | B |
The garb of friendship and the viper's heart | B |
Pass my loath'd cell with smiles of sour disdain | F |
Insult my woes and triumph in my pain | F |
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One gentle guardian Heaven indulgent gave | A |
And now that guardian slumbers in the grave | A |
Hear from above thou dear departed shade | B |
As once my joys my present sorrows aid | B |
Burst my full heart afford that last relief | R |
Breathe back my sighs and re inspire my grief | R |
Still in my sight thy royal form appears | S |
Reproves my silence and demands my tears | T |
On that blest hour my soul delights to dwell | U |
When thy protection bade the canvass swell | U |
When kings and courtiers found their factions vain | F |
Blind Superstition shrunk beneath her chain | F |
The sun's glad beam led on the circling way | B |
And isles rose beauteous in the western day | B |
But o'er those silvery shores that fair domain | F |
What crowds of tyrants fix their horrid reign | F |
Again fair Freedom seeks her kindred skies | V |
Truth leaves the world and Isabella dies | V |
- | |
Oh lend thy friendly shroud to veil my sight | B |
That these pain'd eyes may dread no more the light | B |
These welcome shades conclude my instant doom | C |
And this drear mansion moulder to a tomb | C |
- | |
Thus mourn'd the hapless chief a thundering sound | B |
Roll'd round the shuddering walls and shook the ground | B |
O'er all the dome where solemn arches bend | B |
The roofs unfold and streams of light descend | B |
The growing splendor fill'd the astonish'd room | C |
And gales ethereal breathed a glad perfume | C |
Mild in the midst a radiant seraph shone | W |
Robed in the vestments of the rising sun | G |
Tall rose his stature youth's primeval grace | X |
Moved o'er his limbs and wanton'd in his face | X |
His closing wings in golden plumage drest | B |
With gentle sweep came folding o'er his breast | B |
His locks in rolling ringlets glittering hung | Y |
And sounds melodious moved his heavenly tongue | Y |
- | |
Rise trembling Chief to scenes of rapture rise | V |
This voice awaits thee from the approving skies | V |
Thy just complaints in heavenly audience known | W |
Call mild compassion from the indulgent throne | W |
Let grief no more awake the piteous strain | F |
Nor think thy piety or toils are vain | F |
Tho' faithless men thy injured worth despise | V |
Depress all virtue and insult the skies | V |
Yet look thro' nature Heaven's own conduct trace | X |
What power divine sustains the unthankful race | X |
From that great Source that life inspiring Soul | L |
Suns drew their light and systems learn'd to roll | L |
Time walk'd the silent round and life began | Z |
And God's fair image stamp'd the mind of man | Z |
Down the long vale where rolling years descend | B |
To thy own days behold his care extend | B |
From one eternal Spring what love proceeds | A2 |
Smiles in the seraph in the Saviour bleeds | A2 |
Shines through all worlds that fill the bounds of space | X |
And lives and brightens in thy favour'd race | X |
Yet no return the almighty Power can know | B2 |
From earth to heaven no just reward can flow | B2 |
Men spread their wants the all bounteous hand supplies | V |
And gives the joys that mortals dare despise | V |
In these dark vales where blinded faction sways | Q |
Wealth pride and conquest claim the palm of praise | Q |
Aw'd into slaves while groping millions groan | W |
And blood stain'd steps lead upwards to a throne | W |
- | |
Far other wreaths thy virtuous temples claim | D |
Far nobler honours build thy sacred name | D |
Thine be the joys the immortal mind that grace | X |
Pleas'd with the toils that bless thy kindred race | X |
Now raise thy ravish'd soul to scenes more bright | B |
The glorious fruits ascending on thy sight | B |
For wing'd with speed from brighter worlds I came | D |
To sooth thy grief and show thy distant fame | D |
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As that great Seer whose animating rod | B |
Taught Israel's sons the wonder working God | B |
Who led thro' dreary wastes the murmuring band | B |
To the fair confines of the promised land | B |
Oppress'd with years from Pisgah's beauteous height | B |
O'er boundless regions cast the raptured sight | B |
The joys of unborn nations warm'd his breast | B |
Repaid his toils and sooth'd his soul to rest | B |
Thus o'er thy subject wave shalt thou behold | B |
Far happier realms their future charms unfold | B |
In nobler pomp another Pisgah rise | V |
Beneath whose foot thine own Canaumlan lies | V |
There rapt in vision hail the distant clime | D |
And taste the blessings of remotest time | D |
The Seraph spoke and now before them lay | B |
The doors unbarr'd a steep ascending way | B |
That through disparting shades arose on high | C2 |
Reach'd o'er the hills and lengthen'd up the sky | C2 |
Oped a fair summit graced with rising flowers | D2 |
Sweet odours breathing through celestial bowers | D2 |
O'er proud Hispanian spires it looks sublime | D |
Subjects the Alps and levels all the clime | D |
Led by the Power the hero gain'd the height | B |
A touch from heaven sublimed his mortal sight | B |
And calm beneath them flow'd the western main | F |
Far stretch'd immense a sky encircled plain | F |
No sail no isle no cloud invests the bound | B |
Nor billowy surge disturbs the unvaried round | B |
Till deep in distant heavens the sun's dim ray | B |
Topp'd unknown cliffs and call'd them up to day | B |
Slow glimmering into sight wide regions drew | E2 |
And rose and brighten'd on the expanding view | E2 |
Fair sweep the waves the lessening ocean smiles | F2 |
And breathes the fragrance of a thousand isles | F2 |
Near and more near the long drawn coasts arise | V |
Bays stretch their arms and mountains lift the skies | V |
The lakes unfolding point the streams their way | B |
The plains the hills their lengthening skirts display | B |
The vales draw forth high walk the approaching groves | G2 |
And all the majesty of nature moves | H2 |
O'er the wild climes his eyes delighted rove | I2 |
Where lands extend and glittering waters move | J2 |
He saw through central realms the | K2 |
Joel Barlow
(1)
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