Vision Of Columbus - Book 3 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJKK IICLMNFFOOPPQQRSTTUU PPOOPPRRVVPPWXGGOYLC RRZZPPA2A2PPPPB2B2PP PPIIKTGGQQPPBCQQRRC2 C2AAPPIIPPQQPPD2D2BC OOAAE2E2OOPPGGBCIF2Q QPPBCG2H2PPPPYYI2I2C CPPYOPPPPJ2J2PPPPPPA APPPPP

Now twice twelve years the children of the skiesA
Beheld in peace their growing empire riseA
O'er happy realms display'd their generous careB
Diffused their arts and soothd the rage of warC
Bade yon tall temple grace the favourite isleD
The gardens bloom the cultured valleys smileD
The aspiring hills their spacious mines unfoldE
Fair structures blaze and altars burn in goldE
Those broad foundations bend their arches highF
And heave imperial Cusco to the skyF
From that fair stream that mark'd their northern swayG
Where Apurimac leads his lucid wayG
To yon far glimmering lake the southern boundH
The growing tribes their peaceful dwellings foundH
While wealth and grandeur bless'd the extended reignI
From the bold Andes to the western mainI
When fierce from eastern wilds the savage bandsJ
Lead war and slaughter o'er the happy landsJ
Thro' fertile fields the paths of culture traceK
And vow destruction to the Incan raceK
While various fortune strow'd the embattled plainI
And baffled thousands still the strife maintainI
The unconquer'd Inca wakes the lingering warC
Drives back their host and speeds their flight afarL
Till fired with rage they range the wonted woodM
And feast their souls on future scenes of bloodN
Where yon blue summits hang their cliffs on highF
Frown o'er the plains and lengthen round the skyF
Where vales exalted thro' the breaches runO
And drink the nearer splendors of the sunO
From south to north the tribes innumerous windP
By hills of ice and mountain streams confinedP
Rouse neighbouring hosts and meditate the blowQ
To blend their force and whelm the world belowQ
Capac with caution views the dark designR
From countless wilds what hostile myriads joinS
And greatly strives to bid the discord ceaseT
By profferd compacts of perpetual peaceT
His eldest hope young Rocha at his callU
Leaves the deep confines of the temple wallU
In whose fair form in lucid garments drestP
Began the sacred function of the priestP
In early youth ere yet the genial sunO
Had twice six changes o'er his childhood runO
The blooming prince beneath his parents' handP
Learn'd all the laws that sway'd the sacred landP
With rites mysterious served the Power divineR
Prepared the altar and adorn'd the shrineR
Responsive hail'd with still returning praiseV
Each circling season that the God displaysV
Sooth'd with funereal hymns the parting deadP
At nuptial feasts the joyful chorus ledP
While evening incense and the morning songW
Rose from his hand or trembled on his tongueX
Thus form'd for empire ere he gain'd the swayG
To rule with reverence and with power obeyG
Reflect the glories of the parent SunO
And shine the Capac of his future throneY
Employ'd his ripening years till now from farL
The distant fields proclaim approaching warC
Inspired for active scenes he quits the shrineR
To aid the council or in arms to shineR
Where the mild monarch courtly throngs encloseZ
Sublime in modest majesty he roseZ
With reverence bow'd conspicuous o'er the restP
Approach'd the throne and thus the sire address'dP
Great king of nations heaven descended sageA2
Guard of my youth and glory of my ageA2
These pontiff robes to my blest brother's handP
Glad I resign and wait thy kind commandP
Should war invade permit thy son to wieldP
The shaft of vengeance through the untempted fieldP
Led by thy powerful arm my soul shall braveB2
The haughtiest foe or find a glorious graveB2
While our bold ranks a nobler toil demandP
In one dread field o'erwhelm the brutal bandP
Pour to the mountain gods their wonted foodP
And shield thy realms from future scenes of bloodP
Yet oh may sovereign mercy first ordainI
Propounded compact to the savage trainI
Fearless of foes their own dark wilds I'll traceK
To quell the rage and give the terms of peaceT
Teach the grim race to bow beneath thy swayG
And taste the blessings of the Power of dayG
The sire return'd My earliest wish you knowQ
To shield from slaughter and preserve the foeQ
In bands of mutual peace all tribes to bindP
And live the friend and guardian of mankindP
Should strife begin thy youthful arm shall shareB
The toils of glory through the walks of warC
But o'er those hideous hills thro' climes of snowQ
With reason's voice to lure the savage foeQ
To 'scape their snares their jarring souls combineR
Claims hardier limbs and riper years than thineR
Yet one of heavenly race the task requiresC2
Whose mystic rites controul the ethereal firesC2
So the sooth'd Godhead proves to faithless eyesA
His sway on earth and empire of the skiesA
Some veteran chief in those rough labours try'dP
Shall aid the toil and go thy faithful guideP
O'er dreary heights thy sinking limbs sustainI
Teach the dark wiles of each insidious trainI
Through all extremes of life thy voice attendP
In counsel lead thee or in arms defendP
While three firm youths thy chosen friends shall goQ
To learn the climes and meditate the foeQ
That wars of future years their aid may findP
To serve the realm and save the savage kindP
Rise then my son bright partner of my fameD2
With early toils to build thy sacred nameD2
In high behest these heavenly tidings bearB
To bless mankind and ward the waste of warC
To those dark hosts where shivering mountains runO
Proclaim the bounties of our sire the SunO
On these fair plains beneath his happier skiesA
Tell how his fruits in boundless plenty riseA
How the bright Power whose all delighting soulE2
Taught round the courts of heaven his stars to rollE2
To all his earth born sons hath kindly givenO
His noblest laws the favourite grace of heavenO
Bids every tribe the same glad laws attendP
His realms to widen and his fanes defendP
Confess and emulate his bounteous swayG
And give his blessings where he gives the dayG
Yet should the gathering legions still prepareB
The shaft of slaughter for the barbarous warC
Tell them we know to tread the crimson plainI
And heaven's bright children never yield to manF2
But oh my child with steps of caution goQ
The ways are hideous and enraged the foeQ
Blood stains their altars all their feasts are bloodP
Death their delight and Darkness reigns their GodP
Tygers and vultures storms and earthquakes shareB
Their rites of worship and their spoils of warC
Should'st thou my Rocha tempt their vengeful ireG2
Should those dear relics feed a savage fireH2
Deep sighs would heave thy wretched mother's breastP
The pale sun sink in clouds of darkness drestP
Thy sire and hapless nations rue the dayP
That drew thy steps from these sad walls awayP
Yet go 'tis virtue calls and realms unknownY
By these long toils may bless thy future throneY
Millions of unborn souls in time may seeI2
Their doom reversed and owe their joys to theeI2
While savage sires with murdering hands no moreC
Dread the grim Gods that claim their children's goreC
But sway'd by happier sceptres here beholdP
The rites of freedom and the shrines of goldP
Be wise be mindful of thy realm and throneY
Heaven speed the labours and preserve my sonO
Soon the glad prince in robes of white array'dP
Call'd his attendants and the sire obey'dP
A diamond broad in burning gold imprestP
Fix'd the Sun's image on his royal breastP
Fair in his hand appear'd the olive boughJ2
And the white lautu graced his beauteous browJ2
Swift o'er the hills that lift the walks of dayP
Thro' parting clouds he took his eastern wayP
Height over height he gain'd beyond the boundP
Where the wide empire claims its utmost roundP
To numerous tribes proclaim'd the solar swayP
And held through various toils his wilder'd wayP
At length far distant thro' the darkening skiesA
Where hills o'er hills in rude disorder riseA
A dreadful groan beneath the shuddering groundP
Rolls down the steeps and shakes the world aroundP
Columns of reddening smoke above the heightP
O'ercast the heavens and cloud their wonted lightP
From tottering tops dP

Joel Barlow



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