Explanation Of An Ancient Woodcut Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCCDDEE FFGGHI FFJJKKLL MMNNOO PPQQRQ SSRR QQTTGGGGRRUUVVGGWWQQ GGTTFFQQXXQQYY TTQQFVVVGGGGFFGGVVQQ FFZZQQFFFFVVFFVVSSQQ VVQQTT QQQQQQQQRRFF A2A2TTWWB2B2FFRRC2C2 SSRRFFQQQQQQFF FFRRQQTTQQD2D2GGQQQQ QQZZE2FEARLY within his workshop here | A |
On Sundays stands our master dear | B |
His dirty apron he puts away | C |
And wears a cleanly doublet to day | C |
Lets wax'd thread hammer and pincers rest | D |
And lays his awl within his chest | D |
The seventh day he takes repose | E |
From many pulls and many blows | E |
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Soon as the spring sun meets his view | F |
Repose begets him labour anew | F |
He feels that he holds within his brain | G |
A little world that broods there amain | G |
And that begins to act and to live | H |
Which he to others would gladly give | I |
- | |
He had a skillful eye and true | F |
And was full kind and loving too | F |
For contemplation clear and pure | J |
For making all his own again sure | J |
He had a tongue that charm'd when 'twas heard | K |
And graceful and light flow'd ev'ry word | K |
Which made the Muses in him rejoice | L |
The Master singer of their choice | L |
- | |
And now a maiden enter'd there | M |
With swelling breast and body fair | M |
With footing firm she took her place | N |
And moved with stately noble grace | N |
She did not walk in wanton mood | O |
Nor look around with glances lewd | O |
- | |
She held a measure in her hand | P |
Her girdle was a golden band | P |
A wreath of corn was on her head | Q |
Her eye the day's bright lustre shed | Q |
Her name is honest Industry | R |
Else Justice Magnanimity | Q |
- | |
She enter'd with a kindly greeting | S |
He felt no wonder at the meeting | S |
For kind and fair as she might be | R |
He long had known her fancied he | R |
- | |
- | |
I have selected thee she said | Q |
From all who earth's wild mazes tread | Q |
That thou shouldst have clear sighted sense | T |
And nought that's wrong shouldst e'er commence | T |
When others run in strange confusion | G |
Thy gaze shall see through each illusion | G |
When others dolefully complain | G |
Thy cause with jesting thou shalt gain | G |
Honour and right shalt value duly | R |
In everything act simply truly | R |
Virtue and godliness proclaim | U |
And call all evil by its name | U |
Nought soften down attempt no quibble | V |
Nought polish up nought vainly scribble | V |
The world shall stand before thee then | G |
As seen by Albert Durer's ken | G |
In manliness and changeless life | W |
In inward strength with firmness rife | W |
Fair Nature's Genius by the hand | Q |
Shall lead thee on through every land | Q |
Teach thee each different life to scan | G |
Show thee the wondrous ways of man | G |
His shifts confusions thrustings and drubbings | T |
Pushings tearings pressings and rubbings | T |
The varying madness of the crew | F |
The anthill's ravings bring to view | F |
But thou shalt see all this express'd | Q |
As though 'twere in a magic chest | Q |
Write these things down for folks on earth | X |
In hopes they may to wit give birth | X |
Then she a window open'd wide | Q |
And show'd a motley crowd outside | Q |
All kinds of beings 'neath the sky | Y |
As in his writings one may spy | Y |
- | |
Our master dear was after this | T |
On Nature thinking full of bliss | T |
When tow'rd him from the other side | Q |
He saw an aged woman glide | Q |
The name she bears Historia | F |
Mythologia Fabula | V |
With footstep tottering and unstable | V |
She dragg'd a large and wooden carved table | V |
Where with wide sleeves and human mien | G |
The Lord was catechizing seen | G |
Adam Eve Eden the Serpent's seduction | G |
Gomorrah and Sodom's awful destruction | G |
The twelve illustrious women too | F |
That mirror of honour brought to view | F |
All kinds of bloodthirstiness murder and sin | G |
The twelve wicked tyrants also were in | G |
And all kinds of goodly doctrine and law | V |
Saint Peter with his scourge you saw | V |
With the world's ways dissatisfied | Q |
And by our Lord with power supplied | Q |
Her train and dress behind and before | F |
And e'en the seams were painted o'er | F |
With tales of worldly virtue and crime | Z |
Our master view'd all this for a time | Z |
The sight right gladly he survey'd | Q |
So useful for him in his trade | Q |
Whence he was able to procure | F |
Example good and precept sure | F |
Recounting all with truthful care | F |
As though he had been present there | F |
His spirit seem'd from earth to fly | V |
He ne'er had turned away his eye | V |
Did he not just behind him hear | F |
A rattle of bells approaching near | F |
And now a fool doth catch his eye | V |
With goat and ape's leap drawing nigh | V |
A merry interlude preparing | S |
With fooleries and jests unsparing | S |
Behind him in a line drawn out | Q |
He dragg'd all fools the lean and stout | Q |
The great and little the empty and full | V |
All too witty and all too dull | V |
A lash he flourish'd overhead | Q |
As though a dance of apes he led | Q |
Abusing them with bitterness | T |
As though his wrath would ne'er grow less | T |
- | |
While on this sight our master gazed | Q |
His head was growing well nigh crazed | Q |
What words for all could he e'er find | Q |
Could such a medley be combined | Q |
Could he continue with delight | Q |
For evermore to sing and write | Q |
When lo from out a cloud's dark bed | Q |
In at the upper window sped | Q |
The Muse in all her majesty | R |
As fair as our loved maids we see | R |
With clearness she around him threw | F |
Her truth that ever stronger grew | F |
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I to ordain thee come she spake | A2 |
So prosper and my blessing take | A2 |
The holy fire that slumb'ring lies | T |
Within thee in bright flames shall rise | T |
Yet that thine ever restless life | W |
May still with kindly strength be rife | W |
I for thine inward spirit's calm | B2 |
Have granted nourishment and balm | B2 |
That rapture may thy soul imbue | F |
Like some fair blossom bathed in dew | F |
Behind his house then secretly | R |
Outside the doorway pointed she | R |
Where in a shady garden nook | C2 |
A beauteous maid with downcast look | C2 |
Was sitting where a stream was flowing | S |
With elder bushes near it growing | S |
She sat beneath an apple tree | R |
And nought around her seem'd to see | R |
Her lap was full of roses fair | F |
Which in a wreath she twined with care | F |
And with them leaves and blossoms blended | Q |
For whom was that sweet wreath intended | Q |
Thus sat she modest and retired | Q |
Her bosom throbb'd with hope inspired | Q |
Such deep forebodings fill'd her mind | Q |
No room for wishing could she find | Q |
And with the thoughts that o'er it flew | F |
Perchance a sigh was mingled too | F |
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But why should sorrow cloud thy brow | F |
That dearest love which fills thee now | F |
Is fraught with joy and ecstasy | R |
Prepared in one alone for thee | R |
That he within thine eye may find | Q |
Solace when fortune proves unkind | Q |
And be newborn through many a kiss | T |
That he receives with inward bliss | T |
When'er he clasps thee to his breast | Q |
May he from all his toils find rest | Q |
When he in thy dear arms shall sink | D2 |
May he new life and vigour drink | D2 |
Fresh joys of youth shalt thou obtain | G |
In merry jest rejoice again | G |
With raillery and roguish spite | Q |
Thou now shalt tease him now delight | Q |
Thus Love will nevermore grow old | Q |
Thus will the minstrel ne'er be cold | Q |
- | |
While he thus lives in secret bless'd | Q |
Above him in the clouds doth rest | Q |
An oak wreath verdant and sublime | Z |
Placed on his brow in after time | Z |
While they are banish'd to the slough | E2 |
Who their great master disavow | F |
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
(1)
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