Macarius The Monk Poem Rhyme Scheme

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IN the old days while yet the Church was young	A
And men believed that praise of God was sung	A
In curbing self as well as singing psalms	B
There lived a monk Macarius by name	C
A holy man to whom the faithful came	C
With hungry hearts to hear the wondrous Word	D
In sight of gushing springs and sheltering palms	E
He dwelt within the desert from the marsh	F
He drank the brackish water and his food	G
Was dates and roots and all his rule was harsh	F
For pampered flesh in' those days warred with good	H
From those who came in scores a few there were	I
Who feared the devil more than fast and prayer	J
And these remained and took the hermit's vow	K
A dozen saints there grew to be and now	K
Macarius happy lived in larger care	J
He taught his brethren all the lore he knew	L
And as they learned his pious rigors grew	L
His whole intent was on the spirit's goal	M
He taught them silence words disturb the soul	M
He warned of joys and bade them pray for sorrow	N
And be prepared to day for death to morrow	N
To know that human life alone was given	O
To prove the souls of those who merit heaven	O
He bade the twelve in all things be as brothers	P
And die to self to live and work for others	P
'For so '' he said 'we save our love and labors	P
And each one gives his own and takes his neighbor's '	Q
	-
Thus long he taught and while they silent heard	D
He prayed for fruitful soil to hold the Word	D
One day beside the marsh they' labored long	R
For worldly work makes sweeter sacred song	R
And when the cruel sun made hot the sand	S
And Afric's gnats the sweltering face and hand	S
Tormenting stung a passing traveler stood	H
And watched the workers by the reeking flood	T
Macarius nigh with heat and toil was faint	U
The traveler saw and to the suffering saint	U
A bunch of luscious grapes in pity threw	L
Most sweet and fresh and fair they were to view	L
A generous cluster bursting rich with wine	V
Macarius longed to taste ' The fruit is mine '	-
He said and sighed 'but I who daily teach	W
Feel now the bond to practice as I preach '	-
He gave the cluster to the nearest one	O
And with his heavy toil went patient on	X
	-
As one athirst will greet a flowing brim	Y
The tempting fruit made moist the mouth of him	Y
Who took the gift but in the yearning eye	Z
Rose brighter light to one whose lip was dry	Z
He gave the grapes and bent him to his spade	A2
And he who took unknown to any other	I
The sweet refreshment handed to a brother	I
And so from each to each till round was made	A2
The circuit wholly when the grapes at last	B2
Untouched and tempting to Macarius passed	B2
'Now God be thanked ' he cried and ceased his toil	C2
'The seed was good but better was the soil	C2
My brothers join with me to bless the day '	-
But ere they knelt he threw the grapes away	D2

John Boyle O'reilly

Macarius The Monk Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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