The Flying Dutchman Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDD EEFGHHIICCJJKK LLKKMNOO CCPPQQRRSSTTQQ UUVVWWQQ QQPPQQKK PPQQQQXXQQKKYYZZA2 EEB2B2LLQQDDC2D2QQE2 KKBB QQF2F2ZZQQQQG2G2H2H2 QQVVII

LONG time ago from Amsterdam a vessel sailed awayA
As fair a ship as ever flung aside the laughing sprayA
Upon the shore were tearful eyes and scarfs were in the airB
As to her o'er the Zuyder Zee went fond adieu and prayerB
And brave hearts yearning shoreward from the outwardgoing shipC
Felt lingering kisses clinging still to tear wet cheek and lipC
She steered for some far eastern clime and as she skimmed the seasD
Each taper mast was bending like a rod before the breezeD
-
Her captain was a stalwart man an iron heart had heE
From childhood's days he sailed upon the rolling Zuyder ZeeE
He nothing feared upon the earth and scarcely heaven fearedF
He would have dared and done whatever mortal man had daredG
He looked aloft where high in air the pennant cut the blueH
And every rope and spar and sail was firm and strong and trueH
He turned him from the swelling sail to gaze upon the shoreI
Ah little thought the skipper then 'twould meet his eye no moreI
He dreamt not that an awful doom was hanging o'er his shipC
That Vanderdecken's name would yet make pale the speaker's lipC
The vessel bounded on her way and spire and dome went downJ
Ere darkness fell beneath the wave had sunk the distant townJ
No more no more ye hapless crew shall Holland meet your eyeK
In lingering hope and keen suspense maid wife and child shall dieK
-
Away away the vessel speeds till sea and sky aloneL
Are round her as her course she steers across the torrid zoneL
Away until the North Star fades the Southern Cross is highK
And myriad gems of brightest beam are sparkling In the skyK
The tropic winds are left behind she nears the Cape of StormsM
Where awful Tempest ever sits enthroned in wild alarmsN
Where Ocean in his anger shakes aloft his foamy crestO
Disdainful of the weakly toys that ride upon his breastO
-
Pierce swell the winds and waters round the Dutchman's gallant shipC
But to their rage defiance rings from Vanderdecken's lipC
Impotent they to make him swerve their might he dares despiseP
As straight he holds his onward course and wind and wave defiesP
For days and nights he struggles in the weird unearthly fightQ
His brow is bent his eye is fierce but looks of deep affrightQ
Amongst the mariners go round as hopelessly they steerR
They do not dare to murmur but they whisper what they fearR
Their black browed captain awes them 'neath his darkened eye they quailS
And in a grim and sullen mood their bitter fate bewailS
As some fierce rider ruthless spurs a timid wavering horseT
He drives his shapely vessel and they watch the reckless courseT
Till once again their skipper's laugh is flung upon the blastQ
The placid ocean smiles beyond the dreaded Cape is passedQ
-
Away across the Indian main the vessel northward glidesU
A thousand murmuring ripples break along her graceful sidesU
The perfumed breezes fill her sails her destined port she nearsV
The captain's brow has lost its frown the mariners their fearsV
'Land ho ' at length the welcome sound the watchful sailor singsW
And soon within an Indian bay the ship at anchor swingsW
Not idle then the busy crew ere long the spacious holdQ
Is emptied of its western freight and stored with silk and goldQ
-
Again the ponderous anchor's weighed the shore is left behindQ
The snowy sails are bosomed out before the favoring windQ
Across the warm blue Indian sea the vessel southward fliesP
And once again the North Star fades and Austral beacons riseP
For home she steers I she seems to know and answer to the wordQ
And swifter skims the burnished deep like some fair oceanbirdQ
'For home for home ' the merry crew with gladsome voices cryK
And dark browed Vanderdecken has a mild light in his eyeK
-
But once again the Cape draws near and furious billows riseP
And still the daring Dutchman's laugh the hurricane defiesP
But wildly shrieked the tempest ere the scornful sound had diedQ
A warning to the daring man to curb his impious prideQ
A crested mountain struck the ship and like a frighted birdQ
She trembled 'neath the awful shock Then Vanderdecken heardQ
A pleading voice within the gale his better angel spokeX
But fled before his scowling look as mast high mountains brokeX
Around the trembling vessel till the crew with terror paledQ
But Vanderdecken never flinched nor 'neath the thunders quailedQ
With folded arms and stern pressed lips dark anger in his eyeK
He answered back the threatening frown that lowered o'er the skyK
With fierce defiance in his heart and scornful look of flameY
He spoke and thus with impious voice blasphemed God's holy nameY
'Howl on ye winds ye tempests howl your rage is spent in vainZ
Despite your strength your frowns your hate I'll ride upon the mainZ
Defiance to your idle shrieks I'll sail upon my pathA2
I cringe not for thy Maker's smile I care not for His wrath '-
-
He ceased An awful silence fell the tempest and the seaE
Were hushed in sudden stillness by the Ruler's dread decreeE
The ship was riding motionless within the gathering gloomB2
The Dutchman stood upon the poop and heard his dreadful doomB2
The hapless crew were on the deck in swooning terror proneL
They too were bound in fearful fate In angered thunder toneL
The judgment words swept o'er the sea 'Go wretch accurst condemnedQ
Go sail for ever on the deep by shrieking tempests hemmedQ
No home no port no calm no rest no gentle favoring breezeD
Shall ever greet thee Go accurst and battle with the seasD
Go braggart struggle with the storm nor ever cease to liveC2
But bear a million times the pangs that death and fear can giveD2
Away and hide thy guilty head a curse to all thy kindQ
Who ever see thee struggling wretch with ocean and with windQ
Away presumptuous worm of earth Go teach thy fellow wormsE2
The awful fate that waits on him who braves the King of Storms '-
-
'Twas o'er A lurid lightning flash lit up the sea and skyK
Around and o'er the fated ship then rose a wailing cryK
From every heart within her of keen anguish and despairB
But mercy was for them no more it died away in airB
-
Once more the lurid light gleamed out the ship was still at restQ
The crew were standing at their posts with arms across his breastQ
Still stood the captain on the poop but bent and crouching nowF2
He bowed beneath that fiat dread and o'er his swarthy browF2
Swept lines of anguish as if he a thousand years of painZ
Had lived and suffered Then across the heaving angry mainZ
The tempest shrieked triumphant and the angry waters hissedQ
Their vengeful hate against the toy they oftentimes bad kissedQ
And ever through the midnight storm that hapless crew must speedQ
They try to round the stormy Cape but never can succeedQ
And oft when gales are wildest and the lightning's vivid sheenG2
Flashes back the ocean's anger still the Phantom Ship is seenG2
Ever sailing to the southward in the fierce tornado's swoopH2
With her ghostly crew and canvas and her captain on the poopH2
Unrelenting unforgiven and 'tis said that every wordQ
Of his blasphemous defiance still upon the gale is heardQ
But Heaven help the ship near which the dismal sailor steersV
The doom of those is sealed to whom that Phantom Ship appearsV
They'll never reach their destined port they'll see their homes no moreI
They who see the Flying Dutchman never never reach the shoreI

John Boyle O'reilly



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