Narrative Verses, Written After An Excursion From Helpstone To Burghley Park Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCD EFEFGHIH JAJAKLKM KNKNKKKK OPOPKKKK QRQRKKKK RSRSTUVU KBKBSWSW XKXKYZYZ OA2OA2B2KB2K QZQZPZPZ WB2WB2GC2GC2 D2E2D2E2RCRC LBLBB2KB2K F2G2F2G2H2KH2K KTKTQKQKThe faint sun tipt the rising ground | A |
No blustering wind the air was still | B |
The blue mist thinly scatter'd round | A |
Verg'd along the distant hill | B |
Delightful morn from labour free | C |
I jocund met the south west gale | D |
While here and there a busy bee | C |
Humm'd sweetly o'er the flow'ry vale | D |
- | |
O joyful morn on pleasure bent | E |
Down the green slopes and fields I flew | F |
And through the thickest covert went | E |
Which hid me from the public view | F |
Nor was it shame nor was it fear | G |
No no it was my own dear choice | H |
I love the briary thicket where | I |
Echo keeps her mocking voice | H |
- | |
The sun's increasing heat was kind | J |
His warm beams cheer'd the vales around | A |
I left my own fields far behind | J |
And pilgrim like trod foreign ground | A |
The glowing landscape's charms I caught | K |
Where'er I look'd or wander'd o'er | L |
And every wood and field methought | K |
A greener brighter prospect wore | M |
- | |
Delicious morn thou'lt always find | K |
When even pastime intervenes | N |
A vacant opening in my mind | K |
To think and cherish thy fond scenes | N |
Though no huge rock approach'd my sight | K |
Nor lofty mountain rear'd its head | K |
Enough for wonder and delight | K |
All around my path was spread | K |
- | |
Sometimes musing on the sky | O |
Then list'ning to the waterfall | P |
Now marking sunbeams mounted high | O |
Glistening shine on Walkherd hall | P |
Thus I often made a stand | K |
Thus I mark'd each curious spot | K |
And seemingly to court my hand | K |
I now and then a cowslip got | K |
- | |
But Barnack Simmons thine's the place | Q |
Where antique forms are dimly shewn | R |
There o'er thy moss grown hills I trace | Q |
Scenes which never will be known | R |
The deep sunk moat the stony mound | K |
Brought o'er my mind a pensive fit | K |
But ah thought I while looking round | K |
Their heads don't ache that made yon pit | K |
- | |
O thou long remember'd morn | R |
How blest was I in these dear vales | S |
When snugly hid beneath the thorn | R |
I mus'd o'er Bloomfield's Rural Tales | S |
And there sweet bard thy forest song | T |
Describ'd with energy sublime | U |
Fraught with such music charm'd my tongue | V |
And turn'd my simple thoughts to rhyme | U |
- | |
Thus ever varying my mind | K |
Ever running like the rill | B |
Soon I left these scenes behind | K |
In quest of others brighter still | B |
Yet not for ever no ye vales | S |
I love your pleasant shades too well | W |
And often since to view your dales | S |
I've brush'd along the upland swell | W |
- | |
Now nothing save a running stream | X |
For awhile my eye engag'd | K |
Whose plaintive murmurs sooth'd my dream | X |
And all aspiring thoughts assuag'd | K |
Now when near its mossy bank | Y |
I well remember how I lay | Z |
Stretching o'er the oaken plank | Y |
To see the dancing beetles play | Z |
- | |
Though the stranger passing by | O |
Scarcely gave a single look | A2 |
Yet for a whole day could I lie | O |
And pore upon this little brook | A2 |
Well pleas'd to view its winding rounds | B2 |
And see the eddying purls it made | K |
But still its daisy skirted bounds | B2 |
Like Barnham water want a shade | K |
- | |
The passing hours jogg'd on apace | Q |
And in their progress seem'd to say | Z |
Haste and gain that destin'd place | Q |
Or soon thou'lt lose the flitting day | Z |
I instantly obey'd their call | P |
Nor went to where the footpath lay | Z |
But clamber'd o'er an old rough wall | P |
And stole across the nearest way | Z |
- | |
No spire I caught nor woody swell | W |
My eye confin'd to lower bounds | B2 |
Yet not to mark the flowret's bell | W |
But watch the owners of the grounds | B2 |
Their presence was my only fear | G |
No boughs to shield me if they came | C2 |
And soon amid my rash career | G |
I deem'd such trespassing to blame | C2 |
- | |
For troubled thoughts began to rise | D2 |
Of ills almost beyond relief | E2 |
Which might from this one cause arise | D2 |
And leave me then to want reprief | E2 |
So arguing with myself how vain | R |
An afterthought still to keep free | C |
Made me to seek the road again | R |
And own the force of liberty | C |
- | |
For oh its unabated power | L |
Did then my breast with raptures fill | B |
And sure it was a happy hour | L |
That led me up to Barnack hill | B |
There uncontroll'd I knew no bounds | B2 |
But look'd o'er villages a crowd | K |
And cots and spires to farthest rounds | B2 |
While far trees seem'd a misty cloud | K |
- | |
When tir'd with such far stretching views | F2 |
I left the green hill's sideling slope | G2 |
But O so tempting was the muse | F2 |
She made me wish she made me hope | G2 |
I wish'd and hoped that future days | H2 |
For scenes prophetic fill'd my breast | K |
Would grant to me a crown of bays | H2 |
By singing maids and shepherds drest | K |
- | |
These for awhile gave such delight | K |
And occupied my mind so strong | T |
That not one view could tempt my sight | K |
But all unheeded pass'd along | T |
Save only when that destin'd place | Q |
As yet unknown though long endear'd | K |
Enrich'd with many a nameless grace | Q |
Through fancy's flitting eye appear'd | K |
John Clare
(1)
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