Sunday Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABBCBCC DEDFFGFGG HIJIIKIKK LGMGGNGNN OPOPPQPQQ RSTSSUSUG VWVWWXWXX PYPYYGYGU AZAZZNZNNThe Sabbath day of every day the best | A |
The poor mans happiness a poor man sings | B |
When labour has no claim to break his rest | A |
And the light hours fly swift on easy wings | B |
What happiness this holy morning brings | B |
How soft its pleasures on his senses steal | C |
How sweet the village bells' first warning rings | B |
And O how comfortable does he feel | C |
When with his family at ease he takes his early meal | C |
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The careful wife displays her frugal hoard | D |
And both partake in comfort though they're poor | E |
While love's sweet offsprings crowd the lowly board | D |
Their little likenesses in miniature | F |
Though through the week he labour does endure | F |
And weary limbs oft cause him to complain | G |
This welcome morning always brings a cure | F |
It teems with joys his soul to entertain | G |
And doubly sweet appears the pleasure after pain | G |
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Ah who call tell the bliss from labour freed | H |
His leisure meeteth on a Sunday morn | I |
Fix'd in a chair some godly book to read | J |
Or wandering round to view the crops of corn | I |
In best clothes fitted out and beard new shorn | I |
Dropping adown in some warm shelter'd dell | K |
With six days' labour weak and weary worn | I |
List'ning around each distant chiming bell | K |
That on the soft'ning breeze melodiously doth swell | K |
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And oft he takes his family abroad | L |
In short excursions o'er the field and plain | G |
Marking each little object on his road | M |
An insect sprig of grass and ear of grain | G |
Endeavouring thus most simply to maintain | G |
That the same Power that bids the mite to crawl | N |
That browns the wheat lands in their summer stain | G |
That Power which form'd the simple flower withal | N |
Form'd all that lives and grows upon this earthly ball | N |
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The bell when knoll'd its summons once and twice | O |
Now chimes in concert calling all to prayers | P |
The rustic boy that hankers after vice | O |
And of religion little knows or cares | P |
Scrapes up his marbles and by force repairs | P |
Though dallying on till the last bell has rung | Q |
The good man there his book devoutly bears | P |
And often as he walks the graves among | Q |
Looks on the untravel'd dust from whence his being sprung | Q |
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The service ended boys their play resume | R |
In some snug corner from the parson's view | S |
And where the searching clerk forgets to come | T |
There they their games and rural sports pursue | S |
With chuck and marbles wearing Sunday through | S |
The poor man seeks his cottage hearth again | U |
And brings his family the text to view | S |
From which the parson's good discourse was ta'en | U |
Which with what skill he may he labours to explain | G |
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Hail sacred sabbath hail thou poor man's joy | V |
Thou oft hast been a comfort to my care | W |
When faint and weary with the week's employ | V |
I met thy presence in my corner chair | W |
Musing and bearing up with troubles there | W |
Thrice hail thou heavenly boon by God's decree | X |
At first creation plann'd that all might share | W |
Both man and beast some hours from labour free | X |
To offer thanks to Him whose mercy sent us thee | X |
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This day the field a sweeter clothing wears | P |
A Sunday scene looks brighter to the eye | Y |
And hast'ning on to Monday morning's cares | P |
With double speed the wing'd hour gallops by | Y |
How swift the sun streaks down the western sky | Y |
Scarcely perceiv'd till it begins to wane | G |
When ploughboys mark his setting with a sigh | Y |
Dreading the morn's approaching hours with pain | G |
When capon's restless calls awake to toil again | U |
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As the day closes on its peace and rest | A |
The godly man sits down and takes the book | Z |
To close it in a manner deem'd the best | A |
And for a suiting chapter doth he look | Z |
That may for comfort and a guide be took | Z |
He reads of patient Job his trials' thrall | N |
How men are troubled when by God forsook | Z |
And prays with David to bear up with all | N |
When sleep shuts up the scene soft as the nightdews fall | N |
John Clare
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