A Song For Saint Cecilia's Day, 1687 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFEFCDABABB GGHGHGGGG FIFIJKK LMML NOOON PPQRQR SSFFOTO U QVQRFFFFF| From Harmony from heavenly Harmony | A |
| This universal frame began | B |
| When nature underneath a heap | C |
| Of jarring atoms lay | D |
| And could not heave her head | E |
| The tuneful voice was heard from high | F |
| Arise ye more than dead | E |
| Then cold and hot and moist and dry | F |
| In order to their stations leap | C |
| And Music's power obey | D |
| From Harmony from heavenly harmony | A |
| This universal frame began | B |
| From harmony to harmony | A |
| Through all the compass of the notes it ran | B |
| The diapason closing full in Man | B |
| - | |
| What passion cannot Music raise and quell | G |
| When Jubal struck the chorded shell | G |
| His listening brethren stood around | H |
| And wondering on their faces fell | G |
| To worship that celestial sound | H |
| Less than a god they thought there could not dwell | G |
| Within the hollow of that shell | G |
| That spoke so sweetly and so well | G |
| What passion cannot Music raise and quell | G |
| - | |
| The trumpet's loud clangour | F |
| Excites us to arms | I |
| With shrill notes of anger | F |
| And mortal alarms | I |
| The double double double beat | J |
| Of the thundering drum | K |
| Cries 'Hark the foes come | K |
| Charge charge 'tis too late to retreat ' | - |
| - | |
| The soft complaining flute | L |
| In dying notes discovers | M |
| The woes of hopeless lovers | M |
| Whose dirge is whisper'd by the warbling lute | L |
| - | |
| Sharp violins proclaim | N |
| Their jealous pangs and desperation | O |
| Fury frantic indignation | O |
| Depths of pains and height of passion | O |
| For the fair disdainful dame | N |
| - | |
| But oh what art can teach | P |
| What human voice can reach | P |
| The sacred organ's praise | Q |
| Notes inspiring holy love | R |
| Notes that wing their heavenly ways | Q |
| To mend the choirs above | R |
| - | |
| Orpheus could lead the savage race | S |
| And trees unrooted left their place | S |
| Sequacious of the lyre | F |
| But bright Cecilia raised the wonder higher | F |
| When to her Organ vocal breath was given | O |
| An angel heard and straight appear'd | T |
| Mistaking Earth for Heaven | O |
| - | |
| Grand Chorus | U |
| - | |
| As from the power of sacred lays | Q |
| The spheres began to move | V |
| And sung the great Creator's praise | Q |
| To all the blest above | R |
| So when the last and dreadful hour | F |
| This crumbling pageant shall devour | F |
| The trumpet shall be heard on high | F |
| The dead shall live the living die | F |
| And music shall untune the sky | F |
John Dryden
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