A Song For St Cecilia's Day,[1] 1687 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFEFCDABAGB HHIHIHHHH FJFJKLLK MNNM OPPPO QQRSRS TTFFPUP V RWRSFFFFF| 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 rail | G |
| The diapason closing full in Man | B |
| - | |
| What passion cannot Music raise and quell | H |
| When Jubal struck the chorded shell | H |
| His listening brethren stood around | I |
| And wondering on their faces fell | H |
| To worship that celestial sound | I |
| Less than a God they thought there could not dwell | H |
| Within the hollow of that shell | H |
| That spoke so sweetly and so well | H |
| What passion cannot Music raise and quell | H |
| - | |
| The trumpet's loud clangour | F |
| Excites us to arms | J |
| With shrill notes of anger | F |
| And mortal alarms | J |
| The double double double beat | K |
| Of the thundering drum | L |
| Cries hark the foes come | L |
| Charge charge 'tis too late to retreat | K |
| - | |
| The soft complaining flute | M |
| In dying notes discovers | N |
| The woes of hopeless lovers | N |
| Whose dirge is whisper'd by the warbling lute | M |
| - | |
| Sharp violins proclaim | O |
| Their jealous pangs and desperation | P |
| Fury frantic indignation | P |
| Depth of pains and height of passion | P |
| For the fair disdainful dame | O |
| - | |
| But oh what art can teach | Q |
| What human voice can reach | Q |
| The sacred organ's praise | R |
| Notes inspiring holy love | S |
| Notes that wing their heavenly ways | R |
| To mend the choirs above | S |
| - | |
| Orpheus could lead the savage race | T |
| And trees uprooted left their place | T |
| Sequacious of the lyre | F |
| But bright Cecilia raised the wonder higher | F |
| When to her organ vocal breath was given | P |
| An angel heard and straight appear'd | U |
| Mistaking earth for heaven | P |
| - | |
| GRAND CHORUS | V |
| - | |
| As from the power of sacred lays | R |
| The spheres began to move | W |
| And sung the great Creator's praise | R |
| To all the bless'd above | S |
| 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
(1)
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