On The Death Of Amyntas. A Pastoral Elegy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCCBBDDEFGGHHIIJ JKKLLMNOOPQDDDRRSSBB B DBBBBBTUBBDDOOBBDD VDDDDDWW DBBBBDDBBXXDDYYWW| 'Twas on a joyless and a gloomy morn | A |
| Wet was the grass and hung with pearls the thorn | A |
| When Damon who designed to pass the day | B |
| With hounds and horns and chase the flying prey | B |
| Rose early from his bed but soon he found | C |
| The welkin pitched with sullen clouds around | C |
| An eastern wind and dew upon the ground | C |
| Thus while he stood and sighing did survey | B |
| The fields and curst the ill omens of the day | B |
| He saw Menalcas come with heavy pace | D |
| Wet were his eyes and cheerless was his face | D |
| He wrung his hands distracted with his care | E |
| And sent his voice before him from afar | F |
| Return he cried return unhappy swain | G |
| The spongy clouds are filled with gathering rain | G |
| The promise of the day not only crossed | H |
| But even the spring the spring itself is lost | H |
| Amyntas oh he could not speak the rest | I |
| Nor needed for presaging Damon guessed | I |
| Equal with heaven young Damon loved the boy | J |
| The boast of nature both his parents' joy | J |
| His graceful form revolving in his mind | K |
| So great a genius and a soul so kind | K |
| Gave sad assurance that his fears were true | L |
| Too well the envy of the gods he knew | L |
| For when their gifts too lavishly are placed | M |
| Soon they repent and will not make them last | N |
| For sure it was too bountiful a dole | O |
| The mother's features and the father's soul | O |
| Then thus he cried The morn bespoke the news | P |
| The morning did her cheerful light diffuse | Q |
| But see how suddenly she changed her face | D |
| And brought on clouds and rain the day's disgrace | D |
| Just such Amyntas was thy promised race | D |
| What charms adorned thy youth where nature smiled | R |
| And more than man was given us in a child | R |
| His infancy was ripe a soul sublime | S |
| In years so tender that prevented time | S |
| Heaven gave him all at once then snatched away | B |
| Ere mortals all his beauties could survey | B |
| Just like the flower that buds and withers in a day | B |
| - | |
| MENALCAS | D |
| The mother lovely though with grief opprest | B |
| Reclined his dying head upon her breast | B |
| The mournful family stood all around | B |
| One groan was heard one universal sound | B |
| All were in floods of tears and endless sorrow drowned | B |
| So dire a sadness sat on every look | T |
| Even Death repented he had given the stroke | U |
| He grieved his fatal work had been ordained | B |
| But promised length of life to those who yet remained | B |
| The mother's and her eldest daughter's grace | D |
| It seems had bribed him to prolong their space | D |
| The father bore it with undaunted soul | O |
| Like one who durst his destiny control | O |
| Yet with becoming grief he bore his part | B |
| Resigned his son but not resigned his heart | B |
| Patient as Job and may he live to see | D |
| Like him a new increasing family | D |
| - | |
| DAMON | V |
| Such is my wish and such my prophecy | D |
| For yet my friend the beauteous mould remains | D |
| Long may she exercise her fruitful pains | D |
| But ah with better hap and bring a race | D |
| More lasting and endued with equal grace | D |
| Equal she may but farther none can go | W |
| For he was all that was exact below | W |
| - | |
| MENALCAS | D |
| Damon behold yon breaking purple cloud | B |
| Hear'st thou not hymns and songs divinely loud | B |
| There mounts Amyntas the young cherubs play | B |
| About their godlike mate and sing him on his way | B |
| He cleaves the liquid air behold he flies | D |
| And every moment gains upon the skies | D |
| The new come guest admires the ethereal state | B |
| The sapphire portal and the golden gate | B |
| And now admitted in the shining throng | X |
| He shows the passport which he brought along | X |
| His passport is his innocence and grace | D |
| Well known to all the natives of the place | D |
| Now sing ye joyful angels and admire | Y |
| Your brother's voice that comes to mend your quire | Y |
| Sing you while endless tears our eyes bestow | W |
| For like Amyntas none is left below | W |
John Dryden
(1)
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