Fable Xlii. The Juggler Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEE F G HHIIJJ KKLLMMNOF PPQQRSTTUU VKWWXXYZA2A2 B2B2C2C2D2D2FFE2E2 ZZJF2G2G2H2H2I2I2 ZZJ2A juggler long through all the town | A |
Had raised his fortune and renown | A |
You'd think so far his art transcends | B |
The devil at his fingers' ends | B |
Vice heard his fame she read his bill | C |
Convinced of his inferior skill | C |
She sought his booth and from the crowd | D |
Defied the man of art aloud | D |
'Is this then he so famed for sleight | E |
Can this slow bungler cheat your sight | E |
- | |
Dares he with me dispute the prize | F |
I leave it to impartial eyes ' | - |
Provoked the juggler cried tis done | G |
In science I submit to none ' | - |
Thus said the cups and balls he played | H |
By turns this here that there conveyed | H |
The cards obedient to his words | I |
Are by a fillip turned to birds | I |
His little boxes change the grain | J |
Trick after trick deludes the train | J |
- | |
He shakes his bag he shows all fair | K |
His fingers spreads and nothing there | K |
Then bids it rain with showers of gold | L |
And now his ivory eggs are told | L |
But when from thence the hen he draws | M |
Amazed spectators hum applause | M |
Vice now stept forth and took the place | N |
With all the forms of his grimace | O |
'This magic looking glass ' she cries | F |
There hand it round 'will charm your eyes ' | - |
- | |
Each eager eye the sight desired | P |
And every man himself admired | P |
Next to a senator addressing | Q |
'See this bank note observe the blessing | Q |
Breathe on the bill ' Heigh pass 'Tis gone | R |
Upon his lips a padlock shone | S |
A second puff the magic broke | T |
The padlock vanished and he spoke | T |
Twelve bottles ranged upon the board | U |
All full with heady liquor stored | U |
- | |
By clean conveyance disappear | V |
And now two bloody swords are there | K |
A purse she to a thief exposed | W |
At once his ready fingers closed | W |
He opes his fist the treasure's fled | X |
He sees a halter in its stead | X |
She bids ambition hold a wand | Y |
He grasps a hatchet in his hand | Z |
A box of charity she shows | A2 |
'Blow here ' and a churchwarden blows | A2 |
- | |
'Tis vanished with conveyance neat | B2 |
And on the table smokes a treat | B2 |
She shakes the dice the boards she knocks | C2 |
And from all pockets fills her box | C2 |
She next a meagre rake address'd | D2 |
'This picture see her shape her breast | D2 |
What youth and what inviting eyes | F |
Hold her and have her ' With surprise | F |
His hand exposed a box of pills | E2 |
And a loud laugh proclaimed his ills | E2 |
- | |
A counter in a miser's hand | Z |
Grew twenty guineas at command | Z |
She bids his heir the sum retain | J |
And 'tis a counter now again | F2 |
A guinea with her touch you see | G2 |
Take every shape but charity | G2 |
And not one thing you saw or drew | H2 |
But changed from what was first in view | H2 |
The juggler now in grief of heart | I2 |
With this submission owned her art | I2 |
- | |
'Can I such matchless sleight withstand | Z |
How practice hath improved your hand | Z |
But now and then I cheat the throng | J2 |
You every day and all day long ' | - |
John Gay
(1)
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