Fable Xlii. The Juggler Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEE F G HHIIJJ KKLLMMNOF PPQQRSTTUU VKWWXXYZA2A2 B2B2C2C2D2D2FFE2E2 ZZJF2G2G2H2H2I2I2 ZZJ2| A 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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About Fable Xlii. The Juggler
Fable Xlii. The Juggler is a poem by John Gay. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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