Lion, Tiger, And Traveller Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGCCCCHH IIJKLL MMNNOOPPH HQQDDRSHH CTUUHHCCIIDDVV IIHHQQ| Accept my Prince the moral fable | A |
| To youth ingenuous profitable | A |
| Nobility like beauty's youth | B |
| May seldom hear the voice of truth | B |
| Or mark and learn the fact betimes | C |
| That flattery is the nurse of crimes | C |
| Friendship which seldom nears a throne | D |
| Is by her voice of censure known | D |
| To one in your exalted station | E |
| A courtier is a dedication | E |
| But I dare not to dedicate | F |
| My verse e'en unto royal state | F |
| My muse is sacred and must teach | G |
| Truths which they slur in courtly speech | G |
| But I need not to hide the praise | C |
| Or veil the thoughts a nation pays | C |
| We in your youth and virtues trace | C |
| The dawnings of your royal race | C |
| Discern the promptings of your breast | H |
| Discern you succour the distrest | H |
| Discern your strivings to attain | I |
| The heights above the lowly plain | I |
| Thence shall Nobility inspire | J |
| Your bosom with her holy fire | K |
| Impressing on your spirit all | L |
| Her glorious and heroical | L |
| - | |
| - | |
| - | |
| A tigress prowling for her prey | M |
| Assailed a traveller on his way | M |
| A passing lion thought no shame | N |
| To rob the tigress of her game | N |
| They fought he conquered in the strife | O |
| Of him the traveller begged for life | O |
| His life the generous lion gave | P |
| And him invited to his cave | P |
| Arrived they sat and shared the feast | H |
| - | |
| The lion spoke he said What beast | H |
| Is strong enough to fight with me | Q |
| You saw the battle fair and free | Q |
| My vassals fear me on my throne | D |
| These hills and forests are my own | D |
| The lesser tribes of wolf and bear | R |
| Regard my royal den with fear | S |
| Their carcases on either hand | H |
| And bleaching bones now strew the land | H |
| - | |
| It is so said the man I saw | C |
| What well might baser natures awe | T |
| But shall a monarch like to you | U |
| Place glory in so base a view | U |
| Robbers invade a neighbour's right | H |
| But Love and Justice have more might | H |
| O mean and sordid are the boasts | C |
| Of plundered lands and wasted hosts | C |
| Kings should by love and justice reign | I |
| Nor be like pirates of the main | I |
| Your clemency to me has shown | D |
| A virtue worthy of a throne | D |
| If Heaven has made you great and strong | V |
| Use not her gifts to do us wrong | V |
| - | |
| The lion answered It is plain | I |
| That I have been abused my reign | I |
| By slaves and sophisters beset | H |
| But tell me friend didst ever yet | H |
| Attend in human courts You see | Q |
| My courtiers say they rule like me | Q |
John Gay
(1)
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