A Sabbath Scene Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEDEFGHGIJKKLGKG MGNGOEPEKOQRSEKOEGTG UGRGKVQVWEVOXEYEZGVG QGQGKGKGQQKQQEA2OKB2 OOC2QQQQKA2KVED2EE2G WGKEKEVB2F2W| SCARCE had the solemn Sabbath bell | A |
| Ceased quivering in the steeple | B |
| Scarce had the parson to his desk | C |
| Walked stately through his people | B |
| When down the summer shaded street | D |
| A wasted female figure | E |
| With dusky brow and naked feet | D |
| Came rushing wild and eager | E |
| She saw the white spire through the trees | F |
| She heard the sweet hymn swelling | G |
| O pitying Christ a refuge give | H |
| The poor one in Thy dwelling | G |
| Like a scared fawn before the hounds | I |
| Right up the aisle she glided | J |
| While close behind her whip in hand | K |
| A lank haired hunter strided | K |
| She raised a keen and bitter cry | L |
| To Heaven and Earth appealing | G |
| Were manhood's generous pulses dead | K |
| Had woman's heart no feeling | G |
| A score of stout hands rose between | M |
| The hunter and the flying | G |
| Age clenched his staff and maiden eyes | N |
| Flashed tearful yet defying | G |
| 'Who dares profane this house and day ' | O |
| Cried out the angry pastor | E |
| 'Why bless your soul the wench's a slave | P |
| And I'm her lord and master | E |
| 'I've law and gospel on my side | K |
| And who shall dare refuse me ' | O |
| Down came the parson bowing low | Q |
| 'My good sir pray excuse me | R |
| 'Of course I know your right divine | S |
| To own and work and whip her | E |
| Quick deacon throw that Polyglott | K |
| Before the wench and trip her ' | O |
| Plump dropped the holy tome and o'er | E |
| Its sacred pages stumbling | G |
| Bound hand and foot a slave once more | T |
| The hapless wretch lay trembling | G |
| I saw the parson tie the knots | U |
| The while his flock addressing | G |
| The Scriptural claims of slavery | R |
| With text on text impressing | G |
| 'Although ' said he 'on Sabbath day | K |
| All secular occupations | V |
| Are deadly sins we must fulfil | Q |
| Our moral obligations | V |
| 'And this commends itself as one | W |
| To every conscience tender | E |
| As Paul sent back Onesimus | V |
| My Christian friends we send her ' | O |
| Shriek rose on shriek the Sabbath air | X |
| Her wild cries tore asunder | E |
| I listened with hushed breath to hear | Y |
| God answering with his thunder | E |
| All still the very altar's cloth | Z |
| Had smothered down her shrieking | G |
| And dumb she turned from face to face | V |
| For human pity seeking | G |
| I saw her dragged along the aisle | Q |
| Her shackles harshly clanking | G |
| I heard the parson over all | Q |
| The Lord devoutly thanking | G |
| My brain took fire 'Is this ' I cried | K |
| 'The end of prayer and preaching | G |
| Then down with pulpit down with priest | K |
| And give us Nature's teaching | G |
| 'Foul shame and scorn be on ye all | Q |
| Who turn the good to evil | Q |
| And steal the Bible from the Lord | K |
| To give it to the Devil | Q |
| 'Than garbled text or parchment law | Q |
| I own a statute higher | E |
| And God is true though every book | A2 |
| And every man's a liar ' | O |
| Just then I felt the deacon's hand | K |
| In wrath my coat tail seize on | B2 |
| I heard the priest cry 'Infidel ' | O |
| The lawyer mutter 'Treason ' | O |
| I started up where now were church | C2 |
| Slave master priest and people | Q |
| I only heard the supper bell | Q |
| Instead of clanging steeple | Q |
| But on the open window's sill | Q |
| O'er which the white blooms drifted | K |
| The pages of a good old Book | A2 |
| The wind of summer lifted | K |
| And flower and vine like angel wings | V |
| Around the Holy Mother | E |
| Waved softly there as if God's truth | D2 |
| And Mercy kissed each other | E |
| And freely from the cherry bough | E2 |
| Above the casement swinging | G |
| With golden bosom to the sun | W |
| The oriole was singing | G |
| As bird and flower made plain of old | K |
| The lesson of the Teacher | E |
| So now I heard the written Word | K |
| Interpreted by Nature | E |
| For to my ear methought the breeze | V |
| Bore Freedom's blessed word on | B2 |
| Thus saith the Lord Break every yoke | F2 |
| Undo the heavy burden | W |
John Greenleaf Whittier
(1)
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About A Sabbath Scene
A Sabbath Scene is a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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