Nauhaught, The Deacon Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFG HDIJKLMNOPQRSE TUAVWXYZA2JB2C2D2E2F 2G2H2I2A2J2YK2L2M2N2 O2P2Q2GR2S2T2U2V2HH2 D2W2PX2Y2Z2DGA3B3C3D 3E3F3G3H3I3I J3K3I2G3L3NM3N3 O3P3G3A2C3Q3FHR3 S3V2T3FM3GHP3U3V3W3NAUHAUGHT the Indian deacon who of old | A |
Dwelt poor but blameless where his narrowing Cape | B |
Stretches its shrunk arm out to all the winds | C |
And the relentless smiting of the waves | D |
Awoke one morning from a pleasant dream | E |
Of a good angel dropping in his hand | F |
A fair broad gold piece in the name of God | G |
- | |
He rose and went forth with the early day | H |
Far inland where the voices of the waves | D |
Mellowed and Mingled with the whispering leaves | I |
As through the tangle of the low thick woods | J |
He searched his traps Therein nor beast nor bird | K |
He found though meanwhile in the reedy pools | L |
The otter plashed and underneath the pines | M |
The partridge drummed and as his thoughts went back | N |
To the sick wife and little child at home | O |
What marvel that the poor man felt his faith | P |
Too weak to bear its burden like a rope | Q |
That strand by strand uncoiling breaks above | R |
The hand that grasps it 'Even now O Lord | S |
Send me ' he prayed 'the angel of my dream | E |
Nauhaught is very poor he cannot wait ' | - |
- | |
Even as he spake he heard at his bare feet | T |
A low metallic clink and looking down | U |
He saw a dainty purse with disks of gold | A |
Crowding its silken net Awhile he held | V |
The treasure up before his eyes alone | W |
With his great need feeling the wondrous coins | X |
Slide through his eager fingers one by one | Y |
So then the dream was true The angel brought | Z |
One broad piece only should he take all these | A2 |
Who would be wiser in the blind dumb woods | J |
The loser doubtless rich would scarcely miss | B2 |
This dropped crumb from a table always full | C2 |
Still while he mused he seemed to hear the cry | D2 |
Of a starved child the sick face of his wife | E2 |
Tempted him Heart and flesh in fierce revolt | F2 |
Urged the wild license of his savage youth | G2 |
Against his later scruples Bitter toil | H2 |
Prayer fasting dread of blame and pitiless eyes | I2 |
To watch his halting had he lost for these | A2 |
The freedom of the woods the hunting grounds | J2 |
Of happy spirits for a walled in heaven | Y |
Of everlasting psalms One healed the sick | K2 |
Very far off thousands of moons ago | L2 |
Had he not prayed him night and day to come | M2 |
And cure his bed bound wife Was there a hell | N2 |
Were all his fathers' people writhing there | O2 |
Like the poor shell fish set to boil alive | P2 |
Forever dying never If he kept | Q2 |
This gold so needed would the dreadful God | G |
Torment him like a Mohawk's captive stuck | R2 |
With slow consuming splinters Would the saints | S2 |
And the white angels dance and laugh to see him | T2 |
Burn like a pitch pine torch His Christian garb | U2 |
Seemed falling from him with the fear and shame | V2 |
Of Adam naked at the cool of day | H |
He gazed around A black snake lay in coil | H2 |
On the hot sand a crow with sidelong eye | D2 |
Watched from a dead bough All his Indian lore | W2 |
Of evil blending with a convert's faith | P |
In the supernal terrors of the Book | X2 |
He saw the Tempter in the coiling snake | Y2 |
And ominous black winged bird and all the while | Z2 |
The low rebuking of the distant waves | D |
Stole in upon him like the voice of God | G |
Among the trees of Eden Girding up | A3 |
His soul's loins with a resolute hand he thrust | B3 |
The base thought from him 'Nauhaught be a man | C3 |
Starve if need be but while you live look out | D3 |
From honest eyes on all men unashamed | E3 |
God help me I am deacon of the church | F3 |
A baptized praying Indian Should I do | G3 |
This secret meanness even the barken knots | H3 |
Of the old trees would turn to eyes to see it | I3 |
The birds would tell of it and all the leaves | I |
Whisper above me 'Nauhaught is a thief ' | - |
The sun would know it and the stars that hide | J3 |
Behind his light would watch me and at night | K3 |
Follow me with their sharp accusing eyes | I2 |
Yea thou God seest me ' Then Nauhaught drew | G3 |
Closer his belt of leather dulling thus | L3 |
The pain of hunger and walked bravely back | N |
To the brown fishing hamlet by the sea | M3 |
And pausing at the inn door cheerily asked | N3 |
'Who hath lost aught to day ' | - |
'I ' said a voice | O3 |
'Ten golden pieces in a silken purse | P3 |
My daughter's handiwork ' He looked and to | G3 |
One stood before him in a coat of frieze | A2 |
And the glazed bat of a seafaring man | C3 |
Shrewd faced broad shouldered with no trace of wings | Q3 |
Marvelling he dropped within the stranger's hand | F |
The silken web and turned to go his way | H |
But the man said 'A tithe at least is yours | R3 |
Take it in God's name as an honest man ' | - |
And as the deacon's dusky fingers closed | S3 |
Over the golden gift 'Yea in God's name | V2 |
I take it with a poor man's thanks ' he said | T3 |
So down the street that like a river of sand | F |
Ran white in sunshine to the summer sea | M3 |
He sought his home singing and praising God | G |
And when his neighbors in their careless way | H |
Spoke of the owner of the silken purse | P3 |
A Wellfleet skipper known in every port | U3 |
That the Cape opens in its sandy wall | V3 |
He answered with a wise smile to himself | W3 |
'I saw the angel where they see a man ' | - |
John Greenleaf Whittier
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