Pennsylvania Hall Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABCDDEEFFGGHIJJKLMM NNOOPQRRSSTTUVWWXXYY FFRRZZA2A2B2B2C2C2AA D2D2E2E2WWYYF2TG2G2J JC2C2H2H2I2I2J2J2K2L 2DDM2M2B2B2F2TN2N2O2 P2Q2Q2R2R2S2FUVQQT2T 2J2U2V2V2CLRRW2W2X2Y 2Z2A3A2A2B3B3B3B3B2C 3V2NB2B2D3D3B3B3EEB3 B3V2V2H2E3B3B3F3F3G3 G3Z2A3JJB3B3

NOT with the splendors of the days of oldA
The spoil of nations and barbaric goldA
No weapons wrested from the fields of bloodB
Where dark and stern the unyielding Roman stoodC
And the proud eagles of his cohorts sawD
A world war wasted crouching to his lawD
Nor blazoned car nor banners floating gayE
Like those which swept along the Appian WayE
When to the welcome of imperial RomeF
The victor warrior came in triumph homeF
And trumpet peal and shoutings wild and highG
Stirred the blue quiet of the Italian skyG
But calm and grateful prayerful and sincereH
As Christian freemen only gathering hereI
We dedicate our fair and lofty HallJ
Pillar and arch entablature and wallJ
As Virtue's shrine as Liberty's abodeK
Sacred to Freedom and to Freedom's GodL
Far statelier Halls 'neath brighter skies than theseM
Stood darkly mirrored in the gean seasM
Pillar and shrine and life like statues seenN
Graceful and pure the marble shafts betweenN
Where glorious Athens from her rocky hillO
Saw Art and Beauty subject to her willO
And the chaste temple and the classic groveP
The hall of sages and the bowers of loveQ
Arch fane and column graced the shores and gaveR
Their shadows to the blue Saronic waveR
And statelier rose on Tiber's winding sideS
The Pantheon's dome the Coliseum's prideS
The Capitol whose arches backward flungT
The deep clear cadence of the Roman tongueT
Whence stern decrees like words of fate went forthU
To the awed nations of a conquered earthV
Where the proud Caesars in their glory cameW
And Brutus lightened from his lips of flameW
Yet in tire porches of Athena's hallsX
And in the shadow of her stately wallsX
Lurked the sad bondman and his tears of woeY
Wet the cold marble with unheeded flowY
And fetters clanked beneath the silver domeF
Of the proud Pantheon of imperious RomeF
Oh not for him the chained and stricken slaveR
By Tiber's shore or blue gina's waveR
In the thronged forum or the sages' seatZ
The bold lip pleaded and the warm heart beatZ
No soul of sorrow melted at his painA2
No tear of pity rusted on his chainA2
But this fair Hall to Truth and Freedom givenB2
Pledged to the Right before all Earth and HeavenB2
A free arena for the strife of mindC2
To caste or sect or color unconfinedC2
Shall thrill with echoes such as ne'er of oldA
From Roman hall or Grecian temple rolledA
Thoughts shall find utterance such as never yetD2
The Propylea or the Forum metD2
Beneath its roof no gladiator's strifeE2
Shall win applauses with the waste of lifeE2
No lordly lictor urge the barbarous gameW
No wanton Lais glory in her shameW
But here the tear of sympathy shall flowY
As the ear listens to the tale of woeY
Here in stern judgment of the oppressor's wrongF2
Shall strong rebukings thrill on Freedom's tongueT
No partial justice hold th' unequal scaleG2
No pride of caste a brother's rights assailG2
No tyrant's mandates echo from this wallJ
Holy to Freedom and the Rights of AllJ
But a fair field where mind may close with mindC2
Free as the sunshine and the chainless windC2
Where the high trust is fixed on Truth aloneH2
And bonds and fetters from the soul are thrownH2
Where wealth and rank and worldly pomp and mightI2
Yield to the presence of the True and RightI2
And fitting is it that this Hall should standJ2
Where Pennsylvania's Founder led his bandJ2
From thy blue waters Delaware to pressK2
The virgin verdure of the wildernessL2
Here where all Europe with amazement sawD
The soul's high freedom trammelled by no lawD
Here where the fierce and warlike forest menM2
Gathered in peace around the home of PennM2
Awed by the weapons Love alone had givenB2
Drawn from the holy armory of HeavenB2
Where Nature's voice against the bondman's wrongF2
First found an earnest and indignant tongueT
Where Lay's bold message to the proud was borneN2
And Keith's rebuke and Franklin's manly scornN2
Fitting it is that here where Freedom firstO2
From her fair feet shook off the Old World's dustP2
Spread her white pinions to our Western blastQ2
And her free tresses to our sunshine castQ2
One Hall should rise redeemed from Slavery's banR2
One Temple sacred to the Rights of ManR2
Oh if the spirits of the parted comeS2
Visiting angels to their olden homeF
If the dead fathers of the land look forthU
From their fair dwellings to the things of earthV
Is it a dream that with their eyes of loveQ
They gaze now on us from the bowers aboveQ
Lay's ardent soul and Benezet the mildT2
Steadfast in faith yet gentle as a childT2
Meek hearted Woolman and that brother bandJ2
The sorrowing exiles from their 'Father land 'U2
Leaving their homes in Krieshiem's bowers of vineV2
And the blue beauty of their glorious RhineV2
To seek amidst our solemn depths of woodC
Freedom from man and holy peace with GodL
Who first of all their testimonial gaveR
Against the oppressor for the outcast slaveR
Is it a dream that such as these look downW2
And with their blessing our rejoicings crownW2
Let us rejoice that while the pulpit's doorX2
Is barred against the pleaders for the poorY2
While the Church wrangling upon points of faithZ2
Forgets her bondsmen suffering unto deathA3
While crafty Traffic and the lust of GainA2
Unite to forge Oppression's triple chainA2
One door is open and one Temple freeB3
As a resting place for hunted LibertyB3
Where men may speak unshackled and unawedB3
High words of Truth for Freedom and for GodB3
And when that truth its perfect work hath doneB2
And rich with blessings o'er our land hath goneC3
When not a slave beneath his yoke shall pineV2
From broad Potomac to the far SabineN
When unto angel lips at last is givenB2
The silver trump of Jubilee in HeavenB2
And from Virginia's plains Kentucky's shadesD3
And through the dim Floridian evergladesD3
Rises to meet that angel trumpet's soundB3
The voice of millions from their chains unboundB3
Then though this Hall be crumbling in decayE
Its strong walls blending with the common clayE
Yet round the ruins of its strength shall standB3
The best and noblest of a ransomed landB3
Pilgrims like these who throng around the shrineV2
Of Mecca or of holy PalestineV2
A prouder glory shall that ruin ownH2
Than that which lingers round the ParthenonE3
Here shall the child of after years be taughtB3
The works of Freedom which his fathers wroughtB3
Told of the trials of the present hourF3
Our weary strife with prejudice and powerF3
How the high errand quickened woman's soulG3
And touched her lip as with a living coalG3
How Freedom's martyms kept their lofty faithZ2
True and unwavering unto bonds and deathA3
The pencil's art shall sketch the ruined HallJ
The Muses' garland crown its aged wallJ
And History's pen for after times recordB3
Its consecration unto Freedom's GodB3

John Greenleaf Whittier



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