Randolph Of Roanoke Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFE GBHBDDDD IBDBJKEK LBKBDEME NDODBBPB EQDREBSB ETETDEGE UBSBPVWV XDBDBBYB XEXEZGEG EBA2BB2BSB C2NEND2BBB IBE2BBB B DXDXEBDB DEDEEBEB

O Mother Earth upon thy lapA
Thy weary ones receivingB
And o'er them silent as a dreamC
Thy grassy mantle weavingB
Fold softly in thy long embraceD
That heart so worn and brokenE
And cool its pulse of fire beneathF
Thy shadows old and oakenE
-
Shut out from him the bitter wordG
And serpent hiss of scorningB
Nor let the storms of yesterdayH
Disturb his quiet morningB
Breathe over him forgetfulnessD
Of all save deeds of kindnessD
And save to smiles of grateful eyesD
Press down his lids in blindnessD
-
There where with living ear and eyeI
He heard Potomac's flowingB
And through his tall ancestral treesD
Saw autumn's sunset glowingB
He sleeps still looking to the westJ
Beneath the dark wood shadowK
As if he still would see the sunE
Sink down on wave and meadowK
-
Bard Sage and Tribune in himselfL
All moods of mind contrastingB
The tenderest wail of human woeK
The scorn like lightning blastingB
The pathos which from rival eyesD
Unwilling tears could summonE
The stinging taunt the fiery burstM
Of hatred scarcely humanE
-
Mirth sparkling like a diamond showerN
From lips of life long sadnessD
Clear picturings of majestic thoughtO
Upon a ground of madnessD
And over all Romance and SongB
A classic beauty throwingB
And laurelled Clio at his sideP
Her storied pages showingB
-
All parties feared him each in turnE
Beheld its schemes disjointedQ
As right or left his fatal glanceD
And spectral finger pointedR
Sworn foe of Cant he smote it downE
With trenchant wit unsparingB
And mocking rent with ruthless handS
The robe Pretence was wearingB
-
Too honest or too proud to feignE
A love he never cherishedT
Beyond Virginia's border lineE
His patriotism perishedT
While others hailed in distant skiesD
Our eagle's dusky pinionE
He only saw the mountain birdG
Stoop o'er his Old DominionE
-
Still through each change of fortune strangeU
Racked nerve and brain all burningB
His loving faith in Mother landS
Knew never shade of turningB
By Britain's lakes by Neva's tideP
Whatever sky was o'er himV
He heard her rivers' rushing soundW
Her blue peaks rose before himV
-
He held his slaves yet made withalX
No false and vain pretencesD
Nor paid a lying priest to seekB
For Scriptural defencesD
His harshest words of proud rebukeB
His bitterest taunt and scorningB
Fell fire like on the Northern browY
That bent to him in fawningB
-
He held his slaves yet kept the whileX
His reverence for the HumanE
In the dark vassals of his willX
He saw but Man and WomanE
No hunter of God's outraged poorZ
His Roanoke valley enteredG
No trader in the souls of menE
Across his threshold venturedG
-
And when the old and wearied manE
Lay down for his last sleepingB
And at his side a slave no moreA2
His brother man stood weepingB
His latest thought his latest breathB2
To Freedom's duty givingB
With failing tongue and trembling handS
The dying blest the livingB
-
Oh never bore his ancient StateC2
A truer son or braverN
None trampling with a calmer scornE
On foreign hate or favorN
He knew her faults yet never stoopedD2
His proud and manly feelingB
To poor excuses of the wrongB
Or meanness of concealingB
-
But none beheld with clearer eyeI
The plague spot o'er her spreadingB
None heard more sure the steps of DoomE2
Along her future treadingB
For her as for himself he spakeB
When his gaunt frame upbracingB
He traced with dying hand 'Remorse '-
And perished in the tracingB
-
As from the grave where Henry sleepsD
From Vernon's weeping willowX
And from the grassy pall which hidesD
The Sage of MonticelloX
So from the leaf strewn burial stoneE
Of Randolph's lowly dwellingB
Virginia o'er thy land of slavesD
A warning voice is swellingB
-
And hark from thy deserted fieldsD
Are sadder warnings spokenE
From quenched hearths where thy exiled sonsD
Their household gods have brokenE
The curse is on thee wolves for menE
And briers for corn sheaves givingB
Oh more than all thy dead renownE
Were now one hero livingB

John Greenleaf Whittier



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