The Changeling (from The Tent On The Beach) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DEFE GHIH AJCJ CKLK MNON GPQP RSAS TULU AKAK MEVE CWCW XYCY MAZA YA2MM MYYY B2MMM YC2QP TYAY ZD2MD2 YYYY AE2F2E2 YMYM MYAY MG2H2G2 MMYM MI2MI2

For the fairest maid in HamptonA
They needed not to searchB
Who saw young Anna favorC
Come walking into churchB
-
Or bringing from the meadowsD
At set of harvest dayE
The frolic of the blackbirdsF
The sweetness of the hayE
-
Now the weariest of all mothersG
The saddest two years' brideH
She scowls in the face of her husbandI
And spurns her child asideH
-
Rake out the red coals goodmanA
For there the child shall lieJ
Till the black witch comes to fetch herC
And both up chimney flyJ
-
It's never my own little daughterC
It's never my own she saidK
The witches have stolen my AnnaL
And left me an imp insteadK
-
Oh fair and sweet was my babyM
Blue eyes and hair of goldN
But this is ugly and wrinkledO
Cross and cunning and oldN
-
I hate the touch of her fingersG
I hate the feel of her skinP
It's not the milk from my bosomQ
But my blood that she sucks inP
-
My face grows sharp with the tormentR
Look my arms are skin and boneS
Rake open the red coals goodmanA
And the witch shall have her ownS
-
She'll come when she hears it cryingT
In the shape of an owl or batU
And she'll bring us our darling AnnaL
In place of her screeching bratU
-
Then the goodman Ezra DaltonA
Laid his hand upon her headK
Thy sorrow is great O womanA
I sorrow with thee he saidK
-
The paths to trouble are manyM
And never but one sure wayE
Leads out to the light beyond itV
My poor wife let us prayE
-
Then he said to the great All FatherC
Thy daughter is weak and blindW
Let her sight come back and clothe herC
Once more in her right mindW
-
Lead her out of this evil shadowX
Out of these fancies wildY
Let the holy love of the motherC
Turn again to her childY
-
Make her lips like the lips of MaryM
Kissing her blessed SonA
Let her hands like the hands of JesusZ
Rest on her little oneA
-
Comfort the soul of thy handmaidY
Open her prison doorA2
And thine shall be all the gloryM
And praise forevermoreM
-
Then into the face of its motherM
The baby looked up and smiledY
And the cloud of her soul was liftedY
And she knew her little childY
-
A beam of the slant west sunshineB2
Made the wan face almost fairM
Lit the blue eyes' patient wonderM
And the rings of pale gold hairM
-
She kissed it on lip and foreheadY
She kissed it on cheek and chinkC2
And she bared her snow white bosomQ
To the lips so pale and thinP
-
Oh fair on her bridal morningT
Was the maid who blushed and smiledY
But fairer to Ezra DaltonA
Looked the mother of his childY
-
With more than a lover's fondnessZ
He stooped to her worn young faceD2
And the nursing child and the motherM
He folded in one embraceD2
-
Blessed be God he murmuredY
Blessed be God she saidY
For I see who once was blindedY
I live who once was deadY
-
Now mount and ride my goodmanA
As thou lovest thy own soulE2
Woe's me if my wicked fanciesF2
Be the death of Goody ColeE2
-
His horse he saddled and bridledY
And into the night rode heM
Now through the great black woodlandY
Now by the white beached seaM
-
He rode through the silent clearingsM
He came to the ferry wideY
And thrice he called to the boatmanA
Asleep on the other sideY
-
He set his horse to the riverM
He swam to Newbury townG2
And he called up Justice SewallH2
In his nightcap and his gownG2
-
And the grave and worshipful justiceM
Upon whose soul be peaceM
Set his name to the jailer's warrantY
For Goodwife Cole's releaseM
-
Then through the night the hoof beatsM
Went sounding like a flailI2
And Goody Cole at cockcrowM
Came forth from Ipswich jailI2

John Greenleaf Whittier



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