The Gift Of Tritemius Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCC DDEEFF GGHHIIJJK LMLN OOP QRKST UVWWXXJJ| Tritemius of Herbipolis one day | A |
| While kneeling at the altar's foot to pray | A |
| Alone with God as was his pious choice | B |
| Heard from without a miserable voice | B |
| A sound which seemed of all sad things to tell | C |
| As of a lost soul crying out of hell | C |
| - | |
| Thereat the Abbot paused the chain whereby | D |
| His thoughts went upward broken by that cry | D |
| And looking from the casement saw below | E |
| A wretched woman with gray hair a flow | E |
| And withered hands held up to him who cried | F |
| For alms as one who might not be denied | F |
| - | |
| She cried 'For the dear love of Him who gave | G |
| His life for ours my child from bondage save | G |
| My beautiful brave first born chained with slaves | H |
| In the Moor's galley where the sun smit waves | H |
| Lap the white walls of Tunis ' 'What I can | I |
| I give ' Tritemius said 'my prayers ' 'O man | I |
| Of God ' she cried for grief had made her bold | J |
| 'Mock me not thus I ask not prayers but gold | J |
| Words will not serve me alms alone suffice | K |
| Even while I speak perchance my first born dies ' | - |
| - | |
| 'Woman ' Tritemius answered 'from our door | L |
| None go unfed hence are we always poor | M |
| A single soldo is our only store | L |
| Thou hast our prayers what can we give thee | N |
| more ' | - |
| - | |
| 'Give me ' she said 'the silver candlesticks | O |
| On either side of the great crucifix | O |
| God well may spare them on His errands sped | P |
| Or He can give you golden ones instead ' | - |
| - | |
| Then spake Tritemius 'Even as thy word | Q |
| Woman so be it Our most gracious Lord | R |
| Who loveth mercy more than sacrifice | K |
| Pardon me if a human soul I prize | S |
| Above the gifts upon his altar piled | T |
| Take what thou askest and redeem thy child ' | - |
| - | |
| But his hand trembled as the holy alms | U |
| He placed within the beggar's eager palms | V |
| And as she vanished down the linden shade | W |
| He bowed his head and for forgiveness prayed | W |
| So the day passed and when the twilight came | X |
| He woke to find the chapel all aflame | X |
| And dumb with grateful wonder to behold | J |
| Upon the altar candlesticks of gold | J |
John Greenleaf Whittier
(1)
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