The Mantle Of St. John De Matha. A Legend Of "the Red, White, And Blue," A. D. 1154-1864 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFGAHIHFJKJACLC MNONPQRQSTUTVWNWVXYX FWZWAHA2HVB2C2B2FD2W D2UE2VE2E2VF2VG2H2I2 H2MJ2VJ2VVC2VYK2YK2Y L2M2L2E2N2O2N2YVA2VV P2Q2P2E2XWXXR2S2R2E2 VXVFWUWFVDV

A strong and mighty AngelA
Calm terrible and brightB
The cross in blended red and blueC
Upon his mantle whiteB
Two captives by him kneelingD
Each on his broken chainE
Sang praise to God who raisethF
The dead to life againG
Dropping his cross wrought mantleA
Wear this the Angel saidH
Take thou O Freedom's priest its signI
The white the blue and redH
Then rose up John de MathaF
In the strength the Lord Christ gaveJ
And begged through all the land of FranceK
The ransom of the slaveJ
The gates of tower and castleA
Before him open flewC
The drawbridge at his coming fellL
The door bolt backward drewC
For all men owned his errandM
And paid his righteous taxN
And the hearts of lord and peasantO
Were in his hands as waxN
At last outbound from TunisP
His bark her anchor weighedQ
Freighted with seven score Christian soulsR
Whose ransom he had paidQ
But torn by Paynim hatredS
Her sails in tatters hungT
And on the wild waves rudderlessU
A shattered hulk she swungT
God save us cried the captainV
For naught can man availW
Oh woe betide the ship that lacksN
Her rudder and her sailW
Behind us are the MoormenV
At sea we sink or strandX
There's death upon the waterY
There's death upon the landX
Then up spake John de MathaF
God's errands never failW
Take thou the mantle which I wearZ
And make of it a sailW
They raised the cross wrought mantleA
The blue the white the redH
And straight before the wind off shoreA2
The ship of Freedom spedH
God help us cried the seamenV
For vain is mortal skillB2
The good ship on a stormy seaC2
Is drifting at its willB2
Then up spake John de MathaF
My mariners never fearD2
The Lord whose breath has filled her sailW
May well our vessel steerD2
So on through storm and darknessU
They drove for weary hoursE2
And lo the third gray morning shoneV
On Ostia's friendly towersE2
And on the walls the watchersE2
The ship of mercy knewV
They knew far off its holy crossF2
The red the white and blueV
And the bells in all the steeplesG2
Rang out in glad accordH2
To welcome home to Christian soilI2
The ransomed of the LordH2
So runs the ancient legendM
By bard and painter toldJ2
And lo the cycle rounds againV
The new is as the oldJ2
With rudder foully brokenV
And sails by traitors tornV
Our country on a midnight seaC2
Is waiting for the mornV
Before her nameless terrorY
Behind the pirate foeK2
The clouds are black above herY
The sea is white belowK2
The hope of all who sufferY
The dread of all who wrongL2
She drifts in darkness and in stormM2
How long O Lord how longL2
But courage O my marinersE2
Ye shall not suffer wreckN2
While up to God the freedman's prayersO2
Are rising from your deckN2
Is not your sail the bannerY
Which God hath blest anewV
The mantle that De Matha woreA2
The red the white the blueV
Its hues are all of heavenV
The red of sunset's dyeP2
The whiteness of the moon lit cloudQ2
The blue of morning's skyP2
Wait cheerily then O marinersE2
For daylight and for landX
The breath of God is in your sailW
Your rudder is His handX
Sail on sail on deep freightedX
With blessings and with hopesR2
The saints of old with shadowy handsS2
Are pulling at your ropesR2
Behind ye holy martyrsE2
Uplift the palm and crownV
Before ye unborn ages sendX
Their benedictions downV
Take heart from John de MathaF
God's errands never failW
Sweep on through storm and darknessU
The thunder and the hailW
Sail on The morning comethF
The port ye yet shall winV
And all the bells of God shall ringD
The good ship bravely inV

John Greenleaf Whittier



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