The Prayer Of Agassiz Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFF GGHHIJCCKKLLCCMMNOPP QRR SSTTCCUVWWXXCCYZA2A2 B2C2D2E2F2F2G2H2F2F2 I2I2QQJ2K2I2I2 AACCL2L2L2F2F2M2M2F2 F2N2N2SSO2O2I2I2I2F2 I2I2I2F2CI2CI2

On the isle of PenikeseA
Ringed about by sapphire seasA
Fanned by breezes salt and coolB
Stood the Master with his schoolB
Over sails that not in vainC
Wooed the west wind's steady strainC
Line of coast that low and farD
Stretched its undulating barD
Wings aslant along the rimE
Of the waves they stooped to skimE
Rock and isle and glistening bayF
Fell the beautiful white dayF
-
Said the Master to the youthG
'We have come in search of truthG
Trying with uncertain keyH
Door by door of mysteryH
We are reaching through His lawsI
To the garment hem of CauseJ
Him the endless unbegunC
The Unnamable the OneC
Light of all our light the SourceK
Life of life and Force of forceK
As with fingers of the blindL
We are groping here to findL
What the hieroglyphics meanC
Of the Unseen in the seenC
What the Thought which underliesM
Nature's masking and disguiseM
What it is that hides beneathN
Blight and bloom and birth and deathO
By past efforts unavailingP
Doubt and error loss and failingP
Of our weakness made awareQ
On the threshold of our taskR
Let us light and guidance askR
Let us pause in silent prayer '-
-
Then the Master in his placeS
Bowed his head a little spaceS
And the leaves by soft airs stirredT
Lapse of wave and cry of birdT
Left the solemn hush unbrokenC
Of that wordless prayer unspokenC
While its wish on earth unsaidU
Rose to heaven interpretedV
As in life's best hours we hearW
By the spirit's finer earW
His low voice within us thusX
The All Father heareth usX
And His holy ear we painC
With our noisy words and vainC
Not for Him our violenceY
Storming at the gates of senseZ
His the primal language HisA2
The eternal silencesA2
-
Even the careless heart was movedB2
And the doubting gave assentC2
With a gesture reverentD2
To the Master well belovedE2
As thin mists are glorifiedF2
By the light they cannot hideF2
All who gazed upon him sawG2
Through its veil of tender aweH2
How his face was still uplitF2
By the old sweet look of itF2
Hopeful trustful full of cheerI2
And the love that casts out fearI2
Who the secret may declareQ
Of that brief unuttered prayerQ
Did the shade before him comeJ2
Of th' inevitable doomK2
Of the end of earth so nearI2
And Eternity's new yearI2
-
In the lap of sheltering seasA
Rests the isle of PenikeseA
But the lord of the domainC
Comes not to his own againC
Where the eyes that follow failL2
On a vaster sea his sailL2
Drifts beyond our beck and hailL2
Other lips within its boundF2
Shall the laws of life expoundF2
Other eyes from rock and shellM2
Read the world's old riddles wellM2
But when breezes light and blandF2
Blow from Summer's blossomed landF2
When the air is glad with wingsN2
And the blithe song sparrow singsN2
Many an eye with his still faceS
Shall the living ones displaceS
Many an ear the word shall seekO2
He alone could fitly speakO2
And one name forevermoreI2
Shall be uttered o'er and o'erI2
By the waves that kiss the shoreI2
By the curlew's whistle sentF2
Down the cool sea scented airI2
In all voices known to herI2
Nature owns her worshipperI2
Half in triumph half lamentF2
Thither Love shall tearful turnC
Friendship pause uncovered thereI2
And the wisest reverence learnC
From the Master's silent prayerI2

John Greenleaf Whittier



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