The Shipbuilders Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEDE FGFGHIHJ KLKLDMDM NONOKPKP QRQBSHSH TUTUVWVW XPXPYRZR A2B2A2B2B2C2B2C2 D2B2D2B2E2NE2N B2HB2HB2PB2PThe sky is ruddy in the east | A |
The earth is gray below | B |
And spectral in the river mist | C |
The ship's white timbers show | B |
Then let the sounds of measured stroke | D |
And grating saw begin | E |
The broad axe to the gnarl d oak | D |
The mallet to the pin | E |
- | |
Hark roars the bellows blast on blast | F |
The sooty smithy jars | G |
And fire sparks rising far and fast | F |
Are fading with the stars | G |
All day for us the smith shall stand | H |
Beside that flashing forge | I |
All day for us his heavy hand | H |
The groaning anvil scourge | J |
- | |
From far off hills the panting team | K |
For us is toiling near | L |
For us the raftsmen down the stream | K |
Their island barges steer | L |
Rings out for us the axe man's stroke | D |
In forests old and still | M |
For us the century circled oak | D |
Falls crashing down his hill | M |
- | |
Up up in nobler toil than ours | N |
No craftsmen bear a part | O |
We make of Nature's giant powers | N |
The slaves of human Art | O |
Lay rib to rib and beam to beam | K |
And drive the treenails free | P |
Nor faithless joint nor yawning seam | K |
Shall tempt the searching sea | P |
- | |
Where'er the keel of our good ship | Q |
The sea's rough field shall plough | R |
Where'er her tossing spars shall drip | Q |
With salt spray caught below | B |
That ship must heed her master's beck | S |
Her helm obey his hand | H |
And seamen tread her reeling deck | S |
As if they trod the land | H |
- | |
Her oaken ribs the vulture beak | T |
Of Northern ice may peel | U |
The sunken rock and coral peak | T |
May grate along her keel | U |
And know we well the painted shell | V |
We give to wind and wave | W |
Must float the sailor's citadel | V |
Or sink the sailor's grave | W |
- | |
Ho strike away the bars and blocks | X |
And set the good ship free | P |
Why lingers on these dusty rocks | X |
The young bride of the sea | P |
Look how she moves adown the grooves | Y |
In graceful beauty now | R |
How lowly on the breast she loves | Z |
Sinks down her virgin prow | R |
- | |
God bless her wheresoe'er the breeze | A2 |
Her snowy wing shall fan | B2 |
Aside the frozen Hebrides | A2 |
Or sultry Hindostan | B2 |
Where'er in mart or on the main | B2 |
With peaceful flag unfurled | C2 |
She helps to wind the silken chain | B2 |
Of commerce round the world | C2 |
- | |
Speed on the ship But let her bear | D2 |
No merchandise of sin | B2 |
No groaning cargo of despair | D2 |
Her roomy hold within | B2 |
No Lethean drug for Eastern lands | E2 |
For poison draught for ours | N |
But honest fruits of toiling hands | E2 |
And Nature's sun and showers | N |
- | |
Be hers the Prairie's golden grain | B2 |
The Desert's golden sand | H |
The clustered fruits of sunny Spain | B2 |
The spice of Morning land | H |
Her pathway on the open main | B2 |
May blessings follow free | P |
And glad hearts welcome back again | B2 |
Her white sails from the sea | P |
John Greenleaf Whittier
(1)
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