William Forster Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCD EFGF HIHI JKJL MNOE PQPQ HRHR STSS UVUU SWSW XSYS UZUZ SSSS A2B2A2B2 SUSU SC2SC2 SD2SD2

The years are many since his handA
Was laid upon my headB
Too weak and young to understandA
The serious words he saidB
-
Yet often now the good man's lookC
Before me seems to swimD
As if some inward feeling tookC
The outward guise of himD
-
As if in passion's heated warE
Or near temptation's charmF
Through him the low voiced monitorG
Forewarned me of the harmF
-
Stranger and pilgrim from that dayH
Of meeting first and lastI
Wherever Duty's pathway layH
His reverent steps have passedI
-
The poor to feed the lost to seekJ
To proffer life to deathK
Hope to the erring to the weakJ
The strength of his own faithL
-
To plead the captive's right removeM
The sting of hate from LawN
And soften in the fire of loveO
The hardened steel of WarE
-
He walked the dark world in the mildP
Still guidance of the LightQ
In tearful tenderness a childP
A strong man in the rightQ
-
From what great perils on his wayH
He found in prayer releaseR
Through what abysmal shadows layH
His pathway unto peaceR
-
God knoweth we could only seeS
The tranquil strength he gainedT
The bondage lost in libertyS
The fear in love unfeignedS
-
And I my youthful fancies grownU
The habit of the manV
Whose field of life by angels sownU
The wilding vines o'erranU
-
Low bowed in silent gratitudeS
My manhood's heart enjoysW
That reverence for the pure and goodS
Which blessed the dreaming boy'sW
-
Still shines the light of holy livesX
Like star beams over doubtS
Each sainted memory Christlike drivesY
Some dark possession outS
-
O friend O brother I not in vainU
Thy life so calm and trueZ
The silver dropping of the rainU
The fall of summer dewZ
-
How many burdened hearts have prayedS
Their lives like thine might beS
But more shall pray henceforth for aidS
To lay them down like theeS
-
With weary hand yet steadfast willA2
In old age as in youthB2
Thy Master found thee sowing stillA2
The good seed of His truthB2
-
As on thy task field closed the dayS
In golden skied declineU
His angel met thee on the wayS
And lent his arm to thineU
-
Thy latest care for man thy lastS
Of earthly thought a prayerC2
Oh who thy mantle backward castS
Is worthy now to wearC2
-
Methinks the mound which marks thy bedS
Might bless our land and saveD2
As rose of old to life the deadS
Who touched the prophet's graveD2

John Greenleaf Whittier



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