Commination Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDD EEFFDDGG HHIIIIII JJIIKKLL IIMMNNOO FFPPIIQQ| The prayers are o'er why slumberest thou so long | A |
| Thou voice of sacred song | A |
| Why swell'st thou not like breeze from mountain cave | B |
| High o'er the echoing nave | B |
| This white robed priest as otherwhile to guide | C |
| Up to the Altar's northern side | C |
| A mourner's tale of shame and sad decay | D |
| Keeps back our glorious sacrifice to day | D |
| - | |
| The widow'd Spouse of Christ with ashes crown'd | E |
| Her Christmas robes unbound | E |
| She lingers in the porch for grief and fear | F |
| Keeping her penance drear | F |
| Oh is it nought to you that idly gay | D |
| Or coldly proud ye turn away | D |
| But if her warning tears in vain be spent | G |
| Lo to her altered eye this Law's stern fires are lent | G |
| - | |
| Each awful curse that on Mount Ebal rang | H |
| Peals with a direr clang | H |
| Out of that silver trump whose tones of old | I |
| Forgiveness only told | I |
| And who can blame the mother's fond affright | I |
| Who sporting on some giddy height | I |
| Her infant sees and springs with hurried hand | I |
| To snatch the rover from the dangerous strand | I |
| - | |
| But surer than all words the silent spell | J |
| So Grecian legends tell | J |
| When to her bird too early 'scaped the nest | I |
| She bares her tender breast | I |
| Smiling he turns and spreads his little wing | K |
| There to glide home there safely cling | K |
| So yearns our mother o'er each truant son | L |
| So softly falls the lay in fear and wrath begun | L |
| - | |
| Wayward and spoiled she knows ye the keen blast | I |
| That braced her youth is past | I |
| The rod of discipline the robe of shame | M |
| She bears them in your name | M |
| Only return and love But ye perchance | N |
| Are deeper plunged in sorrow's trance | N |
| Your God forgives but ye no comfort take | O |
| Till ye have scourged the sins that in your conscience ache | O |
| - | |
| Oh heavy laden soul kneel down and hear | F |
| Thy penance in calm fear | F |
| With thine own lips to sentence all thy sin | P |
| Then by the judge within | P |
| Absolved in thankful sacrifice to part | I |
| For ever with thy sullen heart | I |
| Nor on remorseful thoughts to brood and stain | Q |
| This glory of the Cross forgiven and cheereth in vain | Q |
John Keble
(1)
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