The Epiphany Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCD EFEF GHGH IJIJ KLKL MNON PQPQ RSFS TUTU VRVF WIWI XYXY ZA2ZA2 CACA B2RB2RAnd lo the star which they saw in the east went before | A |
them till it came and stood over where the young Child was | B |
When they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great | C |
joy St Matthew ii | D |
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Star of the East how sweet art Thou | E |
Seen in life's early morning sky | F |
Ere yet a cloud has dimmed the brow | E |
While yet we gaze with childish eye | F |
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When father mother nursing friend | G |
Most dearly loved and loving best | H |
First bid us from their arms ascend | G |
Pointing to Thee in Thy sure rest | H |
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Too soon the glare of earthly day | I |
Buries to us Thy brightness keen | J |
And we are left to find our way | I |
By faith and hope in Thee unseen | J |
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What matter if the waymarks sure | K |
On every side are round us set | L |
Soon overleaped but not obscure | K |
'Tis ours to mark them or forget | L |
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What matter if in calm old age | M |
Our childhood's star again arise | N |
Crowning our lonely pilgrimage | O |
With all that cheers a wanderer's eyes | N |
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Ne'er may we lose it from our sight | P |
Till all our hopes and thoughts are led | Q |
To where it stays its lucid flight | P |
Over our Saviour's lowly bed | Q |
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There swathed in humblest poverty | R |
On Chastity's meek lap enshrined | S |
With breathless Reverence waiting by | F |
When we our Sovereign Master find | S |
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Will not the long forgotten glow | T |
Of mingled joy and awe return | U |
When stars above or flowers below | T |
First made our infant spirits burn | U |
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Look on us Lord and take our parts | V |
E'en on Thy throne of purity | R |
From these our proud yet grovelling hearts | V |
Hide not Thy mild forgiving eye | F |
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Did not the Gentile Church find grace | W |
Our mother dear this favoured day | I |
With gold and myrrh she sought Thy face | W |
Nor didst Thou turn Thy face away | I |
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She too in earlier purer days | X |
Had watched thee gleaming faint and far | Y |
But wandering in self chosen ways | X |
She lost Thee quite Thou lovely star | Y |
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Yet had her Father's finger turned | Z |
To Thee her first inquiring glance | A2 |
The deeper shame within her burned | Z |
When wakened from her wilful trance | A2 |
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Behold her wisest throng Thy gate | C |
Their richest sweetest purest store | A |
Yet owned too worthless and too late | C |
They lavish on Thy cottage floor | A |
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They give their best O tenfold shame | B2 |
On us their fallen progeny | R |
Who sacrifice the blind and lame | B2 |
Who will not wake or fast with Thee | R |
John Keble
(1)
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