Upon Nothing Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAA BCD EFE GGG HHH IJJ KKL MMM NNN MMO PPP QQQ RRR OOO OOO OOO SSS| Nothing thou elder brother even to shade | A |
| That hadst a being ere the world was made | A |
| And well fixed art alone of ending not afraid | A |
| - | |
| Ere time and place were time and place were not | B |
| When primitive Nothing Something straight begot | C |
| Then all proceeded from the great united What | D |
| - | |
| Something the general attribute of all | E |
| Severed from thee its sole original | F |
| Into thy boundless self must undistinguished fall | E |
| - | |
| Yet Something did thy mighty power command | G |
| And from thy fruitful emptiness's hand | G |
| Snatched men beasts birds fire air and land | G |
| - | |
| Matter the wickedest offspring of thy race | H |
| By Form assisted flew from thy embrace | H |
| And rebel Light obscured thy reverend dusky face | H |
| - | |
| With Form and Matter Time and Place did join | I |
| Body thy foe with these did leagues combine | J |
| To spoil thy peaceful realm and ruin all thy line | J |
| - | |
| But turncoat Time assists the foe in vain | K |
| And bribed by thee assists thy short lived reign | K |
| And to thy hungry womb drives back thy slaves again | L |
| - | |
| Though mysteries are barred from laic eyes | M |
| And the Divine alone with warrant pries | M |
| Into thy bosom where thy truth in private lies | M |
| - | |
| Yet this of thee the wise may freely say | N |
| Thou from the virtuous nothing takest away | N |
| And to be part of thee the wicked wisely pray | N |
| - | |
| Great Negative how vainly would the wise | M |
| Inquire define distinguish teach devise | M |
| Didst thou not stand to point their dull philosophies | O |
| - | |
| Is or is not the two great ends of Fate | P |
| And true or false the subject of debate | P |
| That perfects or destroys the vast designs of Fate | P |
| - | |
| When they have racked the politician's breast | Q |
| Within thy bosom most securely rest | Q |
| And when reduced to thee are least unsafe and best | Q |
| - | |
| But Nothing why does Something still permit | R |
| That sacred monarchs should at council sit | R |
| With persons highly thought at best for nothing fit | R |
| - | |
| While weighty Something modestly abstains | O |
| From princes' coffers and from statesmen's brains | O |
| And Nothing there like stately Nothing reigns | O |
| - | |
| Nothing who dwellest with fools in grave disguise | O |
| For whom they reverend shapes and forms devise | O |
| Lawn sleeves and furs and gowns when they like thee look wise | O |
| - | |
| French truth Dutch prowess British policy | O |
| Hibernian learning Scotch civility | O |
| Spaniard's dispatch Dane's wit are mainly seen in thee | O |
| - | |
| The great man's gratitude to his best friend | S |
| King's promises whore's vows towards thee they bend | S |
| Flow swiftly to thee and in thee never end | S |
John Wilmot
(1)
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