Baucis And Philemon Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ CCKKLLMMNNOOPPQQRRSS BTDUVVOOWXYZKKKA2B2B 2C2C2D2D2E2E2F2F2G2G 2H2KI2I2KKI2I2J2J2I2 I2K2K2L2L2M2M2SSC2C2 I2I2M2N2I2I2KKO2O2I2 I2P2Q2R2R2S2S2I2I2T2 T2U2U2S2XG2G2V2V2SSI 2I2Q2Q2I2I2I2I2I2I2U 2U2W2W2U2U2U2U2X2X2U 2U2WWY2Y2Z2Z2I2I2A3A 3I2XB3B3SSI2XQ2Q2U2U 2I2I2C3C3SSU2U2I2I2I 2I2IN ancient times as story tells | A |
The saints would often leave their cells | A |
And stroll about but hide their quality | B |
To try good people's hospitality | B |
It happened on a winter night | C |
As authors of the legend write | C |
Two brother hermits saints by trade | D |
Taking their tour in masquerade | D |
Disguised in tattered habits went | E |
To a small village down in Kent | E |
Where in the strollers' canting strain | F |
They begged from door to door in vain | F |
Tried every tone might pity win | G |
But not a soul would let them in | G |
Our wandering saints in woeful state | H |
Treated at this ungodly rate | H |
Having through all the village passed | I |
To a small cottage came at last | I |
Where dwelt a good honest old yeoman | J |
Called in the neighbourhood Philemon | J |
Who kindly did these saints invite | C |
In his poor hut to pass the night | C |
And then the hospitable Sire | K |
Bid goody Baucis mend the fire | K |
While he from out the chimney took | L |
A flitch of bacon off the hook | L |
And freely from the fattest side | M |
Cut out large slices to be fried | M |
Then stepped aside to fetch 'em drink | N |
Filled a large jug up to the brink | N |
And saw it fairly twice go round | O |
Yet what is wonderful they found | O |
'Twas still replenished to the top | P |
As if they ne'er had touched a drop | P |
The good old couple were amazed | Q |
And often on each other gazed | Q |
For both were frightened to the heart | R |
And just began to cry What art | R |
Then softly turned aside to view | S |
Whether the lights were burning blue | S |
The gentle pilgrims soon aware on't | B |
Told 'em their calling and their errant | T |
'Good folks you need not be afraid | D |
We are but saints ' the hermits said | U |
'No hurt shall come to you or yours | V |
But for that pack of churlish boors | V |
Not fit to live on Christian ground | O |
They and their houses shall be drowned | O |
Whilst you shall see your cottage rise | W |
And grow a church before your eyes ' | X |
They scarce had spoke when fair and soft | Y |
The roof began to mount aloft | Z |
Aloft rose every beam and rafter | K |
The heavy wall climbed slowly after | K |
The chimney widened and grew higher | K |
Became a steeple with a spire | A2 |
The kettle to the top was hoist | B2 |
And there stood fastened to a joist | B2 |
But with the upside down to show | C2 |
Its inclination for below | C2 |
In vain for a superior force | D2 |
Applied at bottom stops its coarse | D2 |
Doomed ever in suspense to dwell | E2 |
'Tis now no kettle but a bell | E2 |
A wooden jack which had almost | F2 |
Lost by disuse the art to roast | F2 |
A sudden alteration feels | G2 |
Increased by new intestine wheels | G2 |
And what exalts the wonder more | H2 |
The number made the motion slower | K |
The flyer though 't had leaden feet | I2 |
Turned round so quick you scarce could see 't | I2 |
But slackened by some secret power | K |
Now hardly moves an inch an hour | K |
The jack and chimney near allied | I2 |
Had never left each other's side | I2 |
The chimney to a steeple grown | J2 |
The jack would not be left alone | J2 |
But up against the steeple reared | I2 |
Became a clock and still adhered | I2 |
And still its love to household cares | K2 |
By a shrill voice at noon declares | K2 |
Warning the cook maid not to burn | L2 |
That roast meat which it cannot turn | L2 |
The groaning chair began to crawl | M2 |
Like a huge snail along the wall | M2 |
There stuck aloft in public view | S |
And with small change a pulpit grew | S |
The porringers that in a row | C2 |
Hung high and made a glittering show | C2 |
To a less noble substance changed | I2 |
Were now but leathern buckets ranged | I2 |
The ballads pasted on the wall | M2 |
Of Joan of France and English Moll | N2 |
Fair Rosamond and Robin Hood | I2 |
The Little Children in the Wood | I2 |
Now seemed to look abundance better | K |
Improved in picture size and letter | K |
And high in order placed describe | O2 |
The heraldry of every tribe | O2 |
A bedstead of the antique mode | I2 |
Compact of timber many a load | I2 |
Such as our ancestors did use | P2 |
Was metamorphosed into pews | Q2 |
Which still their ancient nature keep | R2 |
By lodging folks disposed to sleep | R2 |
The cottage by such feats as these | S2 |
Grown to a church by just degrees | S2 |
The hermits then desired their host | I2 |
To ask for what he fancied most | I2 |
Philemon having paused a while | T2 |
Returned 'em thanks in homely style | T2 |
Then said 'My house is grown so fine | U2 |
Methinks I still would call it mine | U2 |
I'm old and fain would live at ease | S2 |
Make me the Parson if you please ' | X |
He spoke and presently he feels | G2 |
His grazier's coat fall down his heels | G2 |
He sees yet hardly can believe | V2 |
About each arm a pudding sleeve | V2 |
His waistcoat to a cassock grew | S |
And both assumed a sable hue | S |
But being old continued just | I2 |
As thread bare and as full of dust | I2 |
His talk was now of tithes and dues | Q2 |
He smoked his pipe and read the news | Q2 |
Knew how to preach old sermons next | I2 |
Vamped in the preface and the text | I2 |
At christenings well could act his part | I2 |
And had the service all by heart | I2 |
Wished women might have children fast | I2 |
And thought whose sow had farrowed last | I2 |
Against Dissenters would repine | U2 |
And stood up firm for Right divine | U2 |
Found his head filled with many a system | W2 |
But classic authors he ne'er missed 'em | W2 |
Thus having furbished up a parson | U2 |
Dame Baucis next they played their farce on | U2 |
Instead of home spun coifs were seen | U2 |
Good pinners edg'd with colberteen | U2 |
Her petticoat transformed apace | X2 |
Became black satin flounced with lace | X2 |
Plain Goody would no longer down | U2 |
'Twas Madam in her grogram gown | U2 |
Philemon was in great surprise | W |
And hardly could believe his eyes | W |
Amazed to see her look so prim | Y2 |
And she admired as much at him | Y2 |
Thus happy in their change of life | Z2 |
Were several years this man and wife | Z2 |
When on a day which proved their last | I2 |
Discoursing o'er old stories past | I2 |
They went by chance amidst their talk | A3 |
To the church yard to take a walk | A3 |
When Baucis hastily cried out | I2 |
'My dear I see your forehead sprout ' | X |
'Sprout ' quoth the man 'what's this you tell us | B3 |
I hope you don't believe me jealous | B3 |
But yet methinks I feel it true | S |
And really yours is budding too | S |
Nay now I cannot stir my foot | I2 |
It feels as if 'twere taking root ' | X |
Description would but tire my Muse | Q2 |
In short they both were turned to Yews | Q2 |
Old Goodman Dobson of the green | U2 |
Remembers he the trees has seen | U2 |
He'll talk of them from noon till night | I2 |
And goes with folks to show the sight | I2 |
On Sundays after evening prayer | C3 |
He gathers all the parish there | C3 |
Points out the place of either Yew | S |
Here Baucis there Philemon grew | S |
Till once a parson of our town | U2 |
To mend his barn cut Baucis down | U2 |
At which 'tis hard to be believed | I2 |
How much the other tree was grieved | I2 |
Grow scrubby died a top was stunted | I2 |
So the next parson stubbed and burnt it | I2 |
Jonathan Swift
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Baucis And Philemon poem by Jonathan Swift
Best Poems of Jonathan Swift