Death And Daphne Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ KKLLMMNNOOPQRRSSTTUU UUUVWWUUXXYYZZUUA2A2 UUB2B2C2C2UUUUWWD2D2 JJUUE2E2UUF2F2E2E2UU UUUUEEHHG2G2H2H2UU

Death went upon a solemn dayA
At Pluto's hall his court to payA
The phantom having humbly kiss'dB
His grisly monarch's sooty fistB
Presented him the weekly billsC
Of doctors fevers plagues and pillsC
Pluto observing since the peaceD
The burial article decreaseD
And vex'd to see affairs miscarryE
Declared in council Death must marryE
Vow'd he no longer could supportF
Old bachelors about his courtF
The interest of his realm had needG
That Death should get a numerous breedG
Young deathlings who by practice madeH
Proficient in their father's tradeH
With colonies might stock aroundI
His large dominions under groundI
A consult of coquettes belowJ
Was call'd to rig him out a beauJ
From her own head Megaera takesK
A periwig of twisted snakesK
Which in the nicest fashion curl'dL
Like toupees of this upper worldL
With flower of sulphur powder'd wellM
That graceful on his shoulders fellM
An adder of the sable kindN
In line direct hung down behindN
The owl the raven and the batO
Clubb'd for a feather to his hatO
His coat a usurer's velvet pallP
Bequeath'd to Pluto corpse and allQ
But loath his person to exposeR
Bare like a carcass pick'd by crowsR
A lawyer o'er his hands and faceS
Stuck artfully a parchment caseS
No new flux'd rake show'd fairer skinT
Nor Phyllis after lying inT
With snuff was fill'd his ebon boxU
Of shin bones rotted by the poxU
Nine spirits of blaspheming fopsU
With aconite anoint his chopsU
And give him words of dreadful soundsU
G d d n his blood and b d and w ds 'V
Thus furnish'd out he sent his trainW
To take a house in Warwick laneW
The faculty his humble friendsU
A complimental message sendsU
Their president in scarlet gownX
Harangued and welcomed him to townX
But Death had business to dispatchY
His mind was running on his matchY
And hearing much of Daphne's fameZ
His majesty of terrors cameZ
Fine as a colonel of the guardsU
To visit where she sat at cardsU
She as he came into the roomA2
Thought him Adonis in his bloomA2
And now her heart with pleasure jumpsU
She scarce remembers what is trumpsU
For such a shape of skin and boneB2
Was never seen except her ownB2
Charm'd with his eyes and chin and snoutC2
Her pocket glass drew slily outC2
And grew enamour'd with her phizU
As just the counterpart of hisU
She darted many a private glanceU
And freely made the first advanceU
Was of her beauty grown so vainW
She doubted not to win the swainW
Nothing she thought could sooner gain himD2
Than with her wit to entertain himD2
She ask'd about her friends belowJ
This meagre fop that batter'd beauJ
Whether some late departed toastsU
Had got gallants among the ghostsU
If Chloe were a sharper stillE2
As great as ever at quadrilleE2
The ladies there must needs be rooksU
For cards we know are Pluto's booksU
If Florimel had found her loveF2
For whom she hang'd herself aboveF2
How oft a week was kept a ballE2
By Proserpine at Pluto's hallE2
She fancied those Elysian shadesU
The sweetest place for masqueradesU
How pleasant on the banks of StyxU
To troll it in a coach and sixU
What pride a female heart inflamesU
How endless are ambition's aimsU
Cease haughty nymph the Fates decreeE
Death must not be a spouse for theeE
For when by chance the meagre shadeH
Upon thy hand his finger laidH
Thy hand as dry and cold as leadG2
His matrimonial spirit fledG2
He felt about his heart a dampH2
That quite extinguished Cupid's lampH2
Away the frighted spectre scudsU
And leaves my lady in the sudsU

Jonathan Swift



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