The Gulf Of All Human Possessions Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEFGGHHBBIIHH JJKKLLMMNNOOPPQQRSHH TTHHBBUUVVWWMMHHHHJX YYZZA2A2B2B2JJA2A2A2 A2C2C2A2A2HHHHD2D2A2 A2HHHHHHE2E2HH

Come hither and behold the fruitsA
Vain man of all thy vain pursuitsA
Take wise advice and look behindB
Bring all past actions to thy mindB
Here you may see as in a glassC
How soon all human pleasures passC
How will it mortify thy prideD
To turn the true impartial sideD
How will your eyes contain their tearsE
When all the sad reverse appearsF
This cave within its womb confinesG
The last result of all designsG
Here lie deposited the spoilsH
Of busy mortals' endless toilsH
Here with an easy search we findB
The foul corruptions of mankindB
The wretched purchase here beholdI
Of traitors who their country soldI
This gulf insatiate imbibesH
The lawyer's fees the statesman's bribesH
Here in their proper shape and mienJ
Fraud perjury and guilt are seenJ
Necessity the tyrant's lawK
All human race must hither drawK
All prompted by the same desireL
The vigorous youth and aged sireL
Behold the coward and the braveM
The haughty prince the humble slaveM
Physician lawyer and divineN
All make oblations at this shrineN
Some enter boldly some by stealthO
And leave behind their fruitless wealthO
For while the bashful sylvan maidP
As half ashamed and half afraidP
Approaching finds it hard to partQ
With that which dwelt so near her heartQ
The courtly dame unmoved by fearR
Profusely pours her offering hereS
A treasure here of learning lurksH
Huge heaps of never dying worksH
Labours of many an ancient sageT
And millions of the present ageT
In at this gulf all offerings passH
And lie an undistinguish'd massH
Deucalion to restore mankindB
Was bid to throw the stones behindB
So those who here their gifts conveyU
Are forced to look another wayU
For few a chosen few must knowV
The mysteries that lie belowV
Sad charnel house a dismal domeW
For which all mortals leave their homeW
The young the beautiful and braveM
Here buried in one common graveM
Where each supply of dead renewsH
Unwholesome damps offensive dewsH
And lo the writing on the wallsH
Points out where each new victim fallsH
The food of worms and beasts obsceneJ
Who round the vault luxuriant reignX
See where those mangled corpses lieY
Condemn'd by female hands to dieY
A comely dame once clad in whiteZ
Lies there consign'd to endless nightZ
By cruel hands her blood was spiltA2
And yet her wealth was all her guiltA2
And here six virgins in a tombB2
All beauteous offspring of one wombB2
Oft in the train of Venus seenJ
As fair and lovely as their queenJ
In royal garments each was drestA2
Each with a gold and purple vestA2
I saw them of their garments striptA2
Their throats were cut their bellies riptA2
Twice were they buried twice were bornC2
Twice from their sepulchres were tornC2
But now dismember'd here are castA2
And find a resting place at lastA2
Here oft the curious traveller findsH
The combat of opposing windsH
And seeks to learn the secret causeH
Which alien seems from nature's lawsH
Why at this cave's tremendous mouthD2
He feels at once both north and southD2
Whether the winds in caverns pentA2
Through clefts oppugnant force a ventA2
Or whether opening all his storesH
Fierce AEolus in tempest roarsH
Yet from this mingled mass of thingsH
In time a new creation springsH
These crude materials once shall riseH
To fill the earth and air and skiesH
In various forms appear againE2
Of vegetables brutes and menE2
So Jove pronounced among the godsH
Olympus trembling as he nodsH

Jonathan Swift



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