To Janus, On New Year's Day, 1726 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGHIIDDEE JJKLMMCCNN| Two faced Janus god of Time | A |
| Be my Phoebus while I rhyme | A |
| To oblige your crony Swift | B |
| Bring our dame a new year's gift | B |
| She has got but half a face | C |
| Janus since thou hast a brace | C |
| To my lady once be kind | D |
| Give her half thy face behind | D |
| God of Time if you be wise | E |
| Look not with your future eyes | E |
| What imports thy forward sight | F |
| Well if you could lose it quite | F |
| Can you take delight in viewing | G |
| This poor Isle's approaching ruin | H |
| When thy retrospection vast | I |
| Sees the glorious ages past | I |
| Happy nation were we blind | D |
| Or had only eyes behind | D |
| Drown your morals madam cries | E |
| I'll have none but forward eyes | E |
| Prudes decay'd about may tack | J |
| Strain their necks with looking back | J |
| Give me time when coming on | K |
| Who regards him when he's gone | L |
| By the Dean though gravely told | M |
| New years help to make me old | M |
| Yet I find a new year's lace | C |
| Burnishes an old year's face | C |
| Give me velvet and quadrille | N |
| I'll have youth and beauty still | N |
Jonathan Swift
(1)
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