Mistress Gurton's Cat Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCDEEFF GHGIIHJJKK LLMNOOPPQ RRQSSPPTT UUVWPPQQXX YPZZFFPPP A2B2C2A2PBBPD2D2 FE2F2F2E2PG2H2G2P PD2PD2PPPF2PF2PPPPPP I2J2ZZF2F2PTPTCCK2K2 L2PPL2PPPPPP M2CM2CPPFPPP ZZF2F2FF

Old MISTRESS GURTON had a CatA
A Tabby loveliest of the raceB
Sleek as a doe and tame and fatA
With velvet paws and whisker'd faceB
The Doves of VENUS not so fairC
Nor JUNO'S Peacocks half so grandD
As MISTRESS GURTON'S Tabby rareC
The proudest of the purring bandD
So dignified in all her pacesE
She seem'd a pupil of the GracesE
There never was a finer creatureF
In all the varying whims of NatureF
-
All liked Grimalkin passing wellG
Save MISTRESS GURTON and 'tis saidH
She oft with furious ire would swellG
When through neglect or hunger keenI
Puss with a pilfer'd scrap was seenI
Swearing beneath the pent house shedH
For like some fav'rites she was bentJ
On all things yet with none contentJ
And still whate'er her place or dietK
She could not pick her bone in quietK
-
Sometimes new milk GRIMALKIN stoleL
And sometimes over set the bowlL
For over eagerness will proveM
Oft times the bane of what we loveN
And sometimes to her neighbour's homeO
GRIMALKIN like a thief would roamO
Teaching poor Cats of humbler kindP
For high example sways the mindP
Sometimes she paced the garden wallQ
-
Thick guarded by the shatter'd paneR
And lightly treading with disdainR
Fear'd not Ambition's certain fallQ
Old China broke or scratch'd her DameS
And brought domestic friends to shameS
And many a time this Cat was curstP
Of squalling thieving things the worstP
Wish'd Dead and menanc'd with a stringT
For Cats of such scant Fame deserv'd to swingT
-
One day report for ever busyU
Resolv'd to make Dame Gurton easyU
A Neighbour came with solemn lookV
And thus the dismal tidings brokeW
quot Know you that poor GRIMALKIN diedP
quot Last night upon the pent house sideP
quot I heard her for assistance callQ
quot I heard her shrill and dying squallQ
quot I heard her in reproachful toneX
quot Pour to the stars her feeble groanX
-
quot Alone I heard her piercing criesY
quot With not a Friend to close her Eyes quotP
quot Poor Puss I vow it grieves me soreZ
quot Never to see thy beauties moreZ
quot Never again to hear thee purrF
quot To stroke thy back of Zebra furF
quot To see thy emral'd eyes so brightP
quot Flashing around their lust'rous lightP
quot Amid the solemn shades of nightP
-
quot Methinks I see her pretty pawsA2
quot As gracefully she paced alongB2
quot I hear her voice so shrill amongC2
quot The chimney rows I see her clawsA2
quot While like a Tyger she pursuedP
quot Undauntedly the pilf'ring raceB
quot I see her lovely whisker'd faceB
quot When she her nimble prey subduedP
quot And then how she would frisk and playD2
quot And purr the Evening hours awayD2
-
quot Now stretch'd beside the social fireF
quot Now on the sunny lawn at noonE2
quot Watching the vagrant Birds that flewF2
quot Across the scene of varied hueF2
quot To peck the Fruit Or when the MoonE2
quot Stole o'er the hills in silv'ry suitP
quot How would she chaunt her lovelorn TaleG2
quot Soft as the wild Eolian LyreH2
quot 'Till ev'ry brute on hill in daleG2
quot Listen'd with wonder mute quotP
-
quot O Cease quot exclaim'd DAME GURTON straightP
quot Has my poor Puss been torn awayD2
quot Alas how cruel is my fateP
quot How shall I pass the tedious dayD2
quot Where can her mourning mistress findP
quot So sweet a Cat so meek so kindP
quot So keen a mouser such a beautyP
quot So orderly so fond so trueF2
quot That every gentle task of dutyP
quot The dear domestic creature knewF2
quot Hers was the mildest tend'rest heartP
quot She knew no little cattish artP
quot Not cross like fav'rite Cats was sheP
quot But seem'd the queen of Cats to beP
quot I cannot live since doom'd alas to partP
quot From poor GRIMALKIN kind the darling of my heart quotP
-
And now DAME GURTON bath'd in tearsI2
With a black top knot vast appearsJ2
Some say that a black gown she woreZ
As many oft have done beforeZ
For Beings valued less I weenF2
Than this of Tabby Cats the fav'rite QueenF2
But lo soon after one fair dayP
Puss who had only been a rovingT
Across the pent house took her wayP
To see her Dame so sad and lovingT
Eager to greet the mourning fairC
She enter'd by a window whereC
A China bowl of luscious creamK2
Was quiv'ring in the sunny beamK2
-
Puss who was somewhat tired and dryL2
And somewhat fond of bev'rage sweetP
Beholding such a tempting treatP
Resolved its depth to tryL2
She saw the warm and dazzling rayP
Upon the spotless surface playP
She purr'd around its circle wideP
And gazed and long'd and mew'd and sigh'dP
But Fate unfriendly did that hour controulP
She overset the cream and smash'd the gilded bowlP
-
As MISTRESS GURTON heard the thiefM2
She started from her easy chairC
And quite unmindful of her griefM2
Began aloud to swearC
quot Curse that voracious beast quot she criedP
quot Here SUSAN bring a cordP
I'll hang the vicious ugly creatureF
quot The veriest plague e'er form'd by nature quotP
And MISTRESS GURTON kept her wordP
And Poor GRIMALKIN DIEDP
-
Thus often we with anguish soreZ
The dead in clam'rous grief deploreZ
Who were they once alive againF2
Would meet the sting of cold disdainF2
For FRIENDS whom trifling faults can severF
Are valued most WHEN LOST FOR EVERF

Mary Darby Robinson



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