Old Barnard -- A Monkish Tale Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCCDDB EFGGCCF HIJJKKI LGHHBBG MCNNNNC OPQQRRP GSBBTTS BNBBNNN GBCCBBB UNNNVVN OHGGEEH WBHHXXB NYNNNNY NYGGZZY NHBBNNH NHBBRRH A2REEBBROLD BARNARD was still a lusty hind | A |
Though his age was full fourscore | B |
And he us'd to go | C |
Thro' hail and snow | C |
To a neighb'ring town | D |
With his old coat brown | D |
To beg at his GRANDSON'S door | B |
- | |
OLD BARNARD briskly jogg'd along | E |
When the hail and snow did fall | F |
And whatever the day | G |
He was always gay | G |
Did the broad Sun glow | C |
Or the keen wind blow | C |
While he begg'd in his GRANDSON'S Hall | F |
- | |
His GRANDSON was a Squire and he | H |
Had houses and lands and gold | I |
And a coach beside | J |
And horses to ride | J |
And a downy bed | K |
To repose his head | K |
And he felt not the winter's cold | I |
- | |
Old BARNARD had neither house nor lands | L |
Nor gold to buy warm array | G |
Nor a coach to carry | H |
His old bones weary | H |
Nor beds of feather | B |
In freezing weather | B |
To sleep the long nights away | G |
- | |
But BARNARD a quiet conscience had | M |
No guile did his bosom know | C |
And when Ev'ning clos'd | N |
His old bones repos'd | N |
Tho' the wintry blast | N |
O'er his hovel past | N |
And he slept while the winds did blow | C |
- | |
But his GRANDSON he could never sleep | O |
'Till the Sun began to rise | P |
For a fev'rish pain | Q |
Oppress'd his brain | Q |
And he fear'd some evil | R |
And dream'd of the Devil | R |
Whenever he clos'd his eyes | P |
- | |
And whenever he feasted the rich and gay | G |
The Devil still had his joke | S |
For however rare | B |
The sumptuous fare | B |
When the sparkling glass | T |
Was seen to pass | T |
He was fearful the draught would choke | S |
- | |
And whenever in fine and costly geer | B |
The Squire went forth to ride | N |
The owl would cry | B |
And the raven fly | B |
Across his road | N |
While the sluggish toad | N |
Would crawl by his Palfry's side | N |
- | |
And he could not command the Sunny day | G |
For the rain would wet him through | B |
And the wind would blow | C |
Where his nag did go | C |
And the thunder roar | B |
And the torrents pour | B |
And he felt the chill Evening dew | B |
- | |
And the cramp would wring his youthful bones | U |
And would make him groan aloud | N |
And the doctor's art | N |
Could not cure the heart | N |
While the conscience still | V |
Was o'ercharg'd with ill | V |
And he dream'd of the pick axe and shroud | N |
- | |
And why could Old BARNARD sweetly sleep | O |
Since so poor and so old was he | H |
Because he could say | G |
At the close of day | G |
I have done no wrong | E |
To the weak or strong | E |
And so Heaven look kind on me | H |
- | |
One night the GRANDSON hied him forth | W |
To a MONK that liv'd hard by | B |
O Father said he | H |
I am come to thee | H |
For I'm sick of sin | X |
And would fain begin | X |
To repent me before I die | B |
- | |
I must pray for your Soul the MONK replied | N |
But will see you to morrow ere noon | Y |
Then the MONK flew straight | N |
To Old BARNARD'S gate | N |
And he bade him haste | N |
O'er the dewy waste | N |
By the light of the waning Moon | Y |
- | |
In the Monkish cell did old BARNARD wait | N |
And his GRANDSON went thither soon | Y |
In a habit of grey | G |
Ere the dawn of day | G |
With a cowl and cross | Z |
On the sill of moss | Z |
He knelt by the light of the Moon | Y |
- | |
O shrive me Father the GRANDSON cried | N |
For the Devil is waiting for me | H |
I have robb'd the poor | B |
I have shut my door | B |
And kept out the good | N |
When they wanted food | N |
And I come for my pardon to Thee | H |
- | |
Get home young Sinner Old BARNARD said | N |
And your GRANDSIRE quickly see | H |
Give him half your store | B |
For he's old and poor | B |
And avert each evil | R |
And cheat the Devil | R |
By making him rich as thee | H |
- | |
The SQUIRE obey'd and Old BARNARD now | A2 |
Is rescued from every evil | R |
For he fears no wrong | E |
From the weak or strong | E |
And the Squire can snore | B |
When the loud winds roar | B |
For he dreams no more of THE DEVIL | R |
Mary Darby Robinson
(1)
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