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 A2REEBBR

OLD BARNARD was still a lusty hindA
Though his age was full fourscoreB
And he us'd to goC
Thro' hail and snowC
To a neighb'ring townD
With his old coat brownD
To beg at his GRANDSON'S doorB
-
OLD BARNARD briskly jogg'd alongE
When the hail and snow did fallF
And whatever the dayG
He was always gayG
Did the broad Sun glowC
Or the keen wind blowC
While he begg'd in his GRANDSON'S HallF
-
His GRANDSON was a Squire and heH
Had houses and lands and goldI
And a coach besideJ
And horses to rideJ
And a downy bedK
To repose his headK
And he felt not the winter's coldI
-
Old BARNARD had neither house nor landsL
Nor gold to buy warm arrayG
Nor a coach to carryH
His old bones wearyH
Nor beds of featherB
In freezing weatherB
To sleep the long nights awayG
-
But BARNARD a quiet conscience hadM
No guile did his bosom knowC
And when Ev'ning clos'dN
His old bones repos'dN
Tho' the wintry blastN
O'er his hovel pastN
And he slept while the winds did blowC
-
But his GRANDSON he could never sleepO
'Till the Sun began to riseP
For a fev'rish painQ
Oppress'd his brainQ
And he fear'd some evilR
And dream'd of the DevilR
Whenever he clos'd his eyesP
-
And whenever he feasted the rich and gayG
The Devil still had his jokeS
For however rareB
The sumptuous fareB
When the sparkling glassT
Was seen to passT
He was fearful the draught would chokeS
-
And whenever in fine and costly geerB
The Squire went forth to rideN
The owl would cryB
And the raven flyB
Across his roadN
While the sluggish toadN
Would crawl by his Palfry's sideN
-
And he could not command the Sunny dayG
For the rain would wet him throughB
And the wind would blowC
Where his nag did goC
And the thunder roarB
And the torrents pourB
And he felt the chill Evening dewB
-
And the cramp would wring his youthful bonesU
And would make him groan aloudN
And the doctor's artN
Could not cure the heartN
While the conscience stillV
Was o'ercharg'd with illV
And he dream'd of the pick axe and shroudN
-
And why could Old BARNARD sweetly sleepO
Since so poor and so old was heH
Because he could sayG
At the close of dayG
I have done no wrongE
To the weak or strongE
And so Heaven look kind on meH
-
One night the GRANDSON hied him forthW
To a MONK that liv'd hard byB
O Father said heH
I am come to theeH
For I'm sick of sinX
And would fain beginX
To repent me before I dieB
-
I must pray for your Soul the MONK repliedN
But will see you to morrow ere noonY
Then the MONK flew straightN
To Old BARNARD'S gateN
And he bade him hasteN
O'er the dewy wasteN
By the light of the waning MoonY
-
In the Monkish cell did old BARNARD waitN
And his GRANDSON went thither soonY
In a habit of greyG
Ere the dawn of dayG
With a cowl and crossZ
On the sill of mossZ
He knelt by the light of the MoonY
-
O shrive me Father the GRANDSON criedN
For the Devil is waiting for meH
I have robb'd the poorB
I have shut my doorB
And kept out the goodN
When they wanted foodN
And I come for my pardon to TheeH
-
Get home young Sinner Old BARNARD saidN
And your GRANDSIRE quickly seeH
Give him half your storeB
For he's old and poorB
And avert each evilR
And cheat the DevilR
By making him rich as theeH
-
The SQUIRE obey'd and Old BARNARD nowA2
Is rescued from every evilR
For he fears no wrongE
From the weak or strongE
And the Squire can snoreB
When the loud winds roarB
For he dreams no more of THE DEVILR

Mary Darby Robinson



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