The Shepherd's Dog Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCDDEE ABFBFGGGG ABHBHCCGG IBGBGJJGG BBEBEGGGG IBKBKLMGG IBNBNHOGG IBGBGGGLL PBGBGEEGG PBGBGQQGG BBGBGHHGG BBBBBGGRS BBQBQGGHH IBGBGTEII IIUIUVVH IBGBGGGWW IBGBGXXYY IBZBZGGGG BBA2BA2WWGG BGGGGQQBB

IA
A Shepherd's Dog there was and heB
Was faithful to his master's willC
For well he lov'd his companyB
Along the plain or up the hillC
All Seasons were to him the sameD
Beneath the Sun's meridian flameD
Or when the wintry wind blew shrill and keenE
Still the Old Shepherd's Dog was with his Master seenE
-
IIA
His form was shaggy clothed yet heB
Was of a bold and faithful breedF
And kept his master companyB
In smiling days and days of needF
When the long Ev'ning slowly clos'dG
When ev'ry living thing repos'dG
When e'en the breeze slept on the woodlands roundG
The Shepherd's watchful Dog was ever waking foundG
-
IIIA
All night upon the cold turf heB
Contented lay with list'ning careH
And though no stranger companyB
Or lonely traveller rested thereH
Old Trim was pleas'd to guard it stillC
For 'twas his aged master's willC
And so pass'd on the chearful night and dayG
'Till the poor Shepherd's Dog was very old and greyG
-
IVI
Among the villagers was heB
Belov'd by all the young and oldG
For he was chearful companyB
When the north wind blew keen and coldG
And when the cottage scarce was warmJ
While round it flew the midnight stormJ
When loudly fiercely roll'd the swelling tideG
The Shepherd's faithful Dog crept closely by his sideG
-
VB
When Spring in gaudy dress would beB
Sporting across the meadows greenE
He kept his master companyB
And all amid the flow'rs was seenE
Now barking loud now pacing fastG
Now backward he a look would castG
And now subdu'd and weak with wanton playG
Amid the waving grass the Shepherd's Dog would stayG
-
VII
Now up the rugged path would heB
The steep hill's summit slowly gainK
And still be chearful companyB
Though shiv'ring in the pelting rainK
And when the brook was frozen o'erL
Or the deep snow conceal'd the moorM
When the pale moon beams scarcely shed a rayG
The Shepherd's faithful Dog would mark the dang'rous wayG
-
VIII
On Sunday at the old Yew TreeB
Which canopies the church yard stileN
Forc'd from his master's companyB
The faithful TRIM would mope awhileN
For then his master's only careH
Was the loud Psalm or fervent Pray'rO
And 'till the throng the church yard path retrodG
The Shepherd's patient guard lay silent on the sodG
-
VIIII
Near their small hovel stood a treeB
Where TRIM was ev'ry morning foundG
Waiting his master's companyB
And looking wistfully aroundG
And if along the upland meadG
He heard him tune the merry reedG
O then o'er hedge and ditch thro' brake and briarL
The Shepherd's dog would haste with eyes that seem'd on fireL
-
IXP
And now he pac'd the valley freeB
And now he bounded o'er the dewG
For well his master's companyB
Would recompence his toil he knewG
And where a rippling rill was seenE
Flashing the woody brakes betweenE
Fearless of danger thro' the lucid tideG
The Shepherd's eager dog yelping with joy would glideG
-
XP
Full many a year the same was heB
His love still stronger every dayG
For in his master's companyB
He had grown old and very greyG
And now his sight grew dim and slowQ
Up the rough mountain he would goQ
And his loud bark which all the village knewG
With ev'ry wasting hour more faint and peevish grewG
-
XIB
One morn to the low mead went heB
Rous'd from his threshold bed to meetG
A gay and lordly companyB
The Sun was bright the air was sweetG
Old TRIM was watchful of his careH
His master's flocks were feeding thereH
And fearful of the hounds he yelping stoodG
Beneath a willow Tree that wav'd across the floodG
-
XIIB
Old TRIM was urg'd to wrath for heB
Was guardian of the meadow boundsB
And heedless of the companyB
With angry snarl attack'd the houndsB
Some felt his teeth though they were oldG
For still his ire was fierce and boldG
And ne'er did valiant chieftain feel more strongR
Than the Old Shepherd's dog when daring foes amongS
-
XIIIB
The Sun was setting o'er the SeaB
The breezes murmuring sad and slowQ
When a gay lordly companyB
Came to the Shepherd's hovel lowQ
Their arm'd associates stood aroundG
The sheep cote fence's narrow boundG
While its poor master heard with fix'd despairH
That TRIM his friend deem'd MAD was doom'd to perish thereH
-
XIVI
The kind old Shepherd wept for heB
Had no such guide to mark his wayG
And kneeling pray'd the companyB
To let him live his little dayG
'For many a year my Dog has beenT
'The only friend these eyes have seenE
'We both are old and feeble he and II
'Together we have liv'd together let us dieI
-
XVI
'Behold his dim yet speaking eyeI
'Which ill befits his visage grimU
'He cannot from your anger flyI
'For slow and feeble is old TRIMU
'He looks as though he fain would speakV
'His beard is white his voice is weakV
'He IS NOT MAD O then in pity spareH
'The only watchful friend of my small fleecy care '-
-
XVII
The Shepherd ceas'd to speak for HeB
Leant on his maple staff subdu'dG
While pity touch'd the companyB
And all poor TRIM with sorrow view'dG
Nine days upon a willow bedG
Old TRIM was doom'd to lay his headG
Oppress'd and sever'd from his master's doorW
Enough to make him MAD were he not so beforeW
-
XVIII
But not forsaken yet was heB
For ev'ry morn at peep of dayG
To keep his old friend companyB
The lonely Shepherd bent his wayG
A little boat across the streamX
Which glitter'd in the sunny beamX
Bore him where foes no longer could annoyY
Where TRIM stood yelping loud and ALMOST MAD with joyY
-
XVIIII
Six days had pass'd and still was heB
Upon the island left to roamZ
When on the stream a wither'd treeB
Was gliding rapid midst the foamZ
The little Boat now onward prestG
Danc'd o'er the river's bounding breastG
Till dash'd impetuous 'gainst the old tree's sideG
The Shepherd plung'd and groan'd then sunk amid the tideG
-
XIXB
Old TRIM now doom'd his friend to seeB
Beating the foam with wasted breathA2
Resolv'd to bear him companyB
E'en in the icy arms of deathA2
Soon with exulting cries he boreW
His feeble master to the shoreW
And standing o'er him howl'd in cadence sadG
For fear and fondness now had nearly made him MADG
-
XXB
Together still their flocks they tendG
More happy than the proudly greatG
The Shepherd has no other friendG
No Lordly home no bed of stateG
But on a pallet clean and lowQ
They hear unmov'd the wild winds blowQ
And though they ne'er another spring may seeB
The Shepherd and his Dog are chearful companyB

Mary Darby Robinson



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