Song Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBAACCAA DDEEFFGGAA HHHHIIJJHHHH HHKKIILLMMH GGNNHHBBHHHHBBOOIIHH EEOOPPQ IIRRHHHHOOGGISHHTTUU VVHHHHWW HHHHHHXXHHYYHHZA2 B2B2OOC2C2IIGD2GD2 HBHB HSHS E2HF2H G2HHG2H2H2D2D2D2IIII III2HI2I2HJ2J2 IIIWWGGHHHHHHK2K2GGE EHHGGII EEG2G2GGUUHH EEK2K2HHIIHHL2M2IIBB OON2 IIHHHH O2G2UG2P2P2 HIHIP2P2 I2II2IP2P2 G2G2HHHHG2G2GGGGHJJH H

'Betimes my heritage was soldA
To buy this heart of solid goldA
Ye all perchance have jewels fineB
But what are such compar'd to mineB
O they are formal poor and coldA
And out of fashion when they're oldA
But this is of unchanging oreC
And every day is valued moreC
Not all the eye could e'er beholdA
Should purchase back this heart of goldA
-
'How oft its temper has been triedD
Its noble nature purifiedD
And still it from the furnace cameE
Uninjur'd by the subtil flameE
Like truth itself pale simple pureF
Yielding yet fitted to endureF
No rust no tarnish can ariseG
To hide its lustre from our eyesG
And this world's choicest gift I holdA
While I can keep my heart of goldA
-
'Whatever treasure may be lostH
Whatever project may be crostH
Whatever other boon deniedH
The amulet I long have triedH
Has still a sweet attractive powerI
To draw the confidential hourI
That hour for weakness and for griefJ
For true condolement full beliefJ
O I can never feel bereftH
While one possession shall be leftH
That which I now in triumph holdH
This dear this cherish'd heart of goldH
-
'Come all who wish to be enroll'dH
Our order is the heart of goldH
The vain the artful and the niceK
Can never pay the weighty priceK
For they must selfishness abjureI
Have tongue and hand and conscience pureI
Suffering for friendship never grieveL
But with a god like strength believeL
In the oft absent power of truthM
As they have seen it in their youthM
Ye who have grown in such a mouldH
Are worthy of the heart of gold '-
-
Ceasing and in the act to riseG
A voice exclaim'd 'Receive the prizeG
Earl William let me pardon craveN
Thus yielding what thy kindness gaveN
But with such strange intense delightH
This maiden fills my ear my sightH
I long so ardently to twineB
In her renown one gift of mineB
That having but a die to castH
Lest our first meeting prove our lastH
I would ensure myself the lotH
Not to be utterly forgotH
And this my offering here consignB
Worthy because it once was thineB
Then maiden from a warrior deignO
To take this golden heart and chainO
Thy order's emblem and afarI
Its light shall lead me like a starI
If thou its mistress didst requiteH
With guerdon meet each chosen knightH
If from that gifted hand there cameE
A badge of such excelling fameE
The broider'd scarf might wave in vainO
Unenvied might a rival gainO
Amid assembled peers the crownP
Of tournay triumph and renownP
For me its charm would all be goneQ
E'en though a princess set it on '-
-
I bow'd my thanks and quick withdrewI
Glad to escape from public viewI
Laden with presents and with praiseR
Beyond the meed of former daysR
But that on which I gaz'd with prideH
Which I could scarcely lay asideH
Even to close my eyes for restH
I wear it now upon my breastH
And there till death it shall remainO
Was this same golden heart and chainO
The peacock crown with all its eyesG
Its emerald jacinth sapphire dyesG
When first irradiate o'er my browI
Wav'd its rich plumes in gleaming flowS
Did not so deep a thrill impartH
So soften so dilate my heartH
No praise had touch'd me as it fellT
Like his because I saw full wellT
Honour and sweetness orb'd did lieU
Within the circlet of his eyeU
Integrity which could not swerveV
A judgment of that purer nerveV
Fearing itself and only boundH
By truth and love to all aroundH
Which dared not feign and scorn'd to vauntH
Nor interest led nor power could dauntH
Acting as if it mov'd aloneW
In sight of the Almighty's throneW
-
His graceful form my Fancy caughtH
It was the same she always broughtH
When legends mentioned knights of oldH
The courteous eloquent and boldH
The same dark locks his forehead grac'dH
A crown by partial Nature plac'dH
With the large hollows and the swellsX
And short close tendril twine of shellsX
Though grave in aspect when he smil'dH
'Twas gay and artless as a childH
With him expression seem'd a lawY
You only Nature's dictates sawY
But they in full perfection wroughtH
Of generous feeling varied thoughtH
All that can elevate or moveZ
That we admire esteem and loveA2
-
Thus when it pleas'd the youthful kingB2
Who wish'd yet more to hear me singB2
That I should follow o'er the mainO
In good Earl William's sober trainO
As slow we linger'd on the seasC2
I inly blest each wayward breezeC2
For still the graceful knight was nearI
Prompt to discourse relate and hearI
The spirit had that exerciseG
The fine perceptions' playD2
That perish with the worldly wiseG
The torpid and the gayD2
-
In the strings of their lyres as the poets of oldH
Fresh blossoms were used to entwineB
As the shrines of their gods were enamell'd with goldH
And sparkling with gems from the mineB
-
So grac'd with delights that arise in the mindH
As through flowers the language should flowS
While the eye where we fancy all soul is enshrin'dH
With divine emanations should glowS
-
The voice or the look gifted thus has a charmE2
Remembrance springs onward to greetH
And thought like an angel flies living and warmF2
When announcing the moment to meetH
-
And it was thus when Eustace spokeG2
Thus brightly his ideas glanc'dH
Met mine and smil'd as they advanc'dH
For all his fervour I partookG2
Pour'd out my spirit in each themeH2
And follow'd every waking dreamH2
Now in Fancy's airy playD2
Near at hand and far awayD2
All that was sportive wild and gayD2
Now led by Pity to deploreI
Hearts that can ache and bleed no moreI
We roam'd long tales of sadness o'erI
Now prompted by achievements higherI
We caught the hero's martyr's fireI
Who listening to an angel choirI
Rapt and devoted following stillI2
Where duty or religion ledH
The mind prepar'd subdued the willI2
Bent their grand purpose to fulfilI2
Conquer'd endur'd or meekly bledH
Nor wonder'd we for we were givenJ2
Like them to zeal to truth and heavenJ2
-
Receding silently from viewI
Freedom unthought of then withdrewI
We neither mark'd her as she flewI
Nor ever had her absence knownW
From care or question of our ownW
At court emotion or surprizeG
Reveal'd the truth to other eyesG
The pride of England's nobles staidH
Too often near the minstrel maidH
And many in derision smil'dH
To see him pay a peasant's childH
For such they deem'd me deep respectH
While birth and grandeur met neglectH
Soon sway'd by duty more than wealthK2
He listen'd and he look'd by stealthK2
And I grew careless in my laysG
Languish'd for that exclusive praiseG
Yet conscious of an equal claimE
Above each base or sordid aimE
From wounded feeling and from prideH
My pain I coldly strove to hideH
And when encounter'd by surprizeG
Rapture rose flashing in his eyesG
My formal speech and careless airI
Would call a sudden anger thereI
-
Reserv'd and sullen we becameE
Tenacious both and both to blameE
Yet often an upbraiding lookG2
Controul'd the sentence as I spokeG2
Prompt and direct its flight aroseG
But sunk or waver'd at the closeG
Often beneath his softening eyeU
I felt my resolution dieU
And half relentingly forgotH
His splendid and my humble lotH
-
Sometimes a sudden fancy cameE
That he who bore my father's nameE
Broken in spirit and in healthK2
Was weary of ill gotten wealthK2
I to the cloister saw him ledH
Saw the wide cowl upon his headH
Heard him in his last dying hourI
Warn others from the thirst of powerI
Adjure the orphan of his friendH
Pardon and needful aid to lendH
If heaven vouchsaf'd her yet to liveL2
For could she pity and forgiveM2
'Twould wing his penitential prayerI
With better hope of mercy thereI
Then did he rank and lands resignB
With all that was in justice mineB
And I pretending to be vainO
Return'd the world its poor disdainO
But smil'd on Eustace once againN2
-
Thus vision after vision flewI
Leaving again before my viewI
That Errata The hollow scene the scornful crowdH
To which that heart had never bow'dH
Whose tenderness I hourly fedH
While thus I to its nursling saidH
-
Be silent Love nor from my lipO2
In faint or hurried language speakG2
Be motionless within my eyeU
And never wander to my cheekG2
Retir'd and passive thou must beP2
Or truly I shall banish theeP2
-
Thou art a restless wayward spriteH
So young so tender and so fairI
I dare not trust thee from my sightH
Nor let thee breathe the common airI
Home to my heart then quickly fleeP2
It is the only place for theeP2
-
And hush thee sweet one in that cellI2
For I will whisper in thine earI
Those tales that Hope and Fancy tellI2
Which it may please thee best to hearI
I will not may not set thee freeP2
I die if aught discover theeP2
-
Where are the plaudits warm and longG2
That erst have follow'd Marie's songG2
The full assenting sudden loudH
The buz of pleasure in the crowdH
The harp was still but silence reign'dH
Listening as if she still complain'dH
For Pity threw her gentle yokeG2
Across Impatience ere he spokeG2
And Thought in pondering o'er her strainsG
Had that cold state he oft maintainsG
But soon the silence seem'd to sayG
Fair mourner reassume thy layG
And in the chords her fingers stray'dH
For aching Memory found reliefJ
In mounting to the source of griefJ
A tender symphony she play'dH
Then bow'd and thus unask'd obey'dH

Matilda Betham



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Song poem by Matilda Betham


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 7 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets