An Epitaph Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ KLLLMNOOLLLLLLLLPPLL QGRRLLSSTTLLLLLLUUSH LLInterr'd beneath this marble stone | A |
Lie saunt'ring Jack and idle Joan | A |
While rolling threescore years and one | B |
Did round this globe their courses run | B |
If human things went ill or well | C |
If changing empires rose or fell | C |
The morning passed the evening came | D |
And found this couple still the same | D |
They walk'd and eat good folks what then | E |
Why then they walk'd and eat again | E |
They soundly slept the night away | F |
They did just nothing all the day | F |
And having buried children four | G |
Would not take pains to try for more | G |
Nor sister either had nor brother | H |
They seemed just tallied for each other | H |
Their moral and economy | I |
Most perfectly they made agree | I |
Each virtue kept its proper bound | J |
Nor tresspass'd on the other's ground | J |
Nor fame nor censure they regarded | K |
They neither punish'd nor rewarded | L |
He cared not what the footmen did | L |
Her maids she neither prais'd nor chid | L |
So ev'ry servant took his course | M |
And bad at first they all grew worse | N |
Slothful disorder fill'd his stable | O |
And sluttish plenty deck'd her table | O |
Their beer was strong their wine was port | L |
Their meal was large their grace was short | L |
They gave the poor the remnant meat | L |
Just when it grew not fit to eat | L |
They paid the church and parish rate | L |
And took but read not the receipt | L |
For which they claim'd their Sunday's due | L |
Of slumb'ring in an upper pew | L |
No man's defects sought they to know | P |
So never made themselves a foe | P |
No man's good deeds did they commend | L |
So never rais'd themselves a friend | L |
Nor cherish'd they relations poor | Q |
That might decrease their present store | G |
Nor barn nor house did they repair | R |
That might oblige their future heir | R |
They neither added nor confounded | L |
They neither wanted nor abounded | L |
Each Christmas they accompts did clear | S |
And wound their bottom through the year | S |
Nor tear nor smile did they employ | T |
At news of public grief or joy | T |
When bells were rung and bonfires made | L |
If asked they ne'er denied their aid | L |
Their jug was to the ringers carried | L |
Whoever either died or married | L |
Their billet at the fire was found | L |
Whoever was depos'd or crown'd | L |
Nor good nor bad nor fools nor wise | U |
They would not learn nor could advise | U |
Without love hatred joy or fear | S |
They led a kind of as it were | H |
Nor wish'd nor car'd nor laugh'd nor cry'd | L |
And so they liv'd and so they died | L |
Matthew Prior
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about An Epitaph poem by Matthew Prior
Best Poems of Matthew Prior