The Conversation. A Tale Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCC DDEEFFGH II JJKKLMJJJJJJJJBB NJOJN PPJJQQRRHSTTJJIIRRUU JJJJJJVVWW RRJJXY JJZZJJA2A2B2B2IIYYC2 B JJD2QZZ| It always has been a thought discreet | A |
| To know the company you meet | A |
| And sure there may be secret danger | B |
| In talking much before a stranger | B |
| Agreed what then Then drink your ale | C |
| I'll pledge you and repeat my tale | C |
| - | |
| No matter where the scene is fix'd | D |
| The persons were but oddly mix'd | D |
| When sober Damon thus began | E |
| And Damon is a clever man | E |
| I now grow old but still from youth | F |
| Have held for modesty and truth | F |
| The men who by these sea marks steer | G |
| In life's great voyage never err | H |
| - | |
| Upon this point I dare defy | I |
| The world I pause for a reply | I |
| - | |
| Sir either is a good assistant | J |
| Said one who sat a little distant | J |
| Truth decks our speeches and our books | K |
| And modesty adorns our looks | K |
| But farther progress we must take | L |
| Not only born to look and speak | M |
| The man must act The Stagirite | J |
| Says thus and says extremely right | J |
| Strict justice is the sovereign guide | J |
| That o'er our actions should preside | J |
| This queen of virtues is confess'd | J |
| To regulate and bind the rest | J |
| Thrice happy if you can but find | J |
| Her equal balance poise your mind | J |
| All different graces soon will enter | B |
| Like lines concurrent to their centre | B |
| - | |
| 'Twas thus in short these two went on | N |
| With yea and nay and | J |
| pro | O |
| and | J |
| con | N |
| - | |
| Through many points divinely dark | P |
| And Waterland assaulting Clarke | P |
| Till in theology half lost | J |
| Damon took up the Evening Post | J |
| Confounded Spain composed the north | Q |
| And deep in politics held forth | Q |
| Methinks we're in the like condition | R |
| As at the Treaty of Partition | R |
| That stroke for all King William's care | H |
| Begat another tedious war | S |
| Matthew who knew the whole intrigue | T |
| Ne'er much approved that mystic league | T |
| In the vile Utrecht treaty too | J |
| Poor man he found enough to do | J |
| Sometimes to me he did apply | I |
| But downright Dunstable was I | I |
| And told him where they were mistaken | R |
| And counsell'd him to save his bacon | R |
| But pass his politics and prose | U |
| I never herded with his foes | U |
| Nay in his verses as a friend | J |
| I still found something to commend | J |
| Sir I excused his Nut brown Maid | J |
| Whate'er severer critics said | J |
| Too far I own the girl was try'd | J |
| The women all were on my side | J |
| For Alma I return'd him thanks | V |
| I liked her with her little pranks | V |
| Indeed poor Solomon in rhyme | W |
| Was much too grave to be sublime | W |
| - | |
| Pindar and Damon scorn transition | R |
| So on he ran a new division | R |
| Till out of breath he turn'd to spit | J |
| Chance often helps us more than wit | J |
| Th' other that lucky moment took | X |
| Just nick'd the time broke in and spoke | Y |
| - | |
| Of all the gifts the gods afford | J |
| If we may take old Tully's word | J |
| The greatest is a friend whose love | Z |
| Knows how to praise and when reprove | Z |
| From such a treasure never part | J |
| But hang the jewel on your heart | J |
| And pray Sir it delights me tell | A2 |
| You know this author mighty well | A2 |
| Know him d'ye question it odds fish | B2 |
| Sir does a beggar know his dish | B2 |
| I loved him as I told you I | I |
| Advised him here a stander by | I |
| Twitch'd Damon gently by the cloke | Y |
| And thus unwilling silence broke | Y |
| Damon 'tis time we should retire | C2 |
| The man you talk with is Matt Prior | B |
| - | |
| Patron through life and from thy birth my friend | J |
| Dorset to thee this fable let me send | J |
| With Damon's lightness weigh thy solid worth | D2 |
| The foil is known to set the diamond forth | Q |
| Let the feign'd tale this real moral give | Z |
| How many Damons how few Dorsets live | Z |
Matthew Prior
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
About The Conversation. A Tale
The Conversation. A Tale is a poem by Matthew Prior. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
Write your comment about The Conversation. A Tale poem by Matthew Prior
Best Poems of Matthew Prior