The White Stone Canoe Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCDCEFEF GFGFHIJI KLMLNKOK PDBDQDRS TDUDVDWD BXYXDZDZ DDXDDA2B2C2 D2DE2DUF2DF2 DG2H2XDF2XF2 XDDDF2DXD DF2XF2ZF2DF2 F2F2DF2I2DDD F2DJ2DDDDD XDXDXXDX K2F2DF2C2DC2D DF2DF2XXXX XF2L2F2DF2BF2 DB2F2B2DDBD M2N2DI2DXDX O2P2DP2XG2XX F2Q2XQ2R2F2S2F2 D

AN INDIAN TRADITION VERSIFIED FROM SCHOOLCRAFTA
-
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It was a day of festive mirthB
And bright the Indian wigwams shoneC
For 'twas a chieftain's bridal dayD
And gladness dwelt in every toneC
But ere the glow of sunset hoursE
Upon the western hills was shedF
Deep sadness rested on those bowersE
The bride was numbered with the deadF
-
Days passed and still beside her tombG
The stricken lover bowed his headF
And nightly through the forest's gloomG
The stars beheld him with his deadF
In vain did grey haired chieftains urgeH
The youthful hunter to the chaseI
He heard yet heeded not their wordsJ
For grief had chained him to the placeI
-
They laid his war club by his sideK
His bow and arrows too they broughtL
And sang of glorious deeds of mightM
That stately chiefs of yore had wroughtL
But listlessly he heard their songsN
Flung back his bow with sullen prideK
And by the silent grave sat downO
Where they had laid his youthful brideK
-
But pleasant memories came at lengthP
Of what he learned in boyhood's dayD
Of a bright path that led from earthB
O'er the blue mountains far awayD
To the best land where spirits dwellQ
The home of GHEEZHA MONEDOD
Where parted loved ones meet againR
Beyond the reach of pain and woeS
-
Then from the ground the warrior roseT
And bade the sleeping dust adieuD
And started for the spirit shoreU
With the bright southern skies in viewD
Forests and hills and vales and streamsV
In his quick flight he left behindD
Earth's stores of rare and lovely thingsW
Had nought to charm the wand'rer's mindD
-
The snow that lay upon the earthB
When he forsook his native hillsX
Had slowly melted from his pathY
And sought the bed of crystal rillsX
The woods assumed a gayer hueD
The flowers put on the bloom of springZ
The clear sky shone with brighter blueD
And birds sped by on joyous wingZ
-
By these blest signs the warrior knewD
That he was travelling arightD
For old Tradition taught him soX
And on he pressed with fresh delightD
At length the shining path he spiedD
Winding amid a beauteous groveA2
Up to the summit of a hillB2
That rose the verdant plain aboveC2
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High on the summit stood a lodgeD2
To which this mystic pathway ledD
Thither with undeclining zealE2
And ardent hopes the warrior spedD
An old man met him at the doorU
With piercing eyes and long white hairF2
Who took the wand'rer by the handD
And kindly bade him welcome thereF2
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I know thy quest the old man saidD
Leave here thy arrows and thy bowG2
Thy body too thou must forsakeH2
Thither thy soul alone can goX
Thou seest yon gulf and far awayD
Beyond a region bright and fairF2
Whose blue hills in the distance riseX
Warrior the land of souls is there'F2
-
My lodge the gate of entrance isX
I'll guard whatever thou leav'st behindD
And thou may'st hasten on thy wayD
A joyous spirit unconfinedD
Thus saying the aged man withdrewF2
And the freed traveller sped awayD
As though his feet were changed to wingsX
Upon his fair but shadowy wayD
-
Shadowy indeed for all he passedD
Trees plants and flowers no substance woreF2
And birds and beasts were but the soulsX
Of those that dwelt on earth beforeF2
Yet birds swept by on joyous wingZ
And pausing gazed the timid deerF2
With fearless look as if to sayD
We have no strife or bloodshed hereF2
-
Onward he went till just beforeF2
A beauteous lake appeared in viewF2
And at the water's edge he spiedD
A snow white shining stone canoeF2
Lightly the warrior sprang withinI2
And grasped the paddle by his sideD
When turning lo beside him satD
The spirit of his beauteous brideD
-
She sat within a light canoeF2
And sweetly beckoned him awayD
To a green isle that like a gemJ2
Amidst the sparkling waters layD
High leaped the waves yet on they pressedD
Wreath after wreath of foam they passedD
Thus gliding o'er the water's breastD
They reached the wished for shore at lastD
-
Together o'er those verdant plainsX
'Mid fadeless flowers the lovers walkedD
And of their native hills and streamsX
And forest homes they freely talkedD
There were no storms no chilling windsX
No frost no blight to dim the flowersX
But never fading summer reignedD
Amid those calm and peaceful bowersX
-
None hungered there no death no painK2
No blighted hope no sleepless fearF2
No mourner sorrowed o'er the deadD
And no bereaved one dropped a tearF2
Serenest skies were spread aboveC2
Bright flowers were blooming all aroundD
And every eye was filled with loveC2
And music dwelt in every soundD
-
Here let me stay the warrior criedD
On this secluded happy shoreF2
Here with my loved and beauteous brideD
Where bitter partings are no moreF2
Thus spake the youth but ere the wordsX
Had died away upon the breezeX
There came a low sweet spirit voiceX
Murm'ring among the sheltering treesX
-
Warrior thus spake the breezy voiceX
Return unto thy native shoreF2
Resume again thy mortal frameL2
And mingle with thy tribe once moreF2
Listen to him who keeps the gateD
And he will tell thee what to doF2
Obey his voice return to earthB
And virtue's pleasant paths pursueF2
-
Thy time to die has not arrivedD
But let each gloomy thought be stillB2
Thy maiden waits thee on this shoreF2
Subject no more to pain or illB2
In never fading youth arrayedD
Here shall ye dwell in peace at lastD
When thou hast done thy work on earthB
And life's brief wanderings are pastD
-
Return thou yet must lead thy tribeM2
Through many a wild adventurous sceneN2
But when a good old age is reachedD
And thou their leader long hast beenI2
Then will I call thee to thy restD
In this bright island of the skiesX
Where thou mayst mingle with the blestD
While long succeeding ages riseX
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The chieftain woke 'twas fancy allO2
The bright revealings of a dreamP2
Around him still the forest stoodD
Beneath the cold moon's placid beamP2
Up from the ground he proudly roseX
Took up his war club and his bowG2
Quelled in his soul the bitter floodsX
Of disappointment and of woeX
-
And turning from the grave of herF2
Who erst was all the world to himQ2
He wiped away the gathering tearsX
That made his eagle glances dimQ2
And with a proud majestic stepR2
He slowly from the grave withdrewF2
Resolved to hope and labor onS2
With better prospects in his viewF2
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Footnote Merciful SpiritD

Pamela S. Vining, (j. C. Yule)



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