The Devil's Walk. A Ballad Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCD EFGHF IJKKJ LJMJ MHMH NOPMO QRQQR RMRMSTM CUCCU MVMMMV MWJMJW XXOGGJ YZYA2 WMB2M JJC2D2C2 MMMM E2F2E2F2 JTTT VG2VH2CH2 XMI2MXM J2K2J2K2 L2M2L2M2 MN2MCCO2 P2E2P2E2 MCMC Q2MHMMM N2MO2M MR2MR2 L2S2L2M MTMT

A
Once early in the morning Beelzebub aroseB
With care his sweet person adorningC
He put on his Sunday clothesD
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He drew on a boot to hide his hoofE
He drew on a glove to hide his clawF
His horns were concealed by a Bras ChapeauG
And the Devil went forth as natty a BeauH
As Bond street ever sawF
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He sate him down in London townI
Before earth's morning rayJ
With a favourite imp he began to chatK
On religion and scandal this and thatK
Until the dawn of dayJ
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And then to St James's Court he wentL
And St Paul's Church he took on his wayJ
He was mighty thick with every SaintM
Though they were formal and he was gayJ
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The Devil was an agriculturistM
And as bad weeds quickly growH
In looking over his farm I wistM
He wouldn't find cause for woeH
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He peeped in each hole to each chamber stoleN
His promising live stock to viewO
Grinning applause he just showed them his clawsP
And they shrunk with affright from his ugly sightM
Whose work they delighted to doO
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Satan poked his red nose into crannies so smallQ
One would think that the innocents fairR
Poor lambkins were just doing nothing at allQ
But settling some dress or arranging some ballQ
But the Devil saw deeper thereR
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A Priest at whose elbow the Devil during prayerR
Sate familiarly side by sideM
Declared that if the Tempter were thereR
His presence he would not abideM
Ah ah thought Old Nick that's a very stale trickS
For without the Devil O favourite of EvilT
In your carriage you would not rideM
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Satan next saw a brainless KingC
Whose house was as hot as his ownU
Many Imps in attendance were there on the wingC
They flapped the pennon and twisted the stingC
Close by the very ThroneU
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Ah ah thought Satan the pasture is goodM
My Cattle will here thrive better than othersV
They dine on news of human bloodM
They sup on the groans of the dying and deadM
And supperless never will go to bedM
Which will make them fat as their brothersV
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Fat as the Fiends that feed on bloodM
Fresh and warm from the fields of SpainW
Where Ruin ploughs her gory wayJ
Where the shoots of earth are nipped in the budM
Where Hell is the Victor's preyJ
Its glory the meed of the slainW
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Fat as the Death birds on Erin's shoreX
That glutted themselves in her dearest goreX
And flitted round CastlereaghO
When they snatched the Patriot's heart that HIS graspG
Had torn from its widow's maniac claspG
And fled at the dawn of dayJ
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Fat as the Reptiles of the tombY
That riot in corruption's spoilZ
That fret their little hour in gloomY
And creep and live the whileA2
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Fat as that Prince's maudlin brainW
Which addled by some gilded toyM
Tired gives his sweetmeat and againB2
Cries for it like a humoured boyM
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For he is fat his waistcoat gayJ
When strained upon a levee dayJ
Scarce meets across his princely paunchC2
And pantaloons are like half moonsD2
Upon each brawny haunchC2
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How vast his stock of calf when plentyM
Had filled his empty head and heartM
Enough to satiate foplings twentyM
Could make his pantaloon seams startM
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The Devil who sometimes is called NatureE2
For men of power provides thus wellF2
Whilst every change and every featureE2
Their great original can tellF2
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Satan saw a lawyer a viper slayJ
That crawled up the leg of his tableT
It reminded him most marvellouslyT
Of the story of Cain and AbelT
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The wealthy yeoman as he wandersV
His fertile fields amongG2
And on his thriving cattle pondersV
Counts his sure gains and hums a songH2
Thus did the Devil through earth walkingC
Hum low a hellish songH2
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For they thrive well whose garb of goreX
Is Satan's choicest liveryM
And they thrive well who from the poorI2
Have snatched the bread of penuryM
And heap the houseless wanderer's storeX
On the rank pile of luxuryM
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The Bishops thrive though they are bigJ2
The Lawyers thrive though they are thinK2
For every gown and every wigJ2
Hides the safe thrift of Hell withinK2
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Thus pigs were never counted cleanL2
Although they dine on finest cornM2
And cormorants are sin like leanL2
Although they eat from night to mornM2
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Oh why is the Father of Hell in such gleeM
As he grins from ear to earN2
Why does he doff his clothes joyfullyM
As he skips and prances and flaps his wingC
As he sidles leers and twirls his stingC
And dares as he is to appearO2
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A statesman passed alone to himP2
The Devil dare his whole shape uncoverE2
To show each feature every limbP2
Secure of an unchanging loverE2
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At this known sign a welcome sightM
The watchful demons sought their KingC
And every Fiend of the Stygian nightM
Was in an instant on the wingC
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Pale Loyalty his guilt steeled browQ2
With wreaths of gory laurel crownedM
The hell hounds Murder Want and WoeH
Forever hungering flocked aroundM
From Spain had Satan sought their foodM
'Twas human woe and human bloodM
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Hark the earthquake's crash I hearN2
Kings turn pale and Conquerors startM
Ruffians tremble in their fearO2
For their Satan doth departM
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This day Fiends give to revelryM
To celebrate their King's returnR2
And with delight its Sire to seeM
Hell's adamantine limits burnR2
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But were the Devil's sight as keenL2
As Reason's penetrating eyeS2
His sulphurous Majesty I weenL2
Would find but little cause for joyM
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For the sons of Reason seeM
That ere fate consume the PoleT
The false Tyrant's cheek shall beM
Bloodless as his coward soulT

Percy Bysshe Shelley



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