To Mæcenas Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCC DEFFGGHHIIAAJK LLMMNOGGPP QRSTIU VVWWBB UUXXY LLZZA2A2B2B2M cenas you beneath the myrtle shade | A |
Read o'er what poets sung and shepherds play'd | A |
What felt those poets but you feel the same | B |
Does not your soul possess the sacred flame | B |
Their noble strains your equal genius shares | C |
In softer language and diviner airs | C |
- | |
While Homer paints lo circumfus'd in air | D |
Celestial Gods in mortal forms appear | E |
Swift as they move hear each recess rebound | F |
Heav'n quakes earth trembles and the shores resound | F |
Great Sire of verse before my mortal eyes | G |
The lightnings blaze across the vaulted skies | G |
And as the thunder shakes the heav'nly plains | H |
A deep felt horror thrills through all my veins | H |
When gentler strains demand thy graceful song | I |
The length'ning line moves languishing along | I |
When great Patroclus courts Achilles' aid | A |
The grateful tribute of my tears is paid | A |
Prone on the shore he feels the pangs of love | J |
And stern Pelides tend'rest passions move | K |
- | |
Great Maro's strain in heav'nly numbers flows | L |
The Nine inspire and all the bosom glows | L |
O could I rival thine and Virgil's page | M |
Or claim the Muses with the Mantuan Sage | M |
Soon the same beauties should my mind adorn | N |
And the same ardors in my soul should burn | O |
Then should my song in bolder notes arise | G |
And all my numbers pleasingly surprise | G |
But here I sit and mourn a grov'ling mind | P |
That fain would mount and ride upon the wind | P |
- | |
Not you my friend these plaintive strains become | Q |
Not you whose bosom is the Muses home | R |
When they from tow'ring Helicon retire | S |
They fan in you the bright immortal fire | T |
But I less happy cannot raise the song | I |
The fault'ring music dies upon my tongue | U |
- | |
The happier Terence all the choir inspir'd | V |
His soul replenish'd and his bosom fir'd | V |
But say ye Muses why this partial grace | W |
To one alone of Afric's sable race | W |
From age to age transmitting thus his name | B |
With the first glory in the rolls of fame | B |
- | |
Thy virtues great M cenas shall be sung | U |
In praise of him from whom those virtues sprung | U |
While blooming wreaths around thy temples spread | X |
I'll snatch a laurel from thine honour'd head | X |
While you indulgent smile upon the deed | Y |
- | |
As long as Thames in streams majestic flows | L |
Or Naiads in their oozy beds repose | L |
While Phoebus reigns above the starry train | Z |
While bright Aurora purples o'er the main | Z |
So long great Sir the muse thy praise shall sing | A2 |
So long thy praise shal' make Parnassus ring | A2 |
Then grant M cenas thy paternal rays | B2 |
Hear me propitious and defend my lays | B2 |
Phillis Wheatley
(1)
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