To Mæcenas Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCC DEFFGGHHIIAAJK LLMMNOGGPP QRSTIU VVWWBB UUXXY LLZZA2A2B2B2| M 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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About To Mæcenas
To Mæcenas is a poem by Phillis Wheatley. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.