The Lay Of St. Odille Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Odille was a maid of a dignified race	A
Her father Count Otto was lord of Alsace	B
Such an air such a grace	A
Such a form such a face	A
All agreed 'twere a fruitless endeavour to trace	A
In the Court or within fifty miles of the place	A
Many ladies in Strasburg were beautiful still	C
They were beat all to sticks by the lovely Odille	C
	-
But Odille was devout and before she was nine	D
Had 'experienced a call' she consider'd divine	D
To put on the veil at St Ermengarde's shrine	D
Lords Dukes and Electors and Counts Palatine	D
Came to seek her in marriage from both sides the Rhine	D
But vain their design	D
They are all left to pine	D
Their oglings and smiles are all useless in fine	D
Not one of these gentlefolks try as they will	C
Can draw 'Ask my papa' from the cruel Odille	C
	-
At length one of her suitors a certain Count Herman	E
A highly respectable man as a German	E
Who smoked like a chimney and drank like a merman	F
Paid his court to her father conceiving his firman	E
Would soon make her bend	G
And induce her to lend	G
An ear to a love tale in lieu of a sermon	E
He gained the old Count who said 'Come Mynheer fill	C
Here's luck to yourself and my daughter Odille '	-
	-
The lady Odille was quite nervous with fear	H
When a little bird whisper'd that toast in her ear	I
She murmur'd 'Oh dear	H
My papa has got queer	H
I am sadly afraid with that nasty strong beer	H
He's so very austere and severe that it's clear	H
If he gets in his 'tantrums ' I can't remain here	I
But St Ermengarde's convent is luckily near	H
It were folly to stay	J
Pour prendre cong	K
I shall put on my bonnet and e'en run away '	-
She unlock'd the back door and descended the hill	C
On whose crest stood the towers of the sire of Odille	C
	-
When he found she'd levanted the Count of Alsace	B
At first turn'd remarkably red in the face	A
He anathematized with much unction and grace	A
Every soul who came near and consign'd the whole race	A
Of runaway girls to a very warm place	A
With a frightful grimace	L
He gave orders for chase	A
His vassals set off at a deuce of a pace	A
And of all whom they met high or low Jack or Jill	C
Ask'd 'Pray have you seen anything of Odille '	-
	-
Now I think I've been told for I'm no sporting man	F
That the 'knowing ones' call this by far the best plan	F
'Take the lead and then keep it ' that is if you can	F
Odille thought so too so she set off and ran	F
Put her best leg before	M
Starting at score	M
As I said some lines since from that little back door	M
And not being missed until half after four	M
Had what hunters call 'law' for a good hour and more	M
Doing her best	N
Without stopping to rest	N
Like 'young Lochinvar who came out of the West '	-
''Tis done I am gone over briar brook and rill	C
They'll be sharp lads who catch me ' said young Miss Odille	C
	-
But you've all read in sop or Ph drus or Gay	J
How a tortoise and hare ran together one day	J
How the hare 'making play	J
Progress'd right slick away '	-
As 'them tarnation chaps' the Americans say	J
While the tortoise whose figure is rather outr	M
For racing crawled straight on without let or stay	J
Having no post horse duty or turnpikes to pay	J
Till ere noon's ruddy ray	J
Changed to eve's sober grey	J
Though her form and obesity caused some delay	J
Perseverance and patience brought up her lee way	J
And she chased her fleet footed 'praycursor ' until	C
She o'ertook her at last so it fared with Odille	C
	-
For although as I said she ran gaily at first	O
And show'd no inclination to pause if she durst	O
She at length felt opprest with the heat and with thirst	O
Its usual attendant nor was that the worst	O
Her shoes went down at heel at last one of them burst	O
Now a gentleman smiles	P
At a trot of ten miles	P
But not so the Fair then consider the stiles	P
And as then ladies seldom wore things with a frill	C
Round the ancle these stiles sadly bother'd Odille	C
	-
Still despite all the obstacles placed in her track	Q
She kept steadily on though the terrible crack	Q
In her shoe made of course her progression more slack	Q
Till she reached the Swartz Forest in English The Black	Q
I cannot divine	D
How the boundary line	D
Was passed which is somewhere there formed by the Rhine	D
Perhaps she'd the knack	Q
To float o'er on her back	Q
Or perhaps crossed the old bridge of boats at Brisach	R
Which Vauban some years after secured from attack	Q
By a bastion of stone which the Germans call 'Wacke '	-
All I know is she took not so much as a snack	Q
Till hungry and worn feeling wretchedly ill	C
On a mountain's brow sank down the weary Odille	C
	-
I said on its 'brow ' but I should have said 'crown '	-
For 'twas quite on the summit bleak barren and brown	S
And so high that 'twas frightful indeed to look down	S
Upon Friburg a place of some little renown	S
That lay at its foot but imagine the frown	S
That contracted her brow when full many a clown	S
She perceived coming up from that horrid post town	S
They had followed her trail	C
And now thought without fail	C
As little boys say to 'lay salt on her tail '	-
While the Count who knew no other law but his will	C
Swore that Herman that evening should marry Odille	C
	-
Alas for Odille poor dear what could she do	T
Her father's retainers now had her in view	T
As she found from their raising a joyous halloo	C
While the Count riding on at the head of his crew	T
In their snuff coloured doublets and breeches of blue	T
Was huzzaing and urging them on to pursue	T
What indeed could she do	T
She very well knew	T
If they caught her how much she should have to go through	T
But then she'd so shocking a hole in her shoe	T
And to go further on was impossible true	T
She might jump o'er the precipice still there are few	T
In her place who could manage their courage to screw	T
Up to bidding the world such a sudden adieu	T
Alack how she envied the birds as they flew	T
No Nassau balloon with its wicker canoe	T
Came to bear her from him she loathed worse than a Jew	T
So she fell on her knees in a terrible stew	T
Crying 'Holy St Ermengarde	T
Oh from these vermin guard	T
Her whose last hope rests entirely on you	T
Don't let papa catch me dear Saint rather kill	C
At once sur le champ your devoted Odille '	-
	-
Its delightful to see those who strive to oppress	U
Get baulk'd when they think themselves sure of success	U
The Saint came to the rescue I fairly confess	U
I don't see as a Saint how she well could do less	U
Than to get such a votary out of her mess	U
Odille had scarce closed her pathetic address	U
When the rock gaping wide as the Thames at Sheerness	U
Closed again and secured her within its recess	U
In a natural grotto	T
Which puzzled Count Otto	T
Who could not conceive where the deuce she had got to	T
'Twas her voice but 'twas Vox et pr terea Nil	C
Nor could any one guess what was gone with Odille	C
	-
Then burst from the mountain a splendour that quite	T
Eclipsed in its brilliance the finest Bude light	T
And there stood St Ermengarde drest all in white	T
A palm branch in her left hand her beads in her right	T
While with faces fresh gilt and with wings burnish'd bright	T
A great many little boys' heads took their flight	T
Above and around to a very great height	T
And seem'd pretty lively considering their plight	T
Since every one saw	U
With amazement and awe	V
They could never sit down for they hadn't de quoi	Q
All at the sight	T
From the knave to the knight	T
Felt a very unpleasant sensation called fright	T
While the Saint looking down	S
With a terrible frown	S
Said 'My Lords you are done most remarkably brown	S
I am really ashamed of you both my nerves thrill	C
At your scandalous conduct to poor dear Odille	C
	-
Come make yourselves scarce it is useless to stay	T
You will gain nothing here by a longer delay	T
'Quick Presto Begone ' as the conjurors say	T
For as to the lady I've stow'd her away	T
In this hill in a stratum of London blue clay	T
And I shan't I assure you restore her to day	T
Till you faithfully pro	T

Richard Harris Barham

The Lay Of St. Odille Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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