The Ant Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACDD EFEFGG HHHHIJ KDKDLM NFOFPQ RFRFHH| Forbear thou great good husband little ant | A |
| A little respite from thy flood of sweat | B |
| Thou thine own horse and cart under this plant | A |
| Thy spacious tent fan thy prodigious heat | C |
| Down with thy double load of that one grain | D |
| It is a granarie for all thy train | D |
| - | |
| Cease large example of wise thrift awhile | E |
| For thy example is become our law | F |
| And teach thy frowns a seasonable smile | E |
| So Cato sometimes the nak'd Florals saw | F |
| And thou almighty foe lay by thy sting | G |
| Whilst thy unpay'd musicians crickets sing | G |
| - | |
| Lucasta she that holy makes the day | H |
| And 'stills new life in fields of fueillemort | H |
| Hath back restor'd their verdure with one ray | H |
| And with her eye bid all to play and sport | H |
| Ant to work still age will thee truant call | I |
| And to save now th'art worse than prodigal | J |
| - | |
| Austere and cynick not one hour t' allow | K |
| To lose with pleasure what thou gotst with pain | D |
| But drive on sacred festivals thy plow | K |
| Tearing high ways with thy ore charged wain | D |
| Not all thy life time one poor minute live | L |
| And thy ore labour'd bulk with mirth relieve | M |
| - | |
| Look up then miserable ant and spie | N |
| Thy fatal foes for breaking of their law | F |
| Hov'ring above thee Madam Margaret Pie | O |
| And her fierce servant meagre Sir John Daw | F |
| Thy self and storehouse now they do store up | P |
| And thy whole harvest too within their crop | Q |
| - | |
| Thus we unthrifty thrive within earth's tomb | R |
| For some more rav'nous and ambitious jaw | F |
| The grain in th' ant's the ant in the pie's womb | R |
| The pie in th' hawk's the hawk ith' eagle's maw | F |
| So scattering to hord 'gainst a long day | H |
| Thinking to save all we cast all away | H |
Richard Lovelace
(1)
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About The Ant
The Ant is a poem by Richard Lovelace. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.