Heretic's Tragedy, The Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BACBDBB EBFGB BH A IBIBBABABA E AHAHJKJKLMEK ANANLILI B I K EOEOKPKP B P K AJAJAAAAK K AQAARKR B K ABABBEBE B E K SDSDBFBF B F B BABABTBT B T B SKSKBUBU A U B| A MIDDLE AGE INTERLUDE | A |
| - | |
| ROSA MUNDI SEU FULCITE ME FLORIBUS | B |
| A CONCEIT OF MASTER GYSBRECHT | A |
| CANON REGULAR OF SAID JODOCUS BY THE BAR | C |
| YPRES CITY CANTUQUE Virgilius | B |
| AND HATH OFTEN BEEN SUNG | D |
| AT HOCK TIDE AND FESTIVALES GAVISUS | B |
| ERAM Jessides | B |
| - | |
| It would seem to be a glimpse from the | E |
| burning of Jacques du Bourg Mulay at Paris | B |
| A D as distorted by the refraction from | F |
| Flemish brain to brain during the course of | G |
| a couple of centuries | B |
| - | |
| Molay was Grand Master of the Templars | B |
| when that order was suppressed in | H |
| - | |
| I | - |
| - | |
| PREADMONISHETH THE ABBOT DEODAET | A |
| - | |
| The Lord we look to once for all | I |
| Is the Lord we should look at all at once | B |
| He knows not to vary saith Saint Paul | I |
| Nor the shadow of turning for the nonce | B |
| See him no other than as he is | B |
| Give both the infinitudes their due | A |
| Infinite mercy but I wis | B |
| As infinite a justice too | A |
| Organ plagal cadence | B |
| As infinite a justice too | A |
| - | |
| II | - |
| - | |
| ONE SINGETH | E |
| - | |
| John Master of the Temple of God | A |
| Falling to sin the Unknown Sin | H |
| What he bought of Emperor Aldabrod | A |
| He sold it to Sultan Saladin | H |
| Till caught by Pope Clement a buzzing there | J |
| Hornet prince of the mad wasps' hive | K |
| And clipt of his wings in Paris square | J |
| They bring him now to be burned alive | K |
| And wanteth there grace of lute or | L |
| clavicithern ye shall say to confirm | M |
| him who singeth | E |
| We bring John now to be burned alive | K |
| - | |
| III | - |
| - | |
| In the midst is a goodly gallows built | A |
| 'Twixt fork and fork a stake is stuck | N |
| But first they set divers tumbrils a tilt | A |
| Make a trench all round with the city muck | N |
| Inside they pile log upon log good store | L |
| Faggots no few blocks great and small | I |
| Reach a man's mid thigh no less no more | L |
| For they mean he should roast in the sight of all | I |
| - | |
| CHORUS | B |
| - | |
| We mean he should roast in the sight of all | I |
| - | |
| - | |
| IV | K |
| - | |
| Good sappy bavins that kindle forthwith | E |
| Billets that blaze substantial and slow | O |
| Pine stump split deftly dry as pith | E |
| Larch heart that chars to a chalk white glow | O |
| Then up they hoist me John in a chafe | K |
| Sling him fast like a hog to scorch | P |
| Spit in his face then leap back safe | K |
| Sing Laudes'' and bid clap to the torch | P |
| - | |
| CHORUS | B |
| - | |
| Laus Deo who bids clap to the torch | P |
| - | |
| - | |
| V | K |
| - | |
| John of the Temple whose fame so bragged | A |
| Is burning alive in Paris square | J |
| How can he curse if his mouth is gagged | A |
| Or wriggle his neck with a collar there | J |
| Or heave his chest which a band goes round | A |
| Or threat with his fist since his arms are spliced | A |
| Or kick with his feet now his legs are bound | A |
| Thinks John I will call upon Jesus Christ | A |
| Here one crosseth himself | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| VI | K |
| - | |
| Jesus Christ John had bought and sold | A |
| Jesus Christ John had eaten and drunk | Q |
| To him the Flesh meant silver and gold | A |
| Salv reverenti | A |
| Now it was Saviour bountiful lamb | R |
| I have roasted thee Turks though men roast me | K |
| See thy servant the plight wherein I am | R |
| Art thou a saviour Save thou me '' | - |
| - | |
| CHORUS | B |
| - | |
| 'Tis John the mocker cries Save thou me '' | - |
| - | |
| - | |
| VII | K |
| - | |
| Who maketh God's menace an idle word | A |
| Saith it no more means what it proclaims | B |
| Than a damsel's threat to her wanton bird | A |
| For she too prattles of ugly names | B |
| Saith he knoweth but one thing what he knows | B |
| That God is good and the rest is breath | E |
| Why else is the same styled Sharon's rose | B |
| Once a rose ever a rose he saith | E |
| - | |
| CHORUS | B |
| - | |
| O John shall yet find a rose he saith | E |
| - | |
| - | |
| VIII | K |
| - | |
| Alack there be roses and roses John | S |
| Some honied of taste like your leman's tongue | D |
| Some bitter for why roast gaily on | S |
| Their tree struck root in devil's dung | D |
| When Paul once reasoned of righteousness | B |
| And of temperance and of judgment to come | F |
| Good Felix trembled he could no less | B |
| John snickering crook'd his wicked thumb | F |
| - | |
| CHORUS | B |
| - | |
| What cometh to John of the wicked thumb | F |
| - | |
| - | |
| IX | B |
| - | |
| Ha ha John plucketh now at his rose | B |
| To rid himself of a sorrow at heart | A |
| Lo petal on petal fierce rays unclose | B |
| Anther on anther sharp spikes outstart | A |
| And with blood for dew the bosom boils | B |
| And a gust of sulphur is all its smell | T |
| And lo he is horribly in the toils | B |
| Of a coal black giant flower of hell | T |
| - | |
| CHORUS | B |
| - | |
| What maketh heaven That maketh hell | T |
| - | |
| - | |
| X | B |
| - | |
| So as John called now through the fire amain | S |
| On the Name he had cursed with all his life | K |
| To the Person he bought and sold again | S |
| For the Face with his daily buffets rife | K |
| Feature by feature It took its place | B |
| And his voice like a mad dog's choking bark | U |
| At the steady whole of the Judge's face | B |
| Died Forth John's soul flared into the dark | U |
| - | |
| SUBJOINETH THE ABBOT DEODAET | A |
| - | |
| God help all poor souls lost in the dark | U |
| - | |
| - | |
| Fagots | B |
Robert Browning
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
About Heretic's Tragedy, The
Heretic's Tragedy, The is a poem by Robert Browning. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
Write your comment about Heretic's Tragedy, The poem by Robert Browning
Best Poems of Robert Browning
