Oberon's Chapel Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHIJJJJ JKLMMNNJJJJMGOPJJ QQJJ PRJJGMSTJJJJKKMMUUVV VVWWVVJJJJVVVVVJJJJX LYYVVYYJJJJVVJJGVJJV VJJYVGJZZJJJJMMJJVVV VA2B2JJJJJJJJVVJJVVA way enhanced with glass and beads | A |
There is that to the Chapel leads | A |
Whose structure for his holy rest | B |
Is here the Halcyon's curious nest | B |
Into the which who looks shall see | C |
His Temple of Idolatry | C |
Where he of god heads has such store | D |
As Rome's Pantheon had not more | D |
His house of Rimmon this he calls | E |
Girt with small bones instead of walls | E |
First in a niche more black than jet | F |
His idol cricket there is set | F |
Then in a polish'd oval by | G |
There stands his idol beetle fly | G |
Next in an arch akin to this | H |
His idol canker seated is | I |
Then in a round is placed by these | J |
His golden god Cantharides | J |
So that where'er ye look ye see | J |
No capital no cornice free | J |
Or frieze from this fine frippery | J |
Now this the Fairies would have known | K |
Theirs is a mixt religion | L |
And some have heard the elves it call | M |
Part Pagan part Papistical | M |
If unto me all tongues were granted | N |
I could not speak the saints here painted | N |
Saint Tit Saint Nit Saint Is Saint Itis | J |
Who 'gainst Mab's state placed here right is | J |
Saint Will o' th' Wisp of no great bigness | J |
But alias call'd here FATUUS IGNIS | J |
Saint Frip Saint Trip Saint Fill Saint Filly | M |
Neither those other saint ships will I | G |
Here go about for to recite | O |
Their number almost infinite | P |
Which one by one here set down are | J |
In this most curious calendar | J |
- | |
First at the entrance of the gate | Q |
A little puppet priest doth wait | Q |
Who squeaks to all the comers there | J |
'Favour your tongues who enter here | J |
'Pure hands bring hither without stain ' | - |
A second pules 'Hence hence profane ' | - |
Hard by i' th' shell of half a nut | P |
The holy water there is put | R |
A little brush of squirrels' hairs | J |
Composed of odd not even pairs | J |
Stands in the platter or close by | G |
To purge the fairy family | M |
Near to the altar stands the priest | S |
There offering up the holy grist | T |
Ducking in mood and perfect tense | J |
With much good do't him reverence | J |
The altar is not here four square | J |
Nor in a form triangular | J |
Nor made of glass or wood or stone | K |
But of a little transverse bone | K |
Which boys and bruckel'd children call | M |
Playing for points and pins cockall | M |
Whose linen drapery is a thin | U |
Sub ile and ductile codling's skin | U |
Which o'er the board is smoothly spread | V |
With little seal work damasked | V |
The fringe that circumbinds it too | V |
Is spangle work of trembling dew | V |
Which gently gleaming makes a show | W |
Like frost work glitt'ring on the snow | W |
Upon this fetuous board doth stand | V |
Something for shew bread and at hand | V |
Just in the middle of the altar | J |
Upon an end the Fairy psalter | J |
Graced with the trout flies' curious wings | J |
Which serve for watchet ribbonings | J |
Now we must know the elves are led | V |
Right by the Rubric which they read | V |
And if report of them be true | V |
They have their text for what they do | V |
Ay and their book of canons too | V |
And as Sir Thomas Parson tells | J |
They have their book of articles | J |
And if that Fairy knight not lies | J |
They have their book of homilies | J |
And other Scriptures that design | X |
A short but righteous discipline | L |
The bason stands the board upon | Y |
To take the free oblation | Y |
A little pin dust which they hold | V |
More precious than we prize our gold | V |
Which charity they give to many | Y |
Poor of the parish if there's any | Y |
Upon the ends of these neat rails | J |
Hatch'd with the silver light of snails | J |
The elves in formal manner fix | J |
Two pure and holy candlesticks | J |
In either which a tall small bent | V |
Burns for the altar's ornament | V |
For sanctity they have to these | J |
Their curious copes and surplices | J |
Of cleanest cobweb hanging by | G |
In their religious vestery | V |
They have their ash pans and their brooms | J |
To purge the chapel and the rooms | J |
Their many mumbling mass priests here | V |
And many a dapper chorister | V |
Their ush'ring vergers here likewise | J |
Their canons and their chaunteries | J |
Of cloister monks they have enow | Y |
Ay and their abbey lubbers too | V |
And if their legend do not lie | G |
They much affect the papacy | J |
And since the last is dead there's hope | Z |
Elve Boniface shall next be Pope | Z |
They have their cups and chalices | J |
Their pardons and indulgences | J |
Their beads of nits bells books and wax | J |
Candles forsooth and other knacks | J |
Their holy oil their fasting spittle | M |
Their sacred salt here not a little | M |
Dry chips old shoes rags grease and bones | J |
Beside their fumigations | J |
Many a trifle too and trinket | V |
And for what use scarce man would think it | V |
Next then upon the chanter's side | V |
An apple's core is hung up dried | V |
With rattling kernels which is rung | A2 |
To call to morn and even song | B2 |
The saint to which the most he prays | J |
And offers incense nights and days | J |
The lady of the lobster is | J |
Whose foot pace he doth stroke and kiss | J |
And humbly chives of saffron brings | J |
For his most cheerful offerings | J |
When after these he's paid his vows | J |
He lowly to the altar bows | J |
And then he dons the silk worm's shed | V |
Like a Turk's turban on his head | V |
And reverently departeth thence | J |
Hid in a cloud of frankincense | J |
And by the glow worm's light well guided | V |
Goes to the Feast that's now provided | V |
Robert Herrick
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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