The Crusader Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABBCDDC EEEEEFGHF EEEEEIEEI IJIJJKIIK LMLMMNIIN IEIEEOIIO PQPQQRSS TUTUVWDDW XLXLLEYYE| Effigy mailed and mighty beneath thy mail | A |
| That liest asleep with hand upon carved sword hilt | B |
| As ready to waken and strong to stand and hail | A |
| Death where hosts are shaken and hot life spilt | B |
| Here in the pillared peace thy fathers built | B |
| On English ground amid guardian trees though rent | C |
| This eve with gusts that yellowing boughs dishevel | D |
| And over this chantry roof make shuddering revel | D |
| With lips of stone thou smilest art thou content | C |
| - | |
| Still burns thy soul for battle as then when first | E |
| Tost upon shipboard far thine eyes descried | E |
| The hills of the land of longing Still dost thirst | E |
| To leap on the Paynim armies and break their pride | E |
| For God smote in thee God was upon thy side | E |
| Still flame the spears through dust and blood and roar | F |
| Still ridest slaying filled with holy rages | G |
| Glorying even now to hear through Time's lost ages | H |
| Thy deeds yet thundering like sea surf on shore | F |
| - | |
| Or dost thou rather a soul made great and mild | E |
| Behold it all as a clashing of swords by night | E |
| Warring to save but an empty grave exiled | E |
| Not there not thus to reach the abiding Light | E |
| The City of God shines always fair and white | E |
| By alien hosts impossible to be won | I |
| For how should the pure be pure if these could soil it | E |
| Or the holy holy and ravage of this world spoil it | E |
| A thousand storms pass from us but not the sun | I |
| - | |
| Thou smilest mute but I in the gloom that hearken | I |
| To loud wild gusts that rioting blindly tear | J |
| Soft leaves and scatter them over fields that darken | I |
| I feel in my heart the wound of Earth's despair | J |
| So torn from youth is trampled the innocent prayer | J |
| So loveliest things find soonest enemies so | K |
| Desire that kindled the shaping mind to fashion | I |
| Our hope afresh pours infinite out its passion | I |
| And the world it has striven for breaks it with blow on blow | K |
| - | |
| The fool in his multitude mighty exults to maim | L |
| Greatness heroes under the world's slow wheel | M |
| Fall the timorous how they seek to tame | L |
| Tongues that fear not hearts that burn and feel | M |
| Slaves conspire to enslave and last appeal | M |
| The deaf have power the bind authority yea | N |
| They blind the seer lest they too see his vision | I |
| And all their works be turned to a God's derision | I |
| Beholding this who would cry not Up and slay | N |
| - | |
| O yet my faith is fixt that the best is chosen | I |
| And truth by joy is kissed as certain good | E |
| And love even love though a million hearts be frozen | I |
| Love weak and shamed and tortured is understood | E |
| Yea powers are with us when we are most withstood | E |
| Not vainly the soul in beauty and hope confides | O |
| And if it were not so then had thought no haven | I |
| Nor the brave heart wisdom nor warrant above the craven | I |
| Mid all these woes the City of God abides | O |
| - | |
| But O to win there far how far it seems | P |
| And often as thou O pilgrim knight I long | Q |
| For a land remote and to be where perfect dreams | P |
| Of the soul are acts as natural as a song | Q |
| In a singer's mouth and joy need fear no wrong | Q |
| And tossing upon my restless thoughts I vow | R |
| My heart away from a world that would undo me | S |
| Then lo in a hush some voice divine thrills through me | S |
| O heart of little faith seek here seek now '' | - |
| - | |
| Yes here and now But how to attain when fierce | T |
| In power and pain Time and the World oppose | U |
| With what shall the soul be weaponed her way to pierce | T |
| To her one desire through many embattled foes | U |
| Must all in a waste of strife and of hatred close | V |
| Shall love unfriended hide and longing droop | W |
| And all our strength be poured in a conflict sterile | D |
| For the world's hard conquest youth's dear hope imperil | D |
| And the soul to an alien use ignobly stoop | W |
| - | |
| Thou knowest Crusader O thy smile knows all | X |
| Love takes no sword to battle for Love is flame | L |
| Itself a sword upon whose edge falsehoods fall | X |
| A peace that troubles a joy that puts to shame | L |
| Though the soul be at war for ever she burns to an aim | L |
| The world has none We are wronged but endure we bleed | E |
| But conquer hatred is idle as vain compliance | Y |
| We know not Time who have made the great affiance | Y |
| To die for that we live for is life indeed | E |
Robert Laurence Binyon
(1)
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About The Crusader
The Crusader is a poem by Robert Laurence Binyon. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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