Mary - A Ballad Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABC DEDDE FGFFG HIHHI A JKJJK A JAJJA A JLJJL A JJJJJ A MJNNJ J JJJJJ J JKOOJ J AJAAJ J JJJJJ J JKJJK A NOMMO A JMJJN A NGNNG A JAJJA A JJJJJ J LJLLJ J JAJJA J APAAIAuthor Note The story of the following ballad was related to me when a school boy as a fact which had really happened in the North of England I have | A |
adopted the metre of Mr Lewis's Alonzo and Imogene a poem deservedly | B |
popular | C |
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I | - |
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Who is she the poor Maniac whose wildly fix'd eyes | D |
Seem a heart overcharged to express | E |
She weeps not yet often and deeply she sighs | D |
She never complains but her silence implies | D |
The composure of settled distress | E |
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II | - |
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No aid no compassion the Maniac will seek | F |
Cold and hunger awake not her care | G |
Thro' her rags do the winds of the winter blow bleak | F |
On her poor withered bosom half bare and her cheek | F |
Has the deathy pale hue of despair | G |
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III | - |
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Yet chearful and happy nor distant the day | H |
Poor Mary the Maniac has been | I |
The Traveller remembers who journeyed this way | H |
No damsel so lovely no damsel so gay | H |
As Mary the Maid of the Inn | I |
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IV | A |
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Her chearful address fill'd the guests with delight | J |
As she welcomed them in with a smile | K |
Her heart was a stranger to childish affright | J |
And Mary would walk by the Abbey at night | J |
When the wind whistled down the dark aisle | K |
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V | A |
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She loved and young Richard had settled the day | J |
And she hoped to be happy for life | A |
But Richard was idle and worthless and they | J |
Who knew him would pity poor Mary and say | J |
That she was too good for his wife | A |
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VI | A |
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'Twas in autumn and stormy and dark was the night | J |
And fast were the windows and door | L |
Two guests sat enjoying the fire that burnt bright | J |
And smoking in silence with tranquil delight | J |
They listen'd to hear the wind roar | L |
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VII | A |
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quot Tis pleasant quot cried one quot seated by the fire side | J |
quot To hear the wind whistle without quot | J |
quot A fine night for the Abbey quot his comrade replied | J |
quot Methinks a man's courage would now be well tried | J |
quot Who should wander the ruins about | J |
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VIII | A |
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quot I myself like a school boy should tremble to hear | M |
quot The hoarse ivy shake over my head | J |
quot And could fancy I saw half persuaded by fear | N |
quot Some ugly old Abbot's white spirit appear | N |
quot For this wind might awaken the dead quot | J |
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IX | J |
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quot I'll wager a dinner quot the other one cried | J |
quot That Mary would venture there now quot | J |
quot Then wager and lose quot with a sneer he replied | J |
quot I'll warrant she'd fancy a ghost by her side | J |
quot And faint if she saw a white cow quot | J |
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X | J |
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quot Will Mary this charge on her courage allow quot | J |
His companion exclaim'd with a smile | K |
quot I shall win for I know she will venture there now | O |
quot And earn a new bonnet by bringing a bough | O |
quot From the elder that grows in the aisle quot | J |
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XI | J |
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With fearless good humour did Mary comply | A |
And her way to the Abbey she bent | J |
The night it was dark and the wind it was high | A |
And as hollowly howling it swept thro' the sky | A |
She shiver'd with cold as she went | J |
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XII | J |
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O'er the path so well known still proceeded the Maid | J |
Where the Abbey rose dim on the sight | J |
Thro' the gate way she entered she felt not afraid | J |
Yet the ruins were lonely and wild and their shade | J |
Seem'd to deepen the gloom of the night | J |
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XIII | J |
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All around her was silent save when the rude blast | J |
Howl'd dismally round the old pile | K |
Over weed cover'd fragments still fearless she past | J |
And arrived in the innermost ruin at last | J |
Where the elder tree grew in the aisle | K |
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XIV | A |
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Well pleas'd did she reach it and quickly drew near | N |
And hastily gather'd the bough | O |
When the sound of a voice seem'd to rise on her ear | M |
She paus'd and she listen'd all eager to hear | M |
Aud her heart panted fearfully now | O |
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XV | A |
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The wind blew the hoarse ivy shook over her head | J |
She listen'd nought else could she hear | M |
The wind ceas'd her heart sunk in her bosom with dread | J |
For she heard in the ruins distinctly the tread | J |
Of footsteps approaching her near | N |
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XVI | A |
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Behind a wide column half breathless with fear | N |
She crept to conceal herself there | G |
That instant the moon o'er a dark cloud shone clear | N |
And she saw in the moon light two ruffians appear | N |
And between them a corpse did they bear | G |
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XVII | A |
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Then Mary could feel her heart blood curdle cold | J |
Again the rough wind hurried by | A |
It blew off the hat of the one and behold | J |
Even close to the feet of poor Mary it roll'd | J |
She felt and expected to die | A |
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XVIII | A |
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quot Curse the hat quot he exclaims quot Nay come on and first hide | J |
quot The dead body quot his comrade replies | J |
She beheld them in safety pass on by her side | J |
She seizes the hat fear her courage supplied | J |
And fast thro' the Abbey she flies | J |
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XIX | J |
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She ran with wild speed she rush'd in at the door | L |
She gazed horribly eager around | J |
Then her limbs could support their faint burthen no more | L |
And exhausted and breathless she sunk on the floor | L |
Unable to utter a sound | J |
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XX | J |
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Ere yet her pale lips could the story impart | J |
For a moment the hat met her view | A |
Her eyes from that object convulsively start | J |
For oh God what cold horror then thrill'd thro' her heart | J |
When the name of her Richard she knew | A |
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XXI | J |
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Where the old Abbey stands on the common hard by | A |
His gibbet is now to be seen | P |
Not far from the road it engages the eye | A |
The Traveller beholds it and thinks with a sigh | A |
Of poor Mary the Maid of the Inn | I |
Robert Southey
(1)
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