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 APAAI

Author 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 haveA
adopted the metre of Mr Lewis's Alonzo and Imogene a poem deservedlyB
popularC
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I-
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Who is she the poor Maniac whose wildly fix'd eyesD
Seem a heart overcharged to expressE
She weeps not yet often and deeply she sighsD
She never complains but her silence impliesD
The composure of settled distressE
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II-
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No aid no compassion the Maniac will seekF
Cold and hunger awake not her careG
Thro' her rags do the winds of the winter blow bleakF
On her poor withered bosom half bare and her cheekF
Has the deathy pale hue of despairG
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III-
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Yet chearful and happy nor distant the dayH
Poor Mary the Maniac has beenI
The Traveller remembers who journeyed this wayH
No damsel so lovely no damsel so gayH
As Mary the Maid of the InnI
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IVA
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Her chearful address fill'd the guests with delightJ
As she welcomed them in with a smileK
Her heart was a stranger to childish affrightJ
And Mary would walk by the Abbey at nightJ
When the wind whistled down the dark aisleK
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VA
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She loved and young Richard had settled the dayJ
And she hoped to be happy for lifeA
But Richard was idle and worthless and theyJ
Who knew him would pity poor Mary and sayJ
That she was too good for his wifeA
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VIA
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'Twas in autumn and stormy and dark was the nightJ
And fast were the windows and doorL
Two guests sat enjoying the fire that burnt brightJ
And smoking in silence with tranquil delightJ
They listen'd to hear the wind roarL
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VIIA
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quot Tis pleasant quot cried one quot seated by the fire sideJ
quot To hear the wind whistle without quotJ
quot A fine night for the Abbey quot his comrade repliedJ
quot Methinks a man's courage would now be well triedJ
quot Who should wander the ruins aboutJ
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VIIIA
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quot I myself like a school boy should tremble to hearM
quot The hoarse ivy shake over my headJ
quot And could fancy I saw half persuaded by fearN
quot Some ugly old Abbot's white spirit appearN
quot For this wind might awaken the dead quotJ
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IXJ
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quot I'll wager a dinner quot the other one criedJ
quot That Mary would venture there now quotJ
quot Then wager and lose quot with a sneer he repliedJ
quot I'll warrant she'd fancy a ghost by her sideJ
quot And faint if she saw a white cow quotJ
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XJ
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quot Will Mary this charge on her courage allow quotJ
His companion exclaim'd with a smileK
quot I shall win for I know she will venture there nowO
quot And earn a new bonnet by bringing a boughO
quot From the elder that grows in the aisle quotJ
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XIJ
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With fearless good humour did Mary complyA
And her way to the Abbey she bentJ
The night it was dark and the wind it was highA
And as hollowly howling it swept thro' the skyA
She shiver'd with cold as she wentJ
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XIIJ
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O'er the path so well known still proceeded the MaidJ
Where the Abbey rose dim on the sightJ
Thro' the gate way she entered she felt not afraidJ
Yet the ruins were lonely and wild and their shadeJ
Seem'd to deepen the gloom of the nightJ
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XIIIJ
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All around her was silent save when the rude blastJ
Howl'd dismally round the old pileK
Over weed cover'd fragments still fearless she pastJ
And arrived in the innermost ruin at lastJ
Where the elder tree grew in the aisleK
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XIVA
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Well pleas'd did she reach it and quickly drew nearN
And hastily gather'd the boughO
When the sound of a voice seem'd to rise on her earM
She paus'd and she listen'd all eager to hearM
Aud her heart panted fearfully nowO
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XVA
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The wind blew the hoarse ivy shook over her headJ
She listen'd nought else could she hearM
The wind ceas'd her heart sunk in her bosom with dreadJ
For she heard in the ruins distinctly the treadJ
Of footsteps approaching her nearN
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XVIA
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Behind a wide column half breathless with fearN
She crept to conceal herself thereG
That instant the moon o'er a dark cloud shone clearN
And she saw in the moon light two ruffians appearN
And between them a corpse did they bearG
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XVIIA
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Then Mary could feel her heart blood curdle coldJ
Again the rough wind hurried byA
It blew off the hat of the one and beholdJ
Even close to the feet of poor Mary it roll'dJ
She felt and expected to dieA
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XVIIIA
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quot Curse the hat quot he exclaims quot Nay come on and first hideJ
quot The dead body quot his comrade repliesJ
She beheld them in safety pass on by her sideJ
She seizes the hat fear her courage suppliedJ
And fast thro' the Abbey she fliesJ
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XIXJ
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She ran with wild speed she rush'd in at the doorL
She gazed horribly eager aroundJ
Then her limbs could support their faint burthen no moreL
And exhausted and breathless she sunk on the floorL
Unable to utter a soundJ
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XXJ
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Ere yet her pale lips could the story impartJ
For a moment the hat met her viewA
Her eyes from that object convulsively startJ
For oh God what cold horror then thrill'd thro' her heartJ
When the name of her Richard she knewA
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XXIJ
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Where the old Abbey stands on the common hard byA
His gibbet is now to be seenP
Not far from the road it engages the eyeA
The Traveller beholds it and thinks with a sighA
Of poor Mary the Maid of the InnI

Robert Southey



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