The Sailor, Who Had Served In The Slave Trade Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFA GHBH IJKJ LMNM OPLP QGRG SJTJ RUVU WGUG XJYJ ZBA2B JB2C2B2 JXC2X D2E2F2E2 PG2JG2 SOBH2 JI2BI2 I2J2K2J2 L2M2G2N2 O2EP2E JEA2E N2BJB EQ2R2G A2NS2N T2U2HU2 V2W2X2D2 Y2A2JA2 SBZ2B D2A3B3A3 SEYE U2NC3N LJX2J

In September a Dissenting Minister of BristolA
discovered a Sailor in the neighbourhood of that CityB
groaning and praying in a hovel The circumstance thatC
occasioned his agony of mind is detailed in the annexedD
Ballad without the slightest addition or alteration ByE
presenting it as a Poem the story is made more public andF
such stories ought to be made as public as possibleA
-
-
He stopt it surely was a groanG
That from the hovel cameH
He stopt and listened anxiouslyB
Again it sounds the sameH
-
It surely from the hovel comesI
And now he hastens thereJ
And thence he hears the name of ChristK
Amidst a broken prayerJ
-
He entered in the hovel nowL
A sailor there he seesM
His hands were lifted up to HeavenN
And he was on his kneesM
-
Nor did the Sailor so intentO
His entering footsteps heedP
But now the Lord's prayer said and nowL
His half forgotten creedP
-
And often on his Saviour call'dQ
With many a bitter groanG
In such heart anguish as could springR
From deepest guilt aloneG
-
He ask'd the miserable manS
Why he was kneeling thereJ
And what the crime had been that caus'dT
The anguish of his prayerJ
-
Oh I have done a wicked thingR
It haunts me night and dayU
And I have sought this lonely placeV
Here undisturb'd to prayU
-
I have no place to pray on boardW
So I came here aloneG
That I might freely kneel and prayU
And call on Christ and groanG
-
If to the main mast head I goX
The wicked one is thereJ
From place to place from rope to ropeY
He follows every whereJ
-
I shut my eyes it matters notZ
Still still the same I seeB
And when I lie me down at nightA2
'Tis always day with meB
-
He follows follows every whereJ
And every place is HellB2
O God and I must go with himC2
In endless fire to dwellB2
-
He follows follows every whereJ
He's still above belowX
Oh tell me where to fly from himC2
Oh tell me where to goX
-
But tell me quoth the Stranger thenD2
What this thy crime hath beenE2
So haply I may comfort giveF2
To one that grieves for sinE2
-
O I have done a cursed deedP
The wretched man repliesG2
And night and day and every whereJ
'Tis still before my eyesG2
-
I sail'd on board a Guinea manS
And to the slave coast wentO
Would that the sea had swallowed meB
When I was innocentH2
-
And we took in our cargo thereJ
Three hundred negroe slavesI2
And we sail'd homeward merrilyB
Over the ocean wavesI2
-
But some were sulky of the slavesI2
And would not touch their meatJ2
So therefore we were forced by threatsK2
And blows to make them eatJ2
-
One woman sulkier than the restL2
Would still refuse her foodM2
O Jesus God I hear her criesG2
I see her in her bloodN2
-
The Captain made me tie her upO2
And flog while he stood byE
And then he curs'd me if I staidP2
My hand to hear her cryE
-
She groan'd she shriek'd I could not spareJ
For the Captain he stood byE
Dear God that I might rest one nightA2
From that poor woman's cryE
-
She twisted from the blows her bloodN2
Her mangled flesh I seeB
And still the Captain would not spareJ
Oh he was worse than meB
-
She could not be more glad than IE
When she was taken downQ2
A blessed minute 'twas the lastR2
That I have ever knownG
-
I did not close my eyes all nightA2
Thinking what I had doneN
I heard her groans and they grew faintS2
About the rising sunN
-
She groan'd and groan'd but her groans grewT2
Fainter at morning tideU2
Fainter and fainter still they cameH
Till at the noon she diedU2
-
They flung her overboard poor wretchV2
She rested from her painW2
But when O Christ O blessed GodX2
Shall I have rest againD2
-
I saw the sea close over herY2
Yet she was still in sightA2
I see her twisting every whereJ
I see her day and nightA2
-
Go where I will do what I canS
The wicked one I seeB
Dear Christ have mercy on my soulZ2
O God deliver meB
-
To morrow I set sail againD2
Not to the Negroe shoreA3
Wretch that I am I will at leastB3
Commit that sin no moreA3
-
O give me comfort if you canS
Oh tell me where to flyE
And bid me hope if there be hopeY
For one so lost as IE
-
Poor wretch the stranger he repliedU2
Put thou thy trust in heavenN
And call on him for whose dear sakeC3
All sins shall be forgivenN
-
This night at least is thine go thouL
And seek the house of prayerJ
There shalt thou hear the word of GodX2
And he will help thee thereJ

Robert Southey



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