The Vision Of The Maid Of Orleans - The First Book Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJG KLMNOPQRSTUVMWSXYZA2 B2FGC2D2E2F2G2OH2I2J 2K2L2 M2HE2N2O2P2 Q2R2RS2T2U2K2G E2V2W2X2Y2P2Z2A3B3C3 D3E3S2F3 G3H3I3I3GMSJ3 C2K3L3M3RQI3N3K2P2OU N O3P3Q3R3S3PL3I3GI3MM 3XT3I3I3TI3U3V3W3L2R RTHI3X3Y3Z3I3 A4I3L2Q3I3B4M2L2E2C4 X3A4I3A2HM2I3C3X2 I3Y3I3I3D4E4F4G4H4W2 I4J4A4V3D4A4 D4I3D4K4XK4D4D4K4T3G K4L4K4N3GM4A4 I3K4K4I3K4N4

Orleans was hush'd in sleep Stretch'd on her couchA
The delegated Maiden lay with toilB
Exhausted and sore anguish soon she closedC
Her heavy eye lids not reposing thenD
For busy Phantasy in other scenesE
Awakened Whether that superior powersF
By wise permission prompt the midnight dreamG
Instructing so the passive facultyH
Or that the soul escaped its fleshly clogI
Flies free and soars amid the invisible worldJ
And all things 'are' that 'seem'G
-
Along a moorK
Barren and wide and drear and desolateL
She roam'd a wanderer thro' the cheerless nightM
Far thro' the silence of the unbroken plainN
The bittern's boom was heard hoarse heavy deepO
It made most fitting music to the sceneP
Black clouds driven fast before the stormy windQ
Swept shadowing thro' their broken folds the moonR
Struggled sometimes with transitory rayS
And made the moving darkness visibleT
And now arrived beside a fenny lakeU
She stands amid its stagnate waters hoarseV
The long sedge rustled to the gales of nightM
An age worn bark receives the Maid impell'dW
By powers unseen then did the moon displayS
Where thro' the crazy vessel's yawning sideX
The muddy wave oozed in a female guidesY
And spreads the sail before the wind that moan'dZ
As melancholy mournful to her earA2
As ever by the dungeon'd wretch was heardB2
Howling at evening round the embattled towersF
Of that hell house of France ere yet sublimeG
The almighty people from their tyrant's handC2
Dash'd down the iron rodD2
Intent the MaidE2
Gazed on the pilot's form and as she gazedF2
Shiver'd for wan her face was and her eyesG2
Hollow and her sunk cheeks were furrowed deepO
Channell'd by tears a few grey locks hung downH2
Beneath her hood then thro' the Maiden's veinsI2
Chill crept the blood for as the night breeze pass'dJ2
Lifting her tattcr'd mantle coil'd aroundK2
She saw a serpent gnawing at her heartL2
-
The plumeless bat with short shrill note flits byM2
And the night raven's scream came fitfullyH
Borne on the hollow blast Eager the MaidE2
Look'd to the shore and now upon the bankN2
Leaps joyful to escape yet trembling stillO2
In recollectionP2
-
There a mouldering pileQ2
Stretch'd its wide ruins o'er the plain belowR2
Casting a gloomy shade save where the moonR
Shone thro' its fretted windows the dark YewS2
Withering with age branched there its naked rootsT2
And there the melancholy Cypress rear'dU2
Its head the earth was heav'd with many a moundK2
And here and there a half demolish'd tombG
-
And now amid the ruin's darkest shadeE2
The Virgin's eye beheld where pale blue flamesV2
Rose wavering now just gleaming from the earthW2
And now in darkness drown'd An aged manX2
Sat near seated on what in long past daysY2
Had been some sculptur'd monument now fallenP2
And half obscured by moss and gathered heapsZ2
Of withered yew leaves and earth mouldering bonesA3
And shining in the ray was seen the trackB3
Of slimy snail obscene Composed his lookC3
His eye was large and rayless and fix'd fullD3
Upon the Maid the blue flames on his faceE3
Stream'd a pale light his face was of the hueS2
Of death his limbs were mantled in a shroudF3
-
Then with a deep heart terrifying voiceG3
Exclaim'd the Spectre 'Welcome to these realmsH3
These regions of DESPAIR O thou whose stepsI3
By GRIEF conducted to these sad abodesI3
Have pierced welcome welcome to this gloomG
Eternal to this everlasting nightM
Where never morning darts the enlivening rayS
Where never shines the sun but all is darkJ3
Dark as the bosom of their gloomy King '-
-
So saying he arose and by the handC2
The Virgin seized with such a death cold touchK3
As froze her very heart and drawing onL3
Her to the abbey's inner ruin ledM3
Resistless Thro' the broken roof the moonR
Glimmer'd a scatter'd ray the ivy twinedQ
Round the dismantled column imaged formsI3
Of Saints and warlike Chiefs moss canker'd nowN3
And mutilate lay strewn upon the groundK2
With crumbled fragments crucifixes fallenP2
And rusted trophies and amid the heapO
Some monument's defaced legend spakeU
All human glory vainN
-
The loud blast roar'dO3
Amid the pile and from the tower the owlP3
Scream'd as the tempest shook her secret nestQ3
He silent led her on and often paus'dR3
And pointed that her eye might contemplateS3
At leisure the drear sceneP
He dragged her onL3
Thro' a low iron door down broken stairsI3
Then a cold horror thro' the Maiden's frameG
Crept for she stood amid a vault and sawI3
By the sepulchral lamp's dim glaring lightM
The fragments of the deadM3
'Look here ' he criedX
'Damsel look here survey this house of DeathT3
O soon to tenant it soon to increaseI3
These trophies of mortality for henceI3
Is no return Gaze here behold this skullT
These eyeless sockets and these unflesh'd jawsI3
That with their ghastly grinning seem to mockU3
Thy perishable charms for thus thy cheekV3
Must moulder Child of Grief shrinks not thy soulW3
Viewing these horrors trembles not thy heartL2
At the dread thought that here its life's blood soonR
Now warm in life and feeling mingle soonR
With the cold clod a thought most horribleT
So only dreadful for realityH
Is none of suffering here here all is peaceI3
No nerve will throb to anguish in the graveX3
Dreadful it is to think of losing lifeY3
But having lost knowledge of loss is notZ3
Therefore no ill Haste Maiden to reposeI3
Probe deep the seat of life '-
So spake DESPAIRA4
The vaulted roof echoed his hollow voiceI3
And all again was silence Quick her heartL2
Panted He drew a dagger from his breastQ3
And cried again 'Haste Damsel to reposeI3
One blow and rest for ever ' On the FiendB4
Dark scowl'd the Virgin with indignant eyeM2
And dash'd the dagger down He next his heartL2
Replaced the murderous steel and drew the MaidE2
Along the downward vaultC4
The damp earth gaveX3
A dim sound as they pass'd the tainted airA4
Was cold and heavy with unwholesome dewsI3
'Behold ' the fiend exclaim'd 'how gradual hereA2
The fleshly burden of mortalityH
Moulders to clay ' then fixing his broad eyeM2
Full on her face he pointed where a corpseI3
Lay livid she beheld with loathing lookC3
The spectacle abhorr'd by living manX2
-
'Look here ' DESPAIR pursued 'this loathsome massI3
Was once as lovely and as full of lifeY3
As Damsel thou art now Those deep sunk eyesI3
Once beam'd the mild light of intelligenceI3
And where thou seest the pamper'd flesh worm trailD4
Once the white bosom heaved She fondly thoughtE4
That at the hallowed altar soon the PriestF4
Should bless her coming union and the torchG4
Its joyful lustre o'er the hall of joyH4
Cast on her nuptial evening earth to earthW2
That Priest consign'd her and the funeral lampI4
Glares on her cold face for her lover wentJ4
By glory lur'd to war and perish'd thereA4
Nor she endur'd to live Ha fades thy cheekV3
Dost thou then Maiden tremble at the taleD4
Look here behold the youthful paramourA4
The self devoted hero '-
FearfullyD4
The Maid look'd down and saw the well known faceI3
Of THEODORE in thoughts unspeakableD4
Convulsed with horror o'er her face she clasp'dK4
Her cold damp hands 'Shrink not ' the Phantom criedX
'Gaze on for ever gaze ' more firm he grasp'dK4
Her quivering arm 'this lifeless mouldering clayD4
As well thou know'st was warm with all the glowD4
Of Youth and Love this is the arm that cleavedK4
Salisbury's proud crest now motionless in deathT3
Unable to protect the ravaged frameG
From the foul Offspring of MortalityK4
That feed on heroes Tho' long years were thineL4
Yet never more would life reanimateK4
This murdered man murdered by thee for thouN3
Didst lead him to the battle from his homeG
Else living there in peace to good old ageM4
In thy defence he died strike deep destroyA4
Remorse with Life '-
The Maid stood motionlessI3
And wistless what she did with trembling handK4
Received the dagger Starting then she criedK4
'Avaunt DESPAIR Eternal Wisdom dealsI3
Or peace to man or misery for his goodK4
Alike design'd and shaN4

Robert Southey



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