The Mississippi.[a] Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBCDEDEFGFGHIHIJKJK A LMLMININOPOPQRQR A STSTGEGEUVUS F WXWXYZYZA2B2A2B2C2IC 2ID2FE2FF2G2H2G2 F I2J2I2J2NDNDK2L2K2L2 M2N2M2N2UTUT F G2DG2DO2P2O2P2B2Q2B2 Q2BFBF F R2BS2BP2TP2TG2T2G2T2 FZFZBG2BG2FU2FU2M2GM 2GV2W2V2W2

IA
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Far in the West where snow capt mountains riseB
Like marble shafts beneath Heaven's stooping domeC
And sunset's dreamy curtain drapes the skiesB
As if enchantment there would build her homeC
O'er wood and wave from haunts of men awayD
From out the glen all trembling like a childE
A babbling streamlet comes as if to playD
Albeit the scene is savage lone and wildE
Here at the mountain's foot that infant waveF
'Mid bowering leaves doth hide its rustic birthG
Here learns the rock and precipice to braveF
And go the Monarch River of the EarthG
Far far from hence its bosom deep and wideH
Bears the proud steamer on its fiery wingI
Along its banks bright cities rise in prideH
And o'er its breast their gorgeous image flingI
The Mississippi needs no herald nowJ
But here within this glen unknown to fameK
It flows content a bubble on its browJ
A leaf upon its breast without a nameK
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IIA
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Strange contrasts here for on the glacier's heightL
The tempest raves and arrowy lightnings leapM
Yet deep beneath the wild flowers lone and lightL
On slender stems in breezeless silence sleepM
Skyward the racing eagles wildly flingI
Their savage clamor to the echoing dellN
While sheltered deep the bee with folded wingI
Voluptuous slumbers in his fragrant cellN
Around the splintered rocks are heaped to heavenO
With grisly caverns yawning wide betweenP
As if the Titans there had battle givenO
And left their ruin written on the sceneP
Yet o'er these ghastly shapes soft lichens windQ
And timid daisies droop and tranquil flowersR
A robe of many colored beauty bindQ
As if some vagrant fairy claimed these bowersR
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IIIA
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Fit cradle this Majestic Stream for theeS
Nursed at the glacier's foot by tempests fedT
The lightning flashing o'er thy canopyS
And thunders pealing round thine infant bedT
The pious Indian marks thy mystic birthG
'Mid storm and cloud and nature's aspect wildE
And wondering deems thee not a thing of earthG
But great Manitto's fair and favored childE
Aye and the mind by inspiration taughtU
Like nature's pupil feels a Presence nearV
Which bids the bosom tremble with the thoughtU
That He who came from Teman hath been here BS
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IVF
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What thronging fancies crowd upon the soulW
As from these heights the Giant Stream we traceX
And wander with its waters as they rollW
From hence to their far ocean dwelling placeX
Marking its birth in this bleak frigid zoneY
Its conquering march to yonder tropic shoreZ
The boundless valley which it makes its ownY
With thousand tribute rivers as they pourZ
No classic page its story to revealA2
No nymph or na ad sporting in its gladesB2
No banks encrimsoned with heroic steelA2
And haunted yet by dim poetic shadesB2
Its annals linger in the eternal rockC2
Hoary with centuries in cataracts that singI
To the dull ear of ages in the shockC2
Of plunging glaciers that madly flingI
The forest like a flight of spears aloftD2
In wooded vales that spread beyond the viewF
In boundless prairies blooming fair and softE2
In mantling vines that teem with clusters blueF
And as the sunny south upon us breathesF2
In orange groves that scent the balmy airG2
And tempt soft summer with its fragrant wreathsH2
Throughout the year to be a dweller thereG2
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VF
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These of the past their whispered lore unfoldI2
And fertile fancy with its wizard artJ2
May weave wild legends as the seers of oldI2
Made gods and heroes into being startJ2
Perchance some mystic mound may wake the spellN
A crumbled skull a spear a vase of clayD
Within its bosom half the tale may tellN
And all the rest 'tis fancy's gift to sayD
Alas that ruthless science in these daysK2
To its stern crucible hath brought at lastL2
The cherished shapes that all so fondly gazeK2
Upon us from the dim poetic pastL2
Else might these moonlit prairies show at dawnM2
The dew swept circle of the elfin danceN2
These woodlands teem with sportive fay and faunM2
These grottoes glimmer with sweet Echo's glanceN2
Perchance a future Homer might have wroughtU
From out the scattered wreck of ages fledT
Some long lost Troy where mighty heroes foughtU
And made the earth re echo with their treadT
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VIF
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It may not be for though these scenes are fairG2
As fabled Arcady the sylph and fayD
And all their gentle kindred shun the airG2
Where car and steamer make their stormy wayD
Perchance some Cooper's magic art may wakeO2
The sleeping legends of this mighty valeP2
And twine fond memories round the lawn and lakeO2
Where Warrior fought or Lover told his taleP2
And when the Red Man's form hath left these gladesB2
And memory's moonlight o'er his story streamsQ2
From their dim graves shall rise heroic shadesB2
And fill the fancy with romantic dreamsQ2
Then in the city's gorgeous squares shall riseB
The chiselled column to the admiring viewF
To mark the spot where some stern Black Hawk liesB
Whom ages gone our glorious grandsires slewF
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VIIF
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Dim shadows these that come at Fancy's callR2
Yet deeper scenes before the Patriot riseB
As fate's stern prophet lifts the fearful pallS2
And shows the future to his straining eyesB
Oh shall that vision paint this glorious valeP2
With happy millions o'er its bosom spreadT
Or ghastly scenes where battle taints the galeP2
With brother's blood by brother's weapon shedT
Away ye phantom fears the scene is fairG2
Down the long vista of uncounted yearsT2
Bright harvests smile sweet meadows scent the airG2
And peaceful plenty o'er the scene appearsT2
The village rings with labor's jocund laughF
The hoyden shout around the school house doorZ
The old man's voice as bending o'er his staffF
He waxes valiant in the tales of yoreZ
Far tapering spires from teeming cities riseB
The sabbath bell comes stealing on the airG2
A holy anthem seeks the bending skiesB
And earth and heaven seem fondly blended thereG2
Aye and beyond where distance spreads its blueF
Down the unfolding vale of future timeU2
A glorious vision rises on the viewF
And wakes the bosom with a hope sublimeU2
Majestic Stream at dim Creation's dawnM2
Thou wert a witness of that glorious birthG
And thy proud waters still shall sweep the lawnM2
When Peace shall claim dominion of the earthG
Here in this vale for mighty empire madeV2
Perchance the glorious flag shall be unfurledW2
And violence and wrong and ruin fadeV2
Before its conquering march around the worldW2

Samuel Griswold Goodrich



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