The Lie Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACDD EFEFDD GHIHDD HJHJDD KLMLDD HNHNDD OPOPDD QRRRDD RHRHDD RSRSDD RSRSDD TOTODD DSDSUUGo Soul the body's guest | A |
Upon a thankless errand | B |
Fear not to touch the best | A |
The truth shall be thy warrant | C |
Go since I needs must die | D |
And give the world the lie | D |
- | |
Say to the court it glows | E |
And shines like rotten wood | F |
Say to the church it shows | E |
What's good and doth no good | F |
If church and court reply | D |
Then give them both the lie | D |
- | |
Tell potentates they live | G |
Acting by others' action | H |
Not loved unless they give | I |
Not strong but by a faction | H |
If potentates reply | D |
Give potentates the lie | D |
- | |
Tell men of high condition | H |
That manage the estate | J |
Their purpose is ambition | H |
Their practice only hate | J |
And if they once reply | D |
Then give them all the lie | D |
- | |
Tell them that brave it most | K |
They beg for more by spending | L |
Who in their greatest cost | M |
Seek nothing but commending | L |
And if they make reply | D |
Then give them all the lie | D |
- | |
Tell zeal it wants devotion | H |
Tell love it is but lust | N |
Tell time it is but motion | H |
Tell flesh it is but dust | N |
And wish them not reply | D |
For thou must give the lie | D |
- | |
Tell age it daily wasteth | O |
Tell honour how it alters | P |
Tell beauty how she blasteth | O |
Tell favour how it falters | P |
And as they shall reply | D |
Give every one the lie | D |
- | |
Tell wit how much it wrangles | Q |
In tickle points of niceness | R |
Tell wisdom she entangles | R |
Herself in overwiseness | R |
And when they do reply | D |
Straight give them both the lie | D |
- | |
Tell physic of her boldness | R |
Tell skill it is pretension | H |
Tell charity of coldness | R |
Tell law it is contention | H |
And as they do reply | D |
So give them still the lie | D |
- | |
Tell fortune of her blindness | R |
Tell nature of decay | S |
Tell friendship of unkindness | R |
Tell justice of delay | S |
And if they will reply | D |
Then give them all the lie | D |
- | |
Tell arts they have no soundness | R |
But vary by esteeming | S |
Tell schools they want profoundness | R |
And stand too much on seeming | S |
If arts and schools reply | D |
Give arts and schools the lie | D |
- | |
Tell faith it's fled the city | T |
Tell how the country erreth | O |
Tell manhood shakes off pity | T |
And virtue least preferreth | O |
And if they do reply | D |
Spare not to give the lie | D |
- | |
So when thou hast as I | D |
Commanded thee done blabbing | S |
Although to give the lie | D |
Deserves no less than stabbing | S |
Stab at thee he that will | U |
No stab the soul can kill | U |
Sir Walter Raleigh
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