Marmion: Introduction To Canto Iv. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEEFFGGHHIJKKLLMM NNOOPPQQRRSSTTEEMMUU EEVVMMQQWWRRXXVVYYXX ZZA2A2XXKKKB2B2C2D2E 2E2KKF2G2H2H2B2B2I2I 2SSB2B2B2B2SSKKJ2J2K 2K2PPEEUUB2B2PPL2L2M 2M2N2N2B2B2B2B2O2O2B 2B2EEP2P2Q2R2S2S2C2C 2T2T2U2U2B2B2RRV2V2W 2W2QBOOX2BUUY2Z2B2B2 V2V2LLQQA3A3V2V2QQB3 B3B3C3D3DDE3E3AAPPF3 F3G3G3QQH3H3G3G3G3QQ G3G3U2U2I3I3B2B2J2J2 G3G3W2W2J3J3B2B2G3G3

An ancient minstrel sagely saidA
'Where is the life which late we led 'B
That motley clown in Arden woodC
Whom humorous Jaques with envy viewedD
Not even that clown could amplifyE
On this trite text so long as IE
Eleven years we now may tellF
Since we have known each other wellF
Since riding side by side our handG
First drew the voluntary brandG
And sure through many a varied sceneH
Unkindness never came betweenH
Away these winged years have flownI
To join the mass of ages goneJ
And though deep marked like all belowK
With checkered shades of joy and woeK
Though thou o'er realms and seas hast rangedL
Marked cities lost and empires changedL
While here at home my narrower kenM
Somewhat of manners saw and menM
Though varying wishes hopes and fearsN
Fevered the progress of these yearsN
Yet now days weeks and months but seemO
The recollection of a dreamO
So still we glide down to the seaP
Of fathomless eternityP
Even now it scarcely seems a dayQ
Since first I tuned this idle layQ
A task so often thrown asideR
When leisure graver cares deniedR
That now November's dreary galeS
Whose voice inspired my opening taleS
That same November gale once moreT
Whirls the dry leaves on Yarrow shoreT
Their vexed boughs streaming to the skyE
Once more our naked birches sighE
And Blackhouse heights and Ettrick PenM
Have donned their wintry shrouds againM
And mountain dark and flooded meadU
Bid us forsake the banks of TweedU
Earlier than wont along the skyE
Mixed with the rack the snow mists flyE
The shepherd who in summer sunV
Had something of our envy wonV
As thou with pencil I with penM
The features traced of hill and glenM
He who outstretched the livelong dayQ
At ease among the heath flowers layQ
Viewed the light clouds with vacant lookW
Or slumbered o'er his tattered bookW
Or idly busied him to guideR
His angle o'er the lessened tideR
At midnight now the snowy plainX
Finds sterner labour for the swainX
When red hath set the beamless sunV
Through heavy vapours dark and dunV
When the tired ploughman dry and warmY
Hears half asleep the rising stormY
Hurling the hail and sleeted rainX
Against the casement's tinkling paneX
The sounds that drive wild deer and foxZ
To shelter in the brake and rocksZ
Are warnings which the shepherd askA2
To dismal and to dangerous taskA2
Oft he looks forth and hopes in vainX
The blast may sink in mellowing rainX
Till dark above and white belowK
Decided drives the flaky snowK
And forth the hardy swain must goK
Long with dejected look and whineB2
To leave the hearth his dogs repineB2
Whistling and cheering them to aidC2
Around his back he wreathes the plaidD2
His flock he gathers and he guidesE2
To open downs and mountain sidesE2
Where fiercest though the tempest blowK
Least deeply lies the drift belowK
The blast that whistles o'er the fellsF2
Stiffens his locks to iciclesG2
Oft he looks back while streaming farH2
His cottage window seems a starH2
Loses its feeble gleam and thenB2
Turns patient to the blast againB2
And facing to the tempest's sweepI2
Drives through the gloom his lagging sheepI2
If fails his heart if his limbs failS
Benumbing death is in the galeS
His paths his landmarks all unknownB2
Close to the hut no more his ownB2
Close to the aid he sought in vainB2
The morn may find the stiffened swainB2
The widow sees at dawning paleS
His orphans raise their feeble wailS
And close beside him in the snowK
Poor Yarrow partner of their woeK
Couches upon his master's breastJ2
And licks his cheek to break his restJ2
Who envies now the shepherd's lotK2
His healthy fare his rural cotK2
His summer couch by greenwood treeP
His rustic kirn's loud revelryP
His native hill notes tuned on highE
To Marion of the blithesome eyeE
His crook his scrip his oaten reedU
And all Arcadia's golden creedU
Changes not so with us my SkeneB2
Of human life the varying sceneB2
Our youthful summer oft we seeP
Dance by on wings of game and gleeP
While the dark storm reserves its rageL2
Against the winter of our ageL2
As he the ancient Chief of TroyM2
His manhood spent in peace and joyM2
But Grecian fires and loud alarmsN2
Called ancient Priam forth to armsN2
Then happy those since each must drainB2
His share of pleasure share of painB2
Then happy those beloved of HeavenB2
To whom the mingled cup is givenB2
Whose lenient sorrows find reliefO2
Whose joys are chastened by their griefO2
And such a lot my Skene was thineB2
When thou of late wert doomed to twineB2
Just when thy bridal hour was byE
The cypress with the myrtle tieE
Just on thy bride her sire had smiledP2
And blessed the union of his childP2
When Love must change its joyous cheerQ2
And wipe Affection's filial tearR2
Nor did the actions next his endS2
Speak more the father than the friendS2
Scarce had lamented Forbes paidC2
The tribute to his minstrel's shadeC2
The tale of friendship scarce was toldT2
Ere the narrator's heart was coldT2
Far may we search before we findU2
A heart so manly and so kindU2
But not around his honoured urnB2
Shall friends alone and kindred mournB2
The thousand eyes his care had driedR
Pour at his name a bitter tideR
And frequent falls the grateful dewV2
For benefits the world ne'er knewV2
If mortal charity dare claimW2
The Almighty's attributed nameW2
Inscribe above his mouldering clayQ
'The widow's shield the orphan's stay 'B
Nor though it wake thy sorrow deemO
My verse intrudes on this sad themeO
For sacred was the pen that wroteX2
'Thy father's friend forget thou not 'B
And grateful title may I pleadU
For many a kindly word and deedU
To bring my tribute to his graveY2
'Tis little but 'tis all I haveZ2
To thee perchance this rambling strainB2
Recalls our summer walks againB2
When doing naught and to speak trueV2
Not anxious to find aught to doV2
The wild unbounded hills we rangedL
While oft our talk its topic changedL
And desultory as our wayQ
Ranged unconfined from grave to gayQ
Even when it flagged as oft will chanceA3
No effort made to break its tranceA3
We could right pleasantly pursueV2
Our sports in social silence tooV2
Thou gravely labouring to portrayQ
The blighted oak's fantastic sprayQ
I spelling o'er with much delightB3
The legend of that antique knightB3
Tirante by name ycleped the WhiteB3
At either's feet a trusty squireC3
Pandour and Camp with eyes of fireD3
Jealous each other's motions viewedD
And scarce suppressed their ancient feudD
The laverock whistled from the cloudE3
The stream was lively but not loudE3
From the white thorn the Mayflower shedA
Its dewy fragrance round our headA
Not Ariel lived more merrilyP
Under the blossomed bough than weP
And blithesome nights too have been oursF3
When winter stript the summer's bowersF3
Careless we heard what now I hearG3
The wild blast sighing deep and drearG3
When fires were bright and lamps beamed gayQ
And ladies tuned the lovely layQ
And he was held a laggard soulH3
Who shunned to quaff the sparkling bowlH3
Then he whose absence we deploreG3
Who breathes the gales of Devon's shoreG3
The longer missed bewailed the moreG3
And thou and I and dear loved RaeQ
And one whose name I may not sayQ
For not Mimosa's tender treeG3
Shrinks sooner from the touch than heG3
In merry chorus well combinedU2
With laughter drowned the whistling windU2
Mirth was within and Care withoutI3
Might gnaw her nails to hear our shoutI3
Not but amid the buxom sceneB2
Some grave discourse might interveneB2
Of the good horse that bore him bestJ2
His shoulder hoof and arching crestJ2
For like mad Tom's our chiefest careG3
Was horse to ride and weapon wearG3
Such nights we've had and though the gameW2
Of manhood be more sober tameW2
And though the field day or the drillJ3
Seem less important now yet stillJ3
Such may we hope to share againB2
The sprightly thought inspires my strainB2
And mark how like a horseman trueG3
Lord Marmion's march I thus renewG3

Sir Walter Scott



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