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

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ KGLMNNOIPPQQRRNNSSTU VWXXYZZA2A2B2B2C2C2X XD2D2KKAAE2E2F2F2G2G 2G2H2H2I2I2E2E2QQJ2K 2I2I2NNL2L2NNM2M2M2M 2N2GL2L2O2O2I2I2L2L2 M2M2I2I2I2I2AAM2M2P2 P2L2L2D2D2NNQ2NNNPPM 2M2FFD2D2L2L2L2L2M2M 2L2L2P2P2M2M2R2R2YYP 2P2S2S2JJL2L2AAM2M2M 2M2M2M2M2M2M2S2S2T2T 2P2P2M2M2L2L2L2L2M2M 2L2L2NNL2L2M2M2U2U2D 2D2

When dark December glooms the dayA
And takes our autumn joys awayA
When short and scant the sunbeam throwsB
Upon the weary waste of snowsB
A cold and profitless regardC
Like patron on a needy bardC
When silvan occupation's doneD
And o'er the chimney rests the gunD
And hang in idle trophy nearE
The game pouch fishing rod and spearE
When wiry terrier rough and grimF
And greyhound with his length of limbF
And pointer now employed no moreG
Cumber our parlour's narrow floorG
When in his stall the impatient steedH
Is long condemned to rest and feedH
When from our snow encircled homeI
Scarce cares the hardiest step to roamI
Since path is none save that to bringJ
The needful water from the springJ
When wrinkled news page thrice conned o'erK
Beguiles the dreary hour no moreG
And darkling politican crossedL
Inveighs against the lingering postM
And answering housewife sore complainsN
Of carriers' snow impeded wainsN
When such the country cheer I comeO
Well pleased to seek our city homeI
For converse and for books to changeP
The Forest's melancholy rangeP
And welcome with renewed delightQ
The busy day and social nightQ
Not here need my desponding rhymeR
Lament the ravages of timeR
As erst by Newark's riven towersN
And Ettrick stripped of forest bowersN
True Caledonia's Queen is changedS
Since on her dusky summit rangedS
Within its steepy limits pentT
By bulwark line and battlementU
And flanking towers and laky floodV
Guarded and garrisoned she stoodW
Denying entrance or resortX
Save at each tall embattled portX
Above whose arch suspended hungY
Portcullis spiked with iron prongZ
That long is gone but not so longZ
Since early closed and opening lateA2
Jealous revolved the studded gateA2
Whose task from eve to morning tideB2
A wicket churlishly suppliedB2
Stern then and steel girt was thy browC2
Dunedin Oh how altered nowC2
When safe amid thy mountain courtX
Thou sitt'st like empress at her sportX
And liberal unconfined and freeD2
Flinging thy white arms to the seaD2
For thy dark cloud with umbered lowerK
That hung o'er cliff and lake and towerK
Thou gleam'st against the western rayA
Ten thousand lines of brighter dayA
Not she the championess of oldE2
In Spenser's magic tale enrolledE2
She for the charmed spear renownedF2
Which forced each knight to kiss the groundF2
Not she more changed when placed at restG2
What time she was Malbecco's guestG2
She gave to flow her maiden vestG2
When from the corslet's grasp relievedH2
Free to the sight her bosom heavedH2
Sweet was her blue eye's modest smileI2
Erst hidden by the aventayleI2
And down her shoulders graceful rolledE2
Her locks profuse of paly goldE2
They who whilom in midnight fightQ
Had marvelled at her matchless mightQ
No less her maiden charms approvedJ2
But looking liked and liking lovedK2
The sight could jealous pangs beguileI2
And charm Malbecco's cares a whileI2
And he the wandering squire of damesN
Forgot his Columbella's claimsN
And passion erst unknown could gainL2
The breast of blunt Sir SatyraneL2
Nor durst light Paridel advanceN
Bold as he was a looser glanceN
She charmed at once and tamed the heartM2
Incomparable BritomarteM2
So thou fair city disarrayedM2
Of battled wall and rampart's aidM2
As stately seem'st but lovelier farN2
Than in that panoply of warG
Nor deem that from thy fenceless throneL2
Strength and security are flownL2
Still as of yore Queen of the NorthO2
Still canst thou send thy children forthO2
Ne'er readier at alarm bell's callI2
Thy burghers rose to man thy wallI2
Than now in danger shall be thineL2
Thy dauntless voluntary lineL2
For fosse and turret proud to standM2
Their breasts the bulwarks of the landM2
Thy thousands trained to martial toilI2
Full red would stain their native soilI2
Ere from thy mural crown there fellI2
The slightest knosp or pinnacleI2
And if it come as come it mayA
Dunedin that eventful dayA
Renowned for hospitable deedM2
That virtue much with Heaven may pleadM2
In patriarchal times whose careP2
Descending angels deigned to shareP2
That claim may wrestle blessings downL2
On those who fight for the good townL2
Destined in every age to beD2
Refuge of injured royaltyD2
Since first when conquering York aroseN
To Henry meek she gave reposeN
Till late with wonder grief and aweQ2
Great Bourbon's relics sad she sawN
Truce to these thoughts for as they riseN
How gladly I avert mine eyesN
Bodings or true or false to changeP
For Fiction's fair romantic rangeP
Or for tradition's dubious lightM2
That hovers 'twixt the day and nightM2
Dazzling alternately and dimF
Her wavering lamp I'd rather trimF
Knights squires and lovely dames to seeD2
Creation of my fantasyD2
Than gaze abroad on reeky fenL2
And make of mists invading menL2
Who love not more the night of JuneL2
Than dull December's gloomy noonL2
The moonlight than the fog of frostM2
And can we say which cheats the mostM2
But who shall teach my harp to gainL2
A sound of the romantic strainL2
Whose Anglo Norman tones whilereP2
Could win the royal Henry's earP2
Famed Beauclerc called for that he lovedM2
The minstrel and his lay approvedM2
Who shall these lingering notes redeemR2
Decaying on Oblivion's streamR2
Such notes as from the Breton tongueY
Marie translated Blondel sungY
O born Time's ravage to repairP2
And make the dying muse thy careP2
Who when his scythe her hoary foeS2
Was poising for the final blowS2
The weapon from his hand could wringJ
And break his glass and shear his wingJ
And bid reviving in his strainL2
The gentle poet live againL2
Thou who canst give to lightest layA
An unpedantic moral gayA
Nor less the dullest theme bid flitM2
On wings of unexpected witM2
In letters as in life approvedM2
Example honoured and belovedM2
Dear Ellis to the bard impartM2
A lesson of thy magic artM2
To win at once the head and heartM2
At once to charm instruct and mendM2
My guide my pattern and my friendM2
Such minstrel lesson to bestowS2
Be long thy pleasing task but ohS2
No more by thy example teachT2
What few can practise all can preachT2
With even patience to endureP2
Lingering disease and painful cureP2
And boast affliction's pangs subduedM2
By mild and manly fortitudeM2
Enough the lesson has been givenL2
Forbid the repetition HeavenL2
Come listen then for thou hast knownL2
And loved the minstrel's varying toneL2
Who like his Border sires of oldM2
Waked a wild measure rude and boldM2
Till Windsor's oaks and Ascot plainL2
With wonder heard the Northern strainL2
Come listen bold in thy applauseN
The bard shall scorn pedantic lawsN
And as the ancient art could stainL2
Achievements on the storied paneL2
Irregularly traced and plannedM2
But yet so glowing and so grandM2
So shall he strive in changeful hueU2
Field feast and combat to renewU2
And loves and arms and harpers' gleeD2
And all the pomp of chivalryD2

Sir Walter Scott



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