Rokeby: Canto Vi. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBCCDDAAEEDDBBCCFFG GHHIIJJKKLLMMNNOO APPQQRRSSTTUUAAVVWWX XSSYYGG ADDZZA2A2B2C2RRD2D2E 2E2WWGGF2F2G2G2FFH2H 2I2I2 XYYJ2J2K2JL2L2M2M2A2 A2RRN2N2I2I2K2K2O2O2 O2O2E2E2MM XP2P2XP2 O2P2P2O2O2I2BN2Q2O2O 2R2R2VVRRPPO2O2O2O2O 2O2 XS2T2E2E2O2O2CCO2O2Q 2N2U2 O2O2O2P2P2O2O2XXE2E2 XXV2V2W2W2X2V2BBB O2O2 XBE2O2O2P2P2 PP2P2XXO2 Y2WP2P2O2O2XXX XO2C

IA
The summer sun whose early powerB
Was wont to gild Matilda's bowerB
And rouse her with his matin rayC
Her duteous orisons to payC
That morning sun has three times seenD
The flowers unfold on Rokeby greenD
But sees no more the slumbers flyA
From fair Matilda's hazel eyeA
That morning sun has three times brokeE
On Rokeby's glades of elm and oakE
But rising from their sylvan screenD
Marks no grey turrets' glance betweenD
A shapeless mass lie keep and towerB
That hissing to the morning showerB
Can but with smouldering vapour payC
The early smile of summer dayC
The peasant to his labour boundF
Pauses to view the blacken'd moundF
Striving amid the ruin'd spaceG
Each well remember'd spot to traceG
That length of frail and fire scorch'd wallH
Once screen'd the hospitable hallH
When yonder broken arch was wholeI
Twas there was dealt the weekly doleI
And where yon tottering columns nodJ
The chapel sent the hymn to GodJ
So flits the world's uncertain spanK
Nor zeal for God nor love for manK
Gives mortal monuments a dateL
Beyond the power of Time and FateL
The towers must share the builder's doomM
Ruin is theirs and his a tombM
But better boon benignant HeavenN
To Faith and Charity has givenN
And bids the Christian hope sublimeO
Transcend the bounds of Fate and TimeO
-
IIA
Now the third night of summer cameP
Since that which witness'd Rokeby's flameP
On Brignall cliffs and Scargill brakeQ
The owlet's homilies awakeQ
The bittern scream'd from rush and flagR
The raven slumber'd on his cragR
Forth from his den the otter drewS
Grayling and trout their tyrant knewS
As between reed and sedge he peersT
With fierce round snout and sharpen'd earsT
Or prowling by the moonbeam coolU
Watches the stream or swims the poolU
Perch'd on his wonted eyrie highA
Sleep seal'd the tercelet's wearied eyeA
That all the day had watch'd so wellV
The cushat dart across the dellV
In dubious beam reflected shoneW
That lofty cliff of pale grey stoneW
Beside whose base the secret caveX
To rapine late a refuge gaveX
The crag's wild crest of copse and yewS
On Greta's breast dark shadows threwS
Shadows that met or shunn'd the sightY
With every change of fitful lightY
As hope and fear alternate chaseG
Our course through life's uncertain raceG
-
IIIA
Gliding by crag and copsewood greenD
A solitary form was seenD
To trace with stealthy pace the woldZ
Like fox that seeks the midnight foldZ
And pauses oft and cowers dismay'dA2
At every breath that stirs the shadeA2
He passes now the ivy bushB2
The owl has seen him and is hushC2
He passes now the dodder'd oakR
Ye heard the startled raven croakR
Lower and lower he descendsD2
Rustle the leaves the brushwood bendsD2
The otter hears him tread the shoreE2
And dives and is beheld no moreE2
And by the cliff of pale grey stoneW
The midnight wanderer stands aloneW
Methinks that by the moon we traceG
A well remember'd form and faceG
That stripling shape that cheek so paleF2
Combine to tell a rueful taleF2
Of powers misused of passion's forceG2
Of guilt of grief and of remorseG2
'Tis Edmund's eye at every soundF
That flings that guilty glance aroundF
'Tis Edmund's trembling haste dividesH2
The brushwood that the cavern hidesH2
And when its narrow porch lies bareI2
'Tis Edmund's form that enters thereI2
-
IVX
His flint and steel have sparkled brightY
A lamp hath lent the cavern lightY
Fearful and quick his eye surveysJ2
Each angle of the gloomy mazeJ2
Since last he left that stern abodeK2
It seem'd as none its floor had trodJ
Untouch'd appeared the various spoilL2
The purchase of his comrades' toilL2
Masks and disguises grimed with mudM2
Arms broken and defiled with bloodM2
And all the nameless tools that aidA2
Night felons in their lawless tradeA2
Upon the gloomy walls were hungR
Or lay in nooks obscurely flungR
Still on the sordid board appearN2
The relics of the noontide cheerN2
Flagons and emptied flasks were thereI2
And bench o'erthrown and shatter'd chairI2
And all around the semblance show'dK2
As when the final revel glow'dK2
When the red sun was setting fastO2
And parting pledge Guy Denzil pastO2
'To Rokeby treasure vaults ' they quaff'dO2
And shouted loud and wildly laugh'dO2
Pour'd maddening from the rocky doorE2
And parted to return no moreE2
They found in Rokeby vaults their doomM
A bloody death a burning tombM
-
VX
There his own peasant dress he spiesP2
Doff'd to assume that quaint disguiseP2
And shuddering thought upon his gleeX
When prank'd in garb of minstrelsyP2
' be the fatal art accurst '-
He cried 'that moved my folly firstO2
Till bribed by bandits' base applauseP2
I burst through God's and Nature's lawsP2
Three summer days are scantly pastO2
Since I have trod this cavern lastO2
A thoughtless wretch and prompt to errI2
But as yet no murdererB
Even now I list my comrades' cheerN2
That general laugh is in mine earQ2
Which raised my pulse and steel'd my heartO2
As I rehearsed my treacherous partO2
And would that all since then could seemR2
The phantom of a fever's dreamR2
But fatal Memory notes too wellV
The horrors of the dying yellV
From my despairing mates that brokeR
When flash'd the fire and roll'd the smokeR
When the avengers shouting cameP
And hemm'd us 'twixt the sword and flameP
My frantic flight the lifted brandO2
That angel's interposing handO2
If for my life from slaughter freedO2
I yet could pay some grateful meedO2
Perchance this object of my questO2
May aid' he turn'd nor spoke the restO2
-
VIX
Due northward from the rugged hearthS2
With paces five he metes the earthT2
Then toil'd with mattock to exploreE2
The entrails of the cavern floorE2
Nor paused till deep beneath the groundO2
His search a small steel casket foundO2
Just as he stoop'd to loose its haspC
His shoulder felt a giant graspC
He started and look'd up aghastO2
Then shriek'd 'Twas Bertram held him fastO2
'Fear not ' he said but who could hearQ2
That deep stern voice and cease to fearN2
'Fear not By heaven he shakes as muchU2
As partridge in the falcon's clutch '-
He raised him and unloosed his holdO2
While from the opening casket roll'dO2
A chain and reliquaire of goldO2
Bertram beheld it with surpriseP2
Gazed on its fashion and deviceP2
Then cheering Edmund as he couldO2
Somewhat he smooth'd his rugged moodO2
For still the youth's half lifted eyeX
Quiver'd with terror's agonyX
And sidelong glanced as to exploreE2
In meditated flight the doorE2
'Sit ' Bertram said 'from danger freeX
Thou canst not and thou shalt not fleeX
Chance brings me hither hill and plainV2
I've sought for refuge place in vainV2
And tell me now thou aguish boyW2
What makest thou here what means this toyW2
Denzil and thou I mark'd were ta'enX2
What lucky chance unbound your chainV2
I deem'd long since on Baliol's towerB
Your heads were warp'd with sun and showerB
Tell me the whole and mark nought e'erB
Chafes me like falsehood or like fear '-
Gathering his courage to his aidO2
But trembling still the youth obey'dO2
-
VIIX
'Denzil and I two nights pass'd o'erB
In fetters on the dungeon floorE2
A guest the third sad morrow broughtO2
Our hold dark Oswald Wycliffe soughtO2
And eyed my comrade long askanceP2
With fix'd and penetrating glanceP2
'Guy Denzil art thou call'd ' 'The same '-
'At Court who served wild BuckinghameP
Thence banish'd won a keeper's placeP2
So Villiers will'd in Marwood chaseP2
That lost I need not tell thee whyX
Thou madest thy wit thy wants supplyX
Then fought for Rokeby Have I guess'dO2
My prisoner right ' 'At thy behest '-
He paused awhile and then went onY2
With low and confidential toneW
Me as I judge not then he sawP2
Close nestled in my couch of strawP2
List to me Guy Thou know'st the greatO2
Have frequent need of what they hateO2
Hence in their favour oft we seeX
Unscrupled useful men like theeX
Were I disposed to bid thee liveX
What pledge of faith hast thou to give '-
-
VIIIX
'The ready Fiend who never yetO2
Hath failed to sharpeC

Sir Walter Scott



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