The Field Of Waterloo Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBCDECFFGHHGAAIJJIK KLMNNL AOOOHPQHRRHIISTTS AAAFFKKUVWXXWYIHGGHM MMGZZGA2A2 AHB2AIIIIAGGC2D2D2D2 AE2E2F2G2G2H2I2I2I2I KKKI AJ2J2J2K2L2L2L2M2N2N 2O2O2GZZG AP2P2Q2R2R2R2Q2AAAQ2 KKKKQ2KQ2 AAAAS2T2T2S2K2K2U2AA U2MMMKV2V2KKKK ATTD2KKD2W2W2U2U2IIX 2X2Y2Y2Y2Y2IZ2A3Y AD2D2K2AAA R2R2KKB3B3B3U2AA AS2S2C3C3KD3D3KKKKKK E3E3D2D2D2 ALF3Z2Z2NMKKII

IA
Fair Brussels thou art far behindB
Though lingering on the morning windB
We yet may hear the hourC
Pealed over orchard and canalD
With voice prolonged and measured fallE
From proud St Michael's towerC
Thy wood dark Soignies holds us nowF
Where the tall beeches' glossy boughF
For many a league aroundG
With birch and darksome oak betweenH
Spreads deep and far a pathless screenH
Of tangled forest groundG
Stems planted close by stems defyA
The adventurous foot the curious eyeA
For access seeks in vainI
And the brown tapestry of leavesJ
Strewed on the blighted ground receivesJ
Nor sun nor air nor rainI
No opening glade dawns on our wayK
No streamlet glancing to the rayK
Our woodland path has crossedL
And the straight causeway which we treadM
Prolongs a line of dull arcadeN
Unvarying through the unvaried shadeN
Until in distance lostL
-
IIA
A brighter livelier scene succeedsO
In groups the scattering wood recedesO
Hedge rows and huts and sunny meadsO
And corn fields glance betweenH
The peasant at his labour blitheP
Plies the hooked staff and shortened scytheQ
But when these ears were greenH
Placed close within destruction's scopeR
Full little was that rustic's hopeR
Their ripening to have seenH
And lo a hamlet and its faneI
Let not the gazer with disdainI
Their architecture viewS
For yonder rude ungraceful shrineT
And disproportioned spire are thineT
Immortal WATERLOOS
-
IIIA
Fear not the heat though full and highA
The sun has scorched the autumn skyA
And scarce a forest straggler nowF
To shade us spreads a greenwood boughF
These fields have seen a hotter dayK
Than e'er was fired by sunny rayK
Yet one mile on yon shattered hedgeU
Crests the soft hill whose long smooth ridgeV
Looks on the field belowW
And sinks so gently on the daleX
That not the folds of Beauty's veilX
In easier curves can flowW
Brief space from thence the ground againY
Ascending slowly from the plainI
Forms an opposing screenH
Which with its crest of upland groundG
Shuts the horizon all aroundG
The softened vale betweenH
Slopes smooth and fair for courser's treadM
Not the most timid maid need dreadM
To give her snow white palfrey headM
On that wide stubble groundG
Nor wood nor tree nor bush are thereZ
Her course to intercept or scareZ
Nor fosse nor fence are foundG
Save where from out her shattered bowersA2
Rise Hougomont's dismantled towersA2
-
IVA
Now see'st thou aught in this lone sceneH
Can tell of that which late hath beenB2
A stranger might replyA
'The bare extent of stubble plainI
Seems lately lightened of its grainI
And yonder sable tracks remainI
Marks of the peasant's ponderous wainI
When harvest home was nighA
On these broad spots of trampled groundG
Perchance the rustics danced such roundG
As Teniers loved to drawC2
And where the earth seems scorched by flameD2
To dress the homely feast they cameD2
And toiled the kerchiefed village dameD2
Around her fire of straw '-
-
VA
So deem'st thou so each mortal deemsE2
Of that which is from that which seemsE2
But other harvest hereF2
Than that which peasant's scythe demandsG2
Was gathered in by sterner handsG2
With bayonet blade and spearH2
No vulgar crop was theirs to reapI2
No stinted harvest thin and cheapI2
Heroes before each fatal sweepI2
Fell thick as ripened grainI
And ere the darkening of the dayK
Piled high as autumn shocks there layK
The ghastly harvest of the frayK
The corpses of the slainI
-
VIA
Ay look again that line so blackJ2
And trampled marks the bivouacJ2
Yon deep graved ruts the artillery's trackJ2
So often lost and wonK2
And close beside the hardened mudL2
Still shows where fetlock deep in bloodL2
The fierce dragoon through battle's floodL2
Dashed the hot war horse onM2
These spots of excavation tellN2
The ravage of the bursting shellN2
And feel'st thou not the tainted steamO2
That reeks against the sultry beamO2
From yonder trenched moundG
The pestilential fumes declareZ
That Carnage has replenished thereZ
Her garner house profoundG
-
VIIA
Far other harvest home and feastP2
Than claims the boor from scythe releasedP2
On these scorched fields were knownQ2
Death hovered o'er the maddening routR2
And in the thrilling battle shoutR2
Sent for the bloody banquet outR2
A summons of his ownQ2
Through rolling smoke the Demon's eyeA
Could well each destined guest espyA
Well could his ear in ecstasyA
Distinguish every toneQ2
That filled the chorus of the frayK
From cannon roar and trumpet brayK
From charging squadrons' wild hurraK
From the wild clang that marked their wayK
Down to the dying groanQ2
And the last sob of life's decayK
When breath was all but flownQ2
-
VIIIA
Feast on stern foe of mortal lifeA
Feast on but think not that a strifeA
With such promiscuous carnage rifeA
Protracted space may lastS2
The deadly tug of war at lengthT2
Must limits find in human strengthT2
And cease when these are pastS2
Vain hope that morn's o'erclouded sunK2
Heard the wild shout of fight begunK2
Ere he attained his heightU2
And through the war smoke volumed highA
Still peals that unremitted cryA
Though now he stoops to nightU2
For ten long hours of doubt and dreadM
Fresh succours from the extended headM
Of either hill the contest fedM
Still down the slope they drewK
The charge of columns paused notV2
Nor ceased the storm of shell and shotV2
For all that war could doK
Of skill and force was proved that dayK
And turned not yet the doubtful frayK
On bloody WaterlooK
-
IXA
Pale Brussels then what thoughts were thineT
When ceaseless from the distant lineT
Continued thunders cameD2
Each burgher held his breath to hearK
These forerunners of havoc nearK
Of rapine and of flameD2
What ghastly sights were thine to meetW2
When rolling through thy stately streetW2
The wounded showed their mangled plightU2
In token of the unfinished fightU2
And from each anguish laden wainI
The blood drops laid thy dust like rainI
How often in the distant drumX2
Heard'st thou the fell Invader comeX2
While Ruin shouting to his bandY2
Shook high her torch and gory brandY2
Cheer thee fair City From yon standY2
Impatient still his outstretched handY2
Points to his prey in vainI
While maddening in his eager moodZ2
And all unwont to be withstoodA3
He fires the fight againY
-
XA
'On On ' was still his stern exclaimD2
'Confront the battery's jaws of flameD2
Rush on the levelled gunK2
My steel clad cuirassiers advanceA
Each Hulan forward with his lanceA
My Guard my Chosen charge for FranceA
France and Napoleon '-
Loud answered their acclaiming shoutR2
Greeting the mandate which sent outR2
Their bravest and their best to dareK
The fate their leader shunned to shareK
But HE his country's sword and shieldB3
Still in the battle front revealedB3
Where danger fiercest swept the fieldB3
Came like a beam of lightU2
In action prompt in sentence briefA
'Soldiers stand firm ' exclaimed the ChiefA
'England shall tell the fight '-
-
XIA
On came the whirlwind like the lastS2
But fiercest sweep of tempest blastS2
On came the whirlwind steel gleams brokeC3
Like lightning through the rolling smokeC3
The war was waked anewK
Three hundred cannon mouths roared loudD3
And from their throats with flash and cloudD3
Their showers of iron threwK
Beneath their fire in full careerK
Rushed on the ponderous cuirassierK
The lancer couched his ruthless spearK
And hurrying as to havoc nearK
The cohorts' eagles flewK
In one dark torrent broad and strongE3
The advancing onset rolled alongE3
Forth harbingered by fierce acclaimD2
That from the shroud of smoke and flameD2
Pealed wildly the imperial nameD2
-
XIIA
But on the British heart were lostL
The terrors of the charging hostF3
For not an eye the storm that viewedZ2
Changed its proud glance of fortitudeZ2
Nor was one forward footstep stayedN
As dropped the dying and the deadM
Fast as their ranks the thunders tearK
Fast they renewed each serried squareK
And on the wounded and the slainI
Closed their diminiI

Sir Walter Scott



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