The Lay Of The Last Minstrel: Canto V. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCDDEEAAFF AGHIIJJKKLLBBMMHHJJH HAAEEJJ ANNCCOPHHNN FHQHQHHRSSSBBBBTB FSSSSSHHBFFBSSEEESSF FCC FJSJSBBCCSHHSSSBHHBS SSSS FHHSSHSSKBBUVVSHHS FSSEEHHJJHHHHQQ CESESEESSHBBBH CSFSFFFFSSSCCSSS CSSSSESESCCCCJJSCCS CEEWSSXSSXCCSFFS CSSSSSSSSQSSF

IA
Call it not vain they do not errB
Who say that when the Poet diesC
Mute Nature mourns her worshipperB
And celebrates his obsequiesC
Who say tall cliff and cavern loneD
For the departed Bard make moanD
That mountains weep in crystal rillE
That flowers in tears of balm distillE
Through his lov'd groves that breezes sighA
And oaks in deeper groan replyA
And rivers teach their rushing waveF
To murmur dirges round his graveF
-
IIA
Not that in sooth o'er mortal urnG
Those things inanimate can mournH
But that the stream the wood the galeI
Is vocal with the plaintive wailI
Of those who else forgotten longJ
Liv'd in the poet's faithful songJ
And with the poet's parting breathK
Whose memory feels a second deathK
The Maid's pale shade who wails her lotL
That love true love should be forgotL
From rose and hawthorn shakes the tearB
Upon the gentle Minstrel's bierB
The phantom Knight his glory fledM
Mourns o'er the field he heap'd with deadM
Mounts the wild blast that sweeps amainH
And shrieks along the battle plainH
The Chief whose antique crownlet longJ
Still sparkled in the feudal songJ
Now from the mountain's misty throneH
Sees in the thanedom once his ownH
His ashes undistinguish'd lieA
His place his power his memory dieA
His groans the lonely caverns fillE
His tears of rage impel the rillE
All mourn the Minstrel's harp unstrungJ
Their name unknown their praise unsungJ
-
IIIA
Scarcely the hot assault was staidN
The terms of truce were scarcely madeN
When they could spy from Branksome's towersC
The advancing march of martial powersC
Thick clouds of dust afar appear'dO
And trampling steeds were faintly heardP
Bright spears above the columns dunH
Glanced momentary to the sunH
And feudal banners fair display'dN
The bands that moved to Branksome's aidN
-
IVF
Vails not to tell each hardy clanH
From the fair Middle Marches cameQ
The Bloody Heart blaz'd in the vanH
Announcing Douglas dreaded nameQ
Vails not to tell what steeds did spurnH
Where the Seven Spears of WedderburneH
Their men in battle order setR
And Swinton laid the lance in restS
That tamed of yore the sparkling crestS
Of Clarence's PlantagenetS
Nor list I say what hundreds moreB
From the rich Merse and LammermoreB
And Tweed's fair borders to the warB
Beneath the crest of Old DunbarB
And Hepburn's mingled banners comeT
Down the steep mountain glittering farB
And shouting still 'A Home a Home '-
-
VF
Now squire and knight from Branksome sentS
On many a courteous message wentS
To every chief and lord they paidS
Meet thanks for prompt and powerful aidS
And told them how a truce was madeS
And how a day of fight was ta'enH
'Twixt Musgrave and stout DeloraineH
And how the Ladye pray'd them dearB
That all would stay the fight to seeF
And deign in love and courtesyF
To taste of Branksome cheerB
Nor while they bade to feast each ScotS
Were England's noble Lords forgotS
Himself the hoary SeneschalE
Rode forth in seemly terms to callE
Those gallant foes to Branksome HallE
Accepted Howard than whom knightS
Was never dubb'd more bold in fightS
Nor when from war and armor freeF
More fam'd for stately courtesyF
But angry Dacre rather choseC
In his pavilion to reposeC
-
VIF
Now noble Dame perchance you askJ
How these two hostile armies metS
Deeming it were no easy taskJ
To keep the truce which here was setS
Where martial spirits all on fireB
Breathed only blood and mortal ireB
By mutual inroads mutual blowsC
By habit and by nation foesC
They met on Teviot's strandS
They met and sate them mingled downH
Without a threat without a frownH
As brothers meet in foreign landS
The hands the spear that lately grasp'dS
Still in the mailed gauntlet clasp'dS
Were interchang'd in greeting dearB
Visors were raised and faces shownH
And many a friend to friend made knownH
Partook of social cheerB
Some drove the jolly bowl aboutS
With dice and draughts some chas'd the dayS
And some with many a merry shoutS
In riot revelry and routS
Pursued the foot ball playS
-
VIIF
Yet be it known had bugles blownH
Or sign of war been seenH
Those bands so fair together rang'dS
Those hands so frankly interchang'dS
Had dyed with gore the greenH
The merry shout by Teviot sideS
Had sunk in war cries wild and wideS
And in the groan of deathK
And whingers now in friendship bareB
The social meal to part and shareB
Had found a bloody sheathU
'Twixt truce and war such sudden changeV
Was not infrequent nor held strangeV
In the old Border dayS
But yet on Branksome's towers and townH
In peaceful merriment sunk downH
The sun's declining rayS
-
VIIIF
The blithsome signs of wassel gayS
Decay'd not with the dying dayS
Soon through the lattic'd windows tallE
Of lofty Branksome's lordly hallE
Divided square by shafts of stoneH
Huge flakes of ruddy lustre shoneH
Nor less the gilded rafters rangJ
With merry harp and beakers' clangJ
And frequent on the darkening plainH
Loud hollo whoop or whistle ranH
As bands their stragglers to regainH
Give the shrill watchword of their clanH
And revellers o'er their bowls proclaimQ
Douglas or Dacre's conquering nameQ
-
IXC
Less frequent heard and fainter stillE
At length the various clamors diedS
And you might hear from Branksome hillE
No sound but Teviot's rushing tideS
Save when the changing sentinelE
The challenge of his watch could tellE
And save where through the dark profoundS
The clanging axe and hammer's soundS
Rung from the nether lawnH
For many a busy hand toil'd thereB
Strong pales to shape and beams to squareB
The lists' dread barriers to prepareB
Against the morrow's dawnH
-
XC
Margaret from hall did soon retreatS
Despite the Dame's reproving eyeF
Nor mark'd she as she left her seatS
Full many a stifled sighF
For many a noble warrior stroveF
To win the Flower of Teviot's loveF
And many a bold allyF
With throbbing head and anxious heartS
All in her lonely bower apartS
In broken sleep she layS
Betimes from silken couch she roseC
While yet the banner'd hosts reposeC
She view'd the dawning dayS
Of all the hundreds sunk to restS
First woke the loveliest and the bestS
-
XIC
She gaz'd upon the inner courtS
Which in the tower's tall shadow layS
Where coursers' clang and stamp and snortS
Had rung the livelong yesterdayS
Now still as death till stalking slowE
The jingling spurs announc'd his treadS
A stately warrior pass'd belowE
But when he rais'd his plumed headS
Bless'd Mary can it beC
Secure as if in Ousenam bowersC
He walks through Branksome's hostile towersC
With fearless step and freeC
She dar'd not sign she dar'd not speakJ
Oh if one page's slumbers breakJ
His blood the price must payS
Not all the pearls Queen Mary wearsC
Not Margaret's yet more precious tearsC
Shall buy his life a dayS
-
XIIC
Yet was his hazard small for wellE
You may bethink you of the spellE
Of that sly urchin pageW
This to his lord he did impartS
And made him seem by glamour artS
A knight from HermitageX
Unchalleng'd thus the warder's postS
The court unchalleng'd thus he cross'dS
For all the vassalageX
But O what magic's quaint disguiseC
Could blind fair Margaret s azure eyesC
She started from her seatS
While with surprise and fear she stroveF
And both could scarcely master loveF
Lord Henry's at her feetS
-
XIIIC
Oft have I mus'd what purpose badS
That foul malicious urchin hadS
To bring this meeting roundS
For happy love's a heavenly sightS
And by a vile malignant spriteS
In such no joy is foundS
And oft I've deem'd perchance he thoughtS
Their erring passion might have wroughtS
Sorrow and sin and shameQ
And death to Cranstoun's gallant KnightS
And to the gentle ladye brightS
Disgrace and loss ofF

Sir Walter Scott



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