The Lord Of The Isles: Canto V. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCCDCDD EDFDDGDGG AHIJJD KKKLLMM NNOOPPIIQQIIQQ Q ARRRQQIDDIQQSSAAB OOTTA ADDUUBBD QSSQQVQGGQQ BKS Q O VBBIIBBQQDDQ IIQQ AWXGGUUQQIIUUQQIIQQY YQQQUUIIQQUU ABBKKKKKQQKKKUUKZZAQ QQAA2B2QC2C2C2Q AQQQQAAQQQQKKQQ Q UQQQ Q B2UUQQKKB2B2D2D2D2B2 U

IA
On fair Loch Ranza stream'd the early dayB
Thin wreaths of cottage smoke are upward curl'dC
From the lone hamlet which her inland bayB
And circling mountains sever from the worldC
And there the fisherman his sail unfurl'dC
The goat herd drove his kids to steep Ben GhoilD
Before the hut the dame her spindle twirl'dC
Courting the sunbeam as she plied her toilD
For wake where'er he may Man wakes to care and coilD
-
But other duties call'd each convent maidE
Roused by the summons of the moss grown bellD
Sung were the matins and the mass was saidF
And every sister sought her separate cellD
Such was the rule her rosary to tellD
And Isabel has knelt in lonely prayerG
The sunbeam through the narrow lattice fellD
Upon the snowy neck and long dark hairG
As stoop'd her gentle head in meek devotion thereG
-
IIA
She raised her eyes that duty doneH
When glanced upon the pavement stoneI
Gemm'd and enchased a golden ringJ
Bound to a scroll with silken stringJ
With few brief words inscribed to tellD
'This for the Lady Isabel '-
Within the writing farther boreK
''Twas with this ring his plight he sworeK
With this his promise I restoreK
To her who can the heart commandL
Well may I yield the plighted handL
And O for better fortune bornM
Grudge not a passing sigh to mournM
Her who was Edith once of Lorn '-
One single flash of glad surpriseN
Just glanced from Isabel's dark eyesN
But vanish'd in the blush of shameO
That as its penance instant cameO
'O thought unworthy of my raceP
Selfish ungenerous mean and baseP
A moment's throb of joy to ownI
That rose upon her hopes o'erthrownI
Thou pledge of vows too well believedQ
Of man ingrate and maid deceivedQ
Think not thy lustre here shall gainI
Another heart to hope in vainI
For thou shalt rest thou tempting gaudQ
Where worldly thoughts are overawedQ
And worldly splendours sink debased '-
Then by the cross the ring she placedQ
-
IIIA
Next rose the thought its owner farR
How came it here through bolt and barR
But the dim lattice is ajarR
She looks abroad the morning dewQ
A light short step had brush'd anewQ
And there were footprints seenI
On the carved buttress rising stillD
Till on the mossy window sillD
Their track effaced the greenI
The ivy twigs were torn and fray'dQ
As if some climber's steps to aidQ
But who the hardy messengerS
Whose venturous path these signs inferS
Strange doubts are mine Mona draw nighA
Nought 'scapes old Mona's curious eyeA
What strangers gentle mother sayB
Have sought these holy walls to day '-
'None Lady none of note or nameO
Only your brother's foot page cameO
At peep of dawn I pray'd him passT
To chapel where they said the massT
But like an arrow he shot byA
And tears seem'd bursting from his eye '-
-
IVA
The truth at once on IsabelD
As darted by a sunbeam fellD
''Tis Edith's self her speechless woeU
Her form her looks the secret showU
Instant good Mona to the bayB
And to my royal brother sayB
I do conjure him seek my cellD
With that mute page he loves so well '-
'What know'st thou not his warlike hostQ
My old eyes saw them from the towerS
At eve they couch'd in greenwood bowerS
At dawn a bugle signal madeQ
By their bold Lord their ranks array'dQ
Up sprung the spears through bush and treeV
No time for benediciteQ
Like deer that rousing from their lairG
Just shake the dewdrops from their hairG
And toss their armed crests aloftQ
Such matins theirs ' 'Good mother softQ
Where does my brother bend his way '-
'As I have heard for Brodick BayB
Across the isle of barks a scoreK
Lie there 'tis said to waft them o'erS
On sudden news to Carrick shore '-
'If such their purpose deep the need '-
Said anxious Isabel 'of speedQ
Call Father Augustine good dame '-
The nun obey'd the Father cameO
-
VV
'Kind Father hie without delayB
Across the hills to Brodick BayB
This message to the Bruce be givenI
I pray him by his hopes of HeavenI
That till he speak with me he stayB
Or if his haste brook no delayB
That he deliver on my suitQ
Into thy charge that stripling muteQ
Thus prays his sister IsabelD
For causes more than she may tellD
Away good Father and take heedQ
That life and death are on thy speed '-
His cowl the good old priest did onI
Took his piked staff and sandall'd shoonI
And like a palmer bent by eldQ
O'er moss and moor his journey heldQ
-
VIA
Heavy and dull the foot of ageW
And rugged was the pilgrimageX
But none was there beside whose careG
Might such important message bearG
Through birchen copse he wander'd slowU
Stunted and sapless thin and lowU
By many a mountain stream he pass'dQ
From the tall cliffs in tumult castQ
Dashing to foam their waters dunI
And sparkling in the summer sunI
Round his grey head the wild curlewU
In many a fearless circle flewU
O'er chasms he pass'd where fractures wideQ
Craved wary eye and ample strideQ
He cross'd his brow beside the stoneI
Where Druids erst heard victims groanI
And at the cairns upon the wildQ
O'er many a heathen hero piledQ
He breathed a timid prayer for thoseY
Who died ere Shiloh's sun aroseY
Beside Macfarlane's Cross he staidQ
There told his hours within the shadeQ
And at the stream his thirst allay'dQ
Thence onward journeying slowly stillU
As evening closed he reach'd the hillU
Where rising through the woodland greenI
Old Brodick's gothic towers were seenI
From Hastings late their English lordQ
Douglas had won them by the swordQ
The sun that sunk behind the isleU
Now tined them with a parting smileU
-
VIIA
But though the beams of light decayB
'Twas bustle all in Brodick BayB
The Bruce's followers crowd the shoreK
And boats and barges some unmoorK
Some raise the sail some seize the oarK
Their eyes oft turn'd where glimmer'd farK
What might have seem'd an early starK
On heaven's blue arch save that its lightQ
Was all too flickering fierce and brightQ
Far distant in the south the rayK
Shone pale amid retiring dayK
But as on Carrick shoreK
Dim seen in outline faintly blueU
The shades of evening closer drewU
It kindled more and moreK
The monk's slow steps now press the sandsZ
And now amid a scene he standsZ
Full strange to churchman's eyeA
Warriors who arming for the fightQ
Rivet and clasp their harness lightQ
And twinkling spears and axes brightQ
And helmets flashing highA
Oft too with unaccustom'd earsA2
A language much unmeet he hearsB2
While hastening all on boardQ
As stormy as the swelling surgeC2
That mix'd its roar the leaders urgeC2
Their followers to the ocean vergeC2
With many a haughty wordQ
-
VIIIA
Through that wild throng the Father pass'dQ
And reach'd the Royal Bruce at lastQ
He leant against a stranded boatQ
That the approaching tide must floatQ
And counted every rippling waveA
As higher yet her sides they laveA
And oft the distant fire he eyedQ
And closer yet his hauberk tiedQ
And loosen'd in his sheath his brandQ
Edward and Lennox were at handQ
Douglas and Ronald had the careK
The soldiers to the barks to shareK
The monk approach'd and homage paidQ
'And art thou come ' King Robert saidQ
'So far to bless us ere we part '-
'My Liege and with a loyal heartQ
But other charge I have to tell '-
And spoke the hest of IsabelU
'Now by Saint Giles ' the Monarch criedQ
'This moves me much this morning tideQ
I spent the stripling to Saint BrideQ
With my commandment there to bide '-
'Thither he came the portress show'dQ
But there my Liege made brief abode '-
-
IXB2
''Twas I ' said Edward 'found employU
Of nobler import for the boyU
Deep pondering in my anxious mindQ
A fitting messenger to findQ
To bear thy written mandate o'erK
To Cuthbert on the Carrick shoreK
I chanced at early dawn to passB2
The chapel gate to snatch a massB2
I found the stripling on a tombD2
Low seated weeping for the doomD2
That gave his youth to convent gloomD2
I told my purpose and his eyesB2
Flash'd joyU

Sir Walter Scott



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