Last Man, The Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACDDEFFE GHIJKKLMML NBNBOOPQRP STUTVVWXXW YZYZA2A2B2C2C2B2 D2IE2F2G2G2H2I2J2H2 K2L2K2L2M2M2G2CCG2 N2O2N2O2P2P2O2BO2O2All worldly shapes shall melt in gloom | A |
The Sun himself must die | B |
Before this mortal shall assume | A |
Its Immortality | C |
I saw a vision in my sleep | D |
That gave my spirit strength to sweep | D |
Adown the gulf of Time | E |
I saw the last of human mould | F |
That shall Creation's death behold | F |
As Adam saw her prime | E |
- | |
The Sun's eye had a sickly glare | G |
The Earth with age was wan | H |
The skeletons of nations were | I |
Around that lonely man | J |
Some had expired in fight the brands | K |
Still rested in their bony hands | K |
In plague and famine some | L |
Earth's cities had no sound nor tread | M |
And ships were drifting with the dead | M |
To shores where all was dumb | L |
- | |
Yet prophet like that lone one stood | N |
With dauntless words and high | B |
That shook the sere leaves from the wood | N |
As if a storm passed by | B |
Saying We are twins in death proud Sun | O |
Thy face is cold thy race is run | O |
'Tis Mercy bids thee go | P |
For thou ten thousand thousand years | Q |
Hast seen the tide of human tears | R |
That shall no longer flow | P |
- | |
What though beneath thee man put forth | S |
His pomp his pride his skill | T |
And arts that made fire floods and earth | U |
The vassals of his will | T |
Yet mourn not I thy parted sway | V |
Thou dim discrowned king of day | V |
For all those trophied arts | W |
And triumphs that beneath thee sprang | X |
Healed not a passion or a pang | X |
Entailed on human hearts | W |
- | |
Go let oblivion's curtain fall | Y |
Upon the stage of men | Z |
Nor with thy rising beams recall | Y |
Life's tragedy again | Z |
Its piteous pageants bring not back | A2 |
Nor waken flesh upon the rack | A2 |
Of pain anew to writhe | B2 |
Stretched in disease's shapes abhorred | C2 |
Or mown in battle by the sword | C2 |
Like grass beneath the scythe | B2 |
- | |
Ee'n I am weary in yon skies | D2 |
To watch thy fading fire | I |
Test of all sumless agonies | E2 |
Behold not me expire | F2 |
My lips that speak thy dirge of death | G2 |
Their rounded gasp and gurgling breath | G2 |
To see thou shalt not boast | H2 |
The eclipse of Nature spreads my pall | I2 |
The majesty of Darkness shall | J2 |
Receive my parting ghost | H2 |
- | |
This spirit shall return to Him | K2 |
That gave its heavenly spark | L2 |
Yet think not Sun it shall be dim | K2 |
When thou thyself art dark | L2 |
No it shall live again and shine | M2 |
In bliss unknown to beams of thine | M2 |
By Him recalled to breath | G2 |
Who captive led captivity | C |
Who robbed the grave of Victory | C |
And took the sting from Death | G2 |
- | |
Go Sun while Mercy holds me up | N2 |
On Nature's awful waste | O2 |
To drink this last and bitter cup | N2 |
Of grief that man shall taste | O2 |
Go tell the night that hides thy face | P2 |
Thou saw'st the last of Adam's race | P2 |
On Earth's sepulchral clod | O2 |
The darkening universe defy | B |
To quench his Immortality | O2 |
Or shake his trust in God | O2 |
Thomas Campbell
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Last Man, The poem by Thomas Campbell
Best Poems of Thomas Campbell