Ode On A Distant Prospect Of Eton College Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFGHF BIBIEEJKLJ MNMNOPQRRQ STUVIIDWWX YYYYZZA2YYA2 B2FC2FYYIYYD2 DYDYLLYDDY E2TF2VTTEYYE G2MH2MI2I2J2YYJ2 D2K2IK2YYE2F2L2E2Ye distant spires ye antique towers | A |
That crown the watery glade | B |
Where grateful Science still adores | C |
Her Henry's holy shade | B |
And ye that from the stately brow | D |
Of Windsor's heights th' expanse below | E |
Of grove of lawn of mead survey | F |
Whose turf whose shade whose flowers among | G |
Wanders the hoary Thames along | H |
His silver winding way | F |
- | |
Ah happy hills ah pleasing shade | B |
Ah fields beloved in vain | I |
Where once my careless childhood strayed | B |
A stranger yet to pain | I |
I feel the gales that from ye blow | E |
A momentary bliss bestow | E |
As waving fresh their gladsome wing | J |
My weary soul they seem to soothe | K |
And redolent of joy and youth | L |
To breathe a second spring | J |
- | |
Say Father Thames for thou hast seen | M |
Full many a sprightly race | N |
Disporting on thy margent green | M |
The paths of pleasure trace | N |
Who foremost now delight to cleave | O |
With pliant arm thy glassy wave | P |
The captive linnet which enthral | Q |
What idle progeny succeed | R |
To chase the rolling circle's speed | R |
Or urge the flying ball | Q |
- | |
While some on earnest business bent | S |
Their murm'ring labours ply | T |
'Gainst graver hours that bring constraint | U |
To sweeten liberty | V |
Some bold adventurers disdain | I |
The limits of their little reign | I |
And unknown regions dare descry | D |
Still as they run they look behind | W |
They hear a voice in every wind | W |
And snatch a fearful joy | X |
- | |
Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed | Y |
Less pleasing when possest | Y |
The tear forgot as soon as shed | Y |
The sunshine of the breast | Y |
Theirs buxom health of rosy hue | Z |
Wild wit invention ever new | Z |
And lively cheer of vigour born | A2 |
The thoughtless day the easy night | Y |
The spirits pure the slumbers light | Y |
That fly th' approach of morn | A2 |
- | |
Alas regardless of their doom | B2 |
The little victims play | F |
No sense have they of ills to come | C2 |
Nor care beyond today | F |
Yet see how all around 'em wait | Y |
The Ministers of human fate | Y |
And black Misfortune's baleful train | I |
Ah show them where in ambush stand | Y |
To seize their prey the murd'rous band | Y |
Ah tell them they are men | D2 |
- | |
These shall the fury Passions tear | D |
The vultures of the mind | Y |
Disdainful Anger pallid Fear | D |
And Shame that skulks behind | Y |
Or pining Love shall waste their youth | L |
Or Jealousy with rankling tooth | L |
That inly gnaws the secret heart | Y |
And Envy wan and faded Care | D |
Grim visaged comfortless Despair | D |
And Sorrow's piercing dart | Y |
- | |
Ambition this shall tempt to rise | E2 |
Then whirl the wretch from high | T |
To bitter Scorn a sacrifice | F2 |
And grinning Infamy | V |
The stings of Falsehood those shall try | T |
And hard Unkindness' altered eye | T |
That mocks the tear it forced to flow | E |
And keen Remorse with blood defiled | Y |
And moody Madness laughing wild | Y |
Amid severest woe | E |
- | |
Lo in the vale of years beneath | G2 |
A grisly troop are seen | M |
The painful family of Death | H2 |
More hideous than their Queen | M |
This racks the joints this fires the veins | I2 |
That every labouring sinew strains | I2 |
Those in the deeper vitals rage | J2 |
Lo Poverty to fill the band | Y |
That numbs the soul with icy hand | Y |
And slow consuming Age | J2 |
- | |
To each his suff'rings all are men | D2 |
Condemned alike to groan | K2 |
The tender for another's pain | I |
Th' unfeeling for his own | K2 |
Yet ah why should they know their fate | Y |
Since sorrow never comes too late | Y |
And happiness too swiftly flies | E2 |
Thought would destroy their paradise | F2 |
No more where ignorance is bliss | L2 |
'Tis folly to be wise | E2 |
Thomas Gray
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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