The Sacrilege: (a Ballad-tragedy) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBDEEE FGFHIIIH JCJCKKK LCLMNNNA HCHNDDD CCCCOOO DCDHHHHH PCPDMPMD HCHPQQQ A DCDMQQQM QCQQCCCQ QCQQQQQQ BCBNQQQN HCHQPPPQ CCCCLLLC HCHRSSSR TCTQUUU QCQPHHH QCQCHHHC UCUVWWWV

PART IA
-
'I have a Love I love too wellB
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon MoorC
I have a Love I love too wellB
To whom ere she was mineD
'Such is my love for you ' I saidE
'That you shall have to hood your headE
A silken kerchief crimson redE
Wove finest of the fine '-
-
'And since this Love for one mad moonF
On Exon Wild by Dunkery TorG
Since this my Love for one mad moonF
Did clasp me as her kingH
I snatched a silk piece red and rareI
From off a stall at Priddy FairI
For handkerchief to hood her hairI
When we went gallantingH
-
'Full soon the four weeks neared their endJ
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon MoorC
And when the four weeks neared their endJ
And their swift sweets outworeC
I said 'What shall I do to ownK
Those beauties bright as tulips blownK
And keep you here with me aloneK
As mine for evermore '-
-
'And as she drowsed within my vanL
On Exon Wild by Dunkery TorC
And as she drowsed within my vanL
And dawning turned to dayM
She heavily raised her sloe black eyesN
And murmured back in softest wiseN
'One more thing and the charms you prizeN
Are yours henceforth for ayeA
-
''And swear I will I'll never goH
While Dunkery frowns on Exon MoorC
To meet the Cornish Wrestler JoeH
For dance and dallyingsN
If you'll to yon cathedral shrineD
And finger from the chest divineD
Treasure to buy me ear drops fineD
And richly jewelled rings '-
-
'I said 'I am one who has gathered gearC
From Marlbury Downs to Dunkery TorC
Who has gathered gear for many a yearC
From mansion mart and fairC
But at God's house I've stayed my handO
Hearing within me some commandO
Curbed by a law not of the landO
From doing damage there '-
-
'Whereat she pouts this Love of mineD
As Dunkery frowns on Exon MoorC
And still she pouts this Love of mineD
So cityward I goH
But ere I start to do the thingH
And speed my souls imperillingH
One who is my ravishingH
And all the joy I knowH
-
'I come to lay this charge on theeP
On Exon Wild by Dunkery TorC
I come to lay this charge on theeP
With solemn speech and signD
Should things go ill and my life payM
For botchery in this rash assayP
You are to take hers likewise yeaM
The month the law takes mineD
-
'For should my rival Wrestler JoeH
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon MoorC
My reckless rival Wrestler JoeH
My Love's possessor beP
My tortured spirit would not restQ
But wander weary and distrestQ
Throughout the world in wild protestQ
The thought nigh maddens me '-
-
PART IIA
-
Thus did he speak this brother of mineD
On Exon Wild by Dunkery TorC
Born at my birth of mother of mineD
And forthwith went his wayM
To dare the deed some coming nightQ
I kept the watch with shaking sightQ
The moon at moments breaking brightQ
At others glooming grayM
-
Three full days I heard no soundQ
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon MoorC
I heard no sound at all aroundQ
Whether his fay prevailedQ
Or one malign the master wereC
Till some afoot did tidings bearC
How that for all his practised careC
He had been caught and jailedQ
-
They had heard a crash when twelve had chimedQ
By Mendip east of Dunkery TorC
When twelve had chimed and moonlight climbedQ
They watched and he was trackedQ
By arch and aisle and saint and knightQ
Of sculptured stonework sheeted whiteQ
In the cathedral's ghostly lightQ
And captured in the actQ
-
Yes for this Love he loved too wellB
Where Dunkery sights the Severn shoreC
All for this Love he loved too wellB
He burst the holy barsN
Seized golden vessels from the chestQ
To buy her ornaments of the bestQ
At her ill witchery's requestQ
And lure of eyes like starsN
-
When blustering March confused the skyH
In Toneborough Town by Exon MoorC
When blustering March confused the skyH
They stretched him and he diedQ
Down in the crowd where I to seeP
The end of him stood silentlyP
With a set face he lipped to meP
'Remember ' 'Ay ' I criedQ
-
By night and day I shadowed herC
From Toneborough Deane to Dunkery TorC
I shadowed her asleep astirC
And yet I could not bearC
Till Wrestler Joe anon beganL
To figure as her chosen manL
And took her to his shining vanL
To doom a form so fairC
-
He made it handsome for her sakeH
And Dunkery smiled to Exon MoorC
He made it handsome for her sakeH
Painting it out and inR
And on the door of apple greenS
A bright brass knocker soon was seenS
And window curtains white and cleanS
For her to sit withinR
-
And all could see she clave to himT
As cleaves a cloud to Dunkery TorC
Yea all could see she clave to himT
And every day I saidQ
'A pity it seems to part those twoU
That hourly grow to love more trueU
Yet she's the wanton woman whoU
Sent one to swing till dead '-
-
That blew to blazing all my hateQ
While Dunkery frowned on Exon MoorC
And when the river swelled her fateQ
Came to her pitilesslyP
I dogged her crying 'Across that plankH
They use as bridge to reach yon bankH
A coat and hat lie limp and dankH
Your goodman's can they be '-
-
She paled and went I close behindQ
And Exon frowned to Dunkery TorC
She went and I came up behindQ
And tipped the plank that boreC
Her fleetly flitting across to eyeH
What such might bode She slid awryH
And from the current came a cryH
A gurgle and no moreC
-
How that befell no mortal knewU
From Marlbury Downs to Exon MoorC
No mortal knew that deed undueU
But he who schemed the crimeV
Which night still covers But in dreamW
Those ropes of hair upon the streamW
He sees and he will hear that screamW
Until his judgment timeV

Thomas Hardy



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