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 UCUVWWWVPART I | A |
- | |
'I have a Love I love too well | B |
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor | C |
I have a Love I love too well | B |
To whom ere she was mine | D |
'Such is my love for you ' I said | E |
'That you shall have to hood your head | E |
A silken kerchief crimson red | E |
Wove finest of the fine ' | - |
- | |
'And since this Love for one mad moon | F |
On Exon Wild by Dunkery Tor | G |
Since this my Love for one mad moon | F |
Did clasp me as her king | H |
I snatched a silk piece red and rare | I |
From off a stall at Priddy Fair | I |
For handkerchief to hood her hair | I |
When we went gallanting | H |
- | |
'Full soon the four weeks neared their end | J |
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor | C |
And when the four weeks neared their end | J |
And their swift sweets outwore | C |
I said 'What shall I do to own | K |
Those beauties bright as tulips blown | K |
And keep you here with me alone | K |
As mine for evermore ' | - |
- | |
'And as she drowsed within my van | L |
On Exon Wild by Dunkery Tor | C |
And as she drowsed within my van | L |
And dawning turned to day | M |
She heavily raised her sloe black eyes | N |
And murmured back in softest wise | N |
'One more thing and the charms you prize | N |
Are yours henceforth for aye | A |
- | |
''And swear I will I'll never go | H |
While Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor | C |
To meet the Cornish Wrestler Joe | H |
For dance and dallyings | N |
If you'll to yon cathedral shrine | D |
And finger from the chest divine | D |
Treasure to buy me ear drops fine | D |
And richly jewelled rings ' | - |
- | |
'I said 'I am one who has gathered gear | C |
From Marlbury Downs to Dunkery Tor | C |
Who has gathered gear for many a year | C |
From mansion mart and fair | C |
But at God's house I've stayed my hand | O |
Hearing within me some command | O |
Curbed by a law not of the land | O |
From doing damage there ' | - |
- | |
'Whereat she pouts this Love of mine | D |
As Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor | C |
And still she pouts this Love of mine | D |
So cityward I go | H |
But ere I start to do the thing | H |
And speed my souls imperilling | H |
One who is my ravishing | H |
And all the joy I know | H |
- | |
'I come to lay this charge on thee | P |
On Exon Wild by Dunkery Tor | C |
I come to lay this charge on thee | P |
With solemn speech and sign | D |
Should things go ill and my life pay | M |
For botchery in this rash assay | P |
You are to take hers likewise yea | M |
The month the law takes mine | D |
- | |
'For should my rival Wrestler Joe | H |
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor | C |
My reckless rival Wrestler Joe | H |
My Love's possessor be | P |
My tortured spirit would not rest | Q |
But wander weary and distrest | Q |
Throughout the world in wild protest | Q |
The thought nigh maddens me ' | - |
- | |
PART II | A |
- | |
Thus did he speak this brother of mine | D |
On Exon Wild by Dunkery Tor | C |
Born at my birth of mother of mine | D |
And forthwith went his way | M |
To dare the deed some coming night | Q |
I kept the watch with shaking sight | Q |
The moon at moments breaking bright | Q |
At others glooming gray | M |
- | |
Three full days I heard no sound | Q |
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor | C |
I heard no sound at all around | Q |
Whether his fay prevailed | Q |
Or one malign the master were | C |
Till some afoot did tidings bear | C |
How that for all his practised care | C |
He had been caught and jailed | Q |
- | |
They had heard a crash when twelve had chimed | Q |
By Mendip east of Dunkery Tor | C |
When twelve had chimed and moonlight climbed | Q |
They watched and he was tracked | Q |
By arch and aisle and saint and knight | Q |
Of sculptured stonework sheeted white | Q |
In the cathedral's ghostly light | Q |
And captured in the act | Q |
- | |
Yes for this Love he loved too well | B |
Where Dunkery sights the Severn shore | C |
All for this Love he loved too well | B |
He burst the holy bars | N |
Seized golden vessels from the chest | Q |
To buy her ornaments of the best | Q |
At her ill witchery's request | Q |
And lure of eyes like stars | N |
- | |
When blustering March confused the sky | H |
In Toneborough Town by Exon Moor | C |
When blustering March confused the sky | H |
They stretched him and he died | Q |
Down in the crowd where I to see | P |
The end of him stood silently | P |
With a set face he lipped to me | P |
'Remember ' 'Ay ' I cried | Q |
- | |
By night and day I shadowed her | C |
From Toneborough Deane to Dunkery Tor | C |
I shadowed her asleep astir | C |
And yet I could not bear | C |
Till Wrestler Joe anon began | L |
To figure as her chosen man | L |
And took her to his shining van | L |
To doom a form so fair | C |
- | |
He made it handsome for her sake | H |
And Dunkery smiled to Exon Moor | C |
He made it handsome for her sake | H |
Painting it out and in | R |
And on the door of apple green | S |
A bright brass knocker soon was seen | S |
And window curtains white and clean | S |
For her to sit within | R |
- | |
And all could see she clave to him | T |
As cleaves a cloud to Dunkery Tor | C |
Yea all could see she clave to him | T |
And every day I said | Q |
'A pity it seems to part those two | U |
That hourly grow to love more true | U |
Yet she's the wanton woman who | U |
Sent one to swing till dead ' | - |
- | |
That blew to blazing all my hate | Q |
While Dunkery frowned on Exon Moor | C |
And when the river swelled her fate | Q |
Came to her pitilessly | P |
I dogged her crying 'Across that plank | H |
They use as bridge to reach yon bank | H |
A coat and hat lie limp and dank | H |
Your goodman's can they be ' | - |
- | |
She paled and went I close behind | Q |
And Exon frowned to Dunkery Tor | C |
She went and I came up behind | Q |
And tipped the plank that bore | C |
Her fleetly flitting across to eye | H |
What such might bode She slid awry | H |
And from the current came a cry | H |
A gurgle and no more | C |
- | |
How that befell no mortal knew | U |
From Marlbury Downs to Exon Moor | C |
No mortal knew that deed undue | U |
But he who schemed the crime | V |
Which night still covers But in dream | W |
Those ropes of hair upon the stream | W |
He sees and he will hear that scream | W |
Until his judgment time | V |
Thomas Hardy
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