The Mary (a Sea-side Sketch) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABABCC DEDEDEFG HIHIHIJJ KLKLKLMM NONONOPP QRQSQRTT OHOHOHUU VUWUVUXX YZYZYZWW A2PA2PA2PB2W MC2MC2MC2U| Lov'st thou not Alice with the early tide | A |
| To see the hardy Fisher hoist his mast | B |
| And stretch his sail towards the ocean wide | A |
| Like God's own beadsman going forth to cast | B |
| His net into the deep which doth provide | A |
| Enormous bounties hidden in its vast | B |
| Bosom like Charity's for all who seek | C |
| And take its gracious boon thankful and meek | C |
| - | |
| The sea is bright with morning but the dark | D |
| Seems still to linger on his broad black sail | E |
| For it is early hoisted like a mark | D |
| For the low sun to shoot at with his pale | E |
| And level beams All round the shadowy bark | D |
| The green wave glimmers and the gentle gale | E |
| Swells in her canvas till the waters show | F |
| The keel's new speed and whiten at the bow | G |
| - | |
| Then look abaft for thou canst understand | H |
| That phrase and there he sitteth at the stern | I |
| Grasping the tiller in his broad brown hand | H |
| The hardy Fisherman Thou may'st discern | I |
| Ten fathoms off the wrinkles in the tann'd | H |
| And honest countenance that he will turn | I |
| To look upon us with a quiet gaze | J |
| As we are passing on our several ways | J |
| - | |
| So some ten days ago on such a morn | K |
| The Mary like a seamew sought her spoil | L |
| Amongst the finny race 'twas when the corn | K |
| Woo'd the sharp sickle and the golden toil | L |
| Summon'd all rustic hands to fill the horn | K |
| Of Ceres to the brim that brave turmoil | L |
| Was at the prime and Woodgate went to reap | M |
| His harvest too upon the broad blue deep | M |
| - | |
| His mast was up his anchor heaved aboard | N |
| His mainsail stretching in the first gray gleams | O |
| Of morning for the wind Ben's eye was stored | N |
| With fishes fishes swam in all his dreams | O |
| And all the goodly east seem'd but a hoard | N |
| Of silvery fishes that in shoals and streams | O |
| Groped into the deep dusk that fill'd the sky | P |
| For him to catch in meshes of his eye | P |
| - | |
| For Ben had the true sailor's sanguine heart | Q |
| And saw the future with a boy's brave thought | R |
| No doubts nor faint misgivings had a part | Q |
| In his bright visions ay before he caught | S |
| His fish he sold them in the scaly mart | Q |
| And summ'd the net proceeds This should have brought | R |
| Despair upon him when his hopes were foil'd | T |
| But though one crop was marr'd again he toil'd | T |
| - | |
| And sow'd his seed afresh Many foul blights | O |
| Perish'd his hard won gains yet he had plann'd | H |
| No schemes of too extravagant delights | O |
| No goodly houses on the Goodwin sand | H |
| But a small humble home and loving nights | O |
| Such as his honest heart and earnest hand | H |
| Might fairly purchase Were these hopes too airy | U |
| Such as they were they rested on thee Mary | U |
| - | |
| She was the prize of many a toilsome year | V |
| And hardwon wages on the perilous sea | U |
| Of savings ever since the shipboy's tear | W |
| Was shed for home that lay beyond the lee | U |
| She was purveyor for his other dear | V |
| Mary and for the infant yet to be | U |
| Fruit of their married loves These made him dote | X |
| Upon the homely beauties of his boat | X |
| - | |
| Whose pitch black hull roll'd darkly on the wave | Y |
| No gayer than one single stripe of blue | Z |
| Could make her swarthy sides She seem'd a slave | Y |
| A negro among boats that only knew | Z |
| Hardship and rugged toil no pennons brave | Y |
| Flaunted upon the mast but oft a few | Z |
| Dark dripping jackets flutter'd to the air | W |
| Ensigns of hardihood and toilsome care | W |
| - | |
| And when she ventured for the deep she spread | A2 |
| A tawny sail against the sunbright sky | P |
| Dark as a cloud that journeys overhead | A2 |
| But then those tawny wings were stretch'd to fly | P |
| Across the wide sea desert for the bread | A2 |
| Of babes and mothers many an anxious eye | P |
| Dwelt on her course and many a fervent pray'r | B2 |
| Invoked the Heavens to protect and spare | W |
| - | |
| Where is she now The secrets of the deep | M |
| Are dark and hidden from the human ken | C2 |
| Only the sea bird saw the surges sweep | M |
| Over the bark of the devoted Ben | C2 |
| Meanwhile a widow sobs and orphans weep | M |
| And sighs are heard from weatherbeaten men | C2 |
| Dark sunburnt men uncouth and rude and hairy | U |
| While loungers idly ask 'Where is the Mary ' | - |
Thomas Hood
(1)
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About The Mary (a Sea-side Sketch)
The Mary (a Sea-side Sketch) is a poem by Thomas Hood. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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