Sir Hornbook Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCBC DEDE FGFG ACAC HIHI JDKKKD LMLL NONO A GPQR STST LULU PVPV WXYX ZXZXZX LXLX ZLZZL A GXQX HXHHX HA2HA2 LLLL A XXXX B2RC2R XD2XD2 RZRZ E2RE2R XXXX XF2XF2 ZRZR LLLL LRLR RARA ZLZL R XZXZ LXLXLX LXLX XRXR XB2XB2 G2XG2X ZLZL ZLZL A XXXX RH2RH2 I2ZI2Z J2ZK2Z UXUX XF2XXXF2 ZF2ZF2 LD2LD2 F2XF2X ZF2ZF2 XXXX XRXR ALAL XRXR XLXL A AF2AF2 XL2XL2 F2XF2XF2X F2

IA
-
O'er bush and briar Childe Launcelot sprungB
With ardent hopes elateC
And loudly blew the horn that hungB
Before Sir Hornbook's gateC
-
The inner portals opened wideD
And forward strode the chiefE
Arrayed in paper helmet's prideD
And arms of golden leafE
-
What means he cried This daring noiseF
That wakes the summer dayG
I hate all idle truant boysF
Away Sir Childe awayG
-
No idle truant boy am IA
Childe Launcelot answered straightC
Resolved to climb this hill so highA
I seek thy castle gateC
-
Behold the talisman I bearH
And aid my bold designI
Sir Hornbook gazed and written thereH
Knew Emulation's signI
-
If Emulation sent thee hereJ
Sir Hornbook quick repliedD
My merrymen all shall soon appearK
To aid thy cause with shield and spearK
And I will head thy bold careerK
And prove thy faithful guideD
-
Loud rung the chains the drawbridge fellL
The gates asunder flewM
The knight thrice beat the portal bellL
And thrice he call'd HallooL
-
And out and out in hasty routN
By ones twos threes and foursO
His merrymen rush'd the walls withoutN
And stood before the doorsO
-
-
IIA
-
Full six and twenty men were theyG
In line of battle spreadP
The first that came was mighty AQ
The last was little ZR
-
Six Vocal men Sir Hornbook hadS
Four Double men to bootT
And four were Liquids soft and sadS
And all the rest were MuteT
-
He called his Corporal SyllableL
To range the scatter'd throngU
And Captain Word dispos'd them wellL
In bands compact and strongU
-
Now mark Sir Childe Sir Hornbook saidP
These well compacted powersV
Shall lead thy vent'rous steps to treadP
Through all the Muses' bowersV
-
If rightly thou thyself addressW
To use their proffer'd aidX
Still unallur'd by idlenessY
By labor undismay'dX
-
For many troubles interveneZ
And perils widely spreadX
Around the groves of evergreenZ
That crown this mountain's headX
But rich reward he finds I weenZ
Who through them all has spedX
-
Childe Launcelot felt his bosom glowL
At thought of noble deedX
Resolved through every path to goL
Where that bold knight should leadX
-
Sir Hornbook wound his bugle hornZ
Full long and loud and shrillL
His merrymen all for conquest bornZ
With armour glittering to the mornZ
Went marching up the hillL
-
-
IIIA
-
What men are you beside the wayG
The bold Sir Hornbook criedX
My name is The my brother's AQ
Sir Article repliedX
-
My brother's home is any whereH
At large and undefin'dX
But I a preference ever bearH
For one fix'd spot and settle thereH
Which speaks my constant mindX
-
What ho Childe Launcelot seize them thereH
And look you have them sureA2
Sir Hornbook cried my men shall bearH
Your captives off secureA2
-
The twain were seized Sir Hornbook blewL
His bugle loud and shrillL
His merrymen all so stout and trueL
Went marching up the hillL
-
-
IVA
-
And now a wider space they gainedX
A steeper harder groundX
Where by one ample wall containedX
All earthly things they foundX
-
All beings rich poor weak or wiseB2
Were there full strange to seeR
And attributes and qualitiesC2
Of high and low degreeR
-
Before the circle stood a knightX
Sir Substantive his nameD2
With Adjective his lady brightX
Who seemed a portly dameD2
-
Yet only seemed for whenso'erR
She strove to stand aloneZ
She proved no more than smoke and airR
Who looked like flesh and boneZ
-
And therefore to her husband's armE2
She clung for evermoreR
And lent him many a grace and charmE2
He had not known beforeR
-
Yet these the knight felt well advisedX
He might have done withoutX
For lightly foreign help he prizedX
He was so staunch and stoutX
-
Five sons had they their dear delightX
Of different forms and facesF2
And two of them were Numbers brightX
And three they christened CasesF2
-
Now loudly rung Sir Hornbook's hornZ
Childe Launcelot poised his spearR
And on they rushed to conquest borneZ
In swift and full careerR
-
Sir Substantive kicked down the wallL
It fell with furious rattleL
And earthly things and beings allL
Rushed forth to join the battleL
-
But earthly things and beings allL
Through mixed in boundless plentyR
Must one by one dissolving fallL
To Hornbook's six and twentyR
-
Childe Launcelot won the arduous frayR
And when they ceased from strifeA
Led stout Sir Substantive awayR
His children and his wifeA
-
Sir Hornbook wound his horn againZ
Full long and loud and shrillL
His merrymen all a warlike trainZ
Went marching up the hillL
-
-
VR
-
Now when Sir Pronoun look'd abroadX
And spied the coming trainZ
He left his fort beside the roadX
And ran with might and mainZ
-
Two cloth yard shafts from I and UL
Went forth with whizzing soundX
Like lightning sped the arrows trueL
Sir Pronoun pressed the groundX
But darts of science ever flewL
To conquer not to woundX
-
His fear was great his hurt was smallL
Childe Launcelot took his handX
Sir Knight said he though doomed to fallL
Before my conquering bandX
-
Yet knightly treatment shall you findX
On faith of cavalierR
Then join Sir Substantive behindX
And follow our careerR
-
Sir Substantive that man of mightX
Felt knightly anger riseB2
For he had marked Sir Pronoun's flightX
With no approving eyesB2
-
Great Substantive my sovereign liegeG2
Thus sad Sir Pronoun criedX
When you had fallen in furious siegeG2
Could I the shock abideX
-
That all resistance would be vainZ
Too well alas I knewL
For what could I when you were ta'enZ
Your poor lieutenant doL
-
Then louder rung Sir Hornbook's hornZ
In signals long and shrillL
His merrymen all for conquest bornZ
Went marching up the hillL
-
-
VIA
-
Now steeper grew the rising groundX
And rougher grew the roadX
As up the steep ascent they woundX
To bold Sir Verb's abodeX
-
Sir Verb was old and many a yearR
All scenes and climates seeingH2
Had run a wild and strange careerR
Through every mode of beingH2
-
And every aspect shape and changeI2
Of action and of passionZ
And known to him was all the rangeI2
Of feeling taste and fashionZ
-
He was an Augur quite at homeJ2
In all things present doneZ
Deeds past and every act to comeK2
In ages yet to runZ
-
Entrenched in intricacies strongU
Ditch fort and palisadoX
He marked with scorn the coming throngU
And breathed a bold bravadoX
-
Ho who are you that dare invadeX
My turrets moats and fencesF2
Soon will your vaunting courage fadeX
When you on the walls in lines array'dX
You see me marshal undismay'dX
My host of moods and tensesF2
-
In vain Childe Launcelot cried in scornZ
On them is your relianceF2
Sir Hornbook wound his bugle hornZ
And twange'd a loud defianceF2
-
They swam the moat they scal'd the wallL
Sir Verb with rage and shameD2
Beheld his valiant general fallL
Infinitive by nameD2
-
Indicative declar'd the foesF2
Should perish by his handX
And stout Imperative aroseF2
The squadron to commandX
-
Potential and Subjunctive thenZ
Came forth with doubt and chanceF2
All fell alike with all their menZ
Before Sir Hornbook's lanceF2
-
Action and Passion nought could doX
To save Sir Verb from fateX
Whose doom poor Participle knewX
He must participateX
-
Then Adverb who had skulk'd behindX
To shun the mighty jarR
Came forward and himself resign'dX
A prisoner of warR
-
Three children of ImperativeA
Full strong though somewhat smallL
Next forward came themselves to giveA
To conquering Launcelot's thrallL
-
Conjunction press'd to join the crowdX
But Preposition sworeR
Though Interjection sobb'd aloudX
That he would go beforeR
-
Again his horn Sir Hornbook blewX
Full long and loud and shrillL
His merrymen all so stout and trueX
Went marching up the hillL
-
-
VIIA
-
Sir Syntax dwelt in thick fir groveA
All strown with scraps of flowersF2
Which he had pluck'd to please his loveA
Among the Muses' bowersF2
-
His love was gentle ProsodyX
More fair than morning beamL2
Who liv'd beneath a flowering treeX
Beside a falling streamL2
-
And these two claim'd with high pretenceF2
The whole Parnassian groundX
Albeit some little differenceF2
Between their taste was foundX
Sir Syntax he was all for senseF2
And Prosody for soundX
-
Yet in them both the MusesF2

Thomas Love Peacock



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Sir Hornbook poem by Thomas Love Peacock


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 0 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets