The Battle Of Sempach Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAC CDED FEFE GHIH JKLK CMCM NOPO QRSR TUTU VWVX YQUQ OQOQ QVCV QUZU OQOQ OA2OO B2C2QC2 OQOQ QQQQ D2VOV E2OHO QOQO QQQQ QQQQ VQVQ VVCV QQQQ QQCQ F2VVV VOVO O HOH QQQQ QVQV QOQO QOHO G2OCO HQC2Q MQCQ QOQO QVQV QOQO

'Twas when among our linden treesA
The bees had housed in swarmsB
And grey hair'd peasants say that theseA
Betoken foreign armsC
-
Then look'd we down to WillisowC
The land was all in flameD
We knew the Archduke LeopoldE
With all his army cameD
-
The Austrian nobles made their vowF
So hot their heart and boldE
On Switzer carles we'll trample nowF
And slay both young and oldE
-
With clarion loud and banner proudG
From Zurich on the lakeH
In martial pomp and fair arrayI
Their onward march they makeH
-
Now list ye lowland nobles allJ
Ye seek the mountain strandK
Nor wot ye what shall be your lotL
In such a dangerous landK
-
I rede ye shrive ye of your sinsC
Before ye farther goM
A skirmish in Helvetian hillsC
May send your souls to woeM
-
But where now shall we find a priestN
Our shrift that he may hearO
The Switzer priest has ta'en the fieldP
He deals a penance drearO
-
Right heavily upon your headQ
He'll lay his hand of steelR
And with his trusty partisanS
Your absolution dealR
-
'Twas on a Monday morning thenT
The corn was steep'd in dewU
And merry maids had sickles ta'enT
When the host to Sempach drewU
-
The stalwart men of fair LucerneV
Together have they join'dW
The pith and core of manhood sternV
Was none cast looks behindX
-
It was the Lord of Hare castleY
And to the duke he saidQ
Yon little band of brethren trueU
Will meet us undismay'dQ
-
O Hare castle thou heart of hareO
Fierce Oxenstern repliedQ
Shalt see then how the game will fareO
The taunted knight repliedQ
-
There was lacing then of helmets brightQ
And closing ranks amainV
The peaks they hew'd from their boot pointsC
Might wellnigh load a wainV
-
And thus they to each other saidQ
Yon handful down to hewU
Will be no boastful tale to tellZ
The peasants are so fewU
-
The gallant Swiss Confederates thereO
They pray'd to God aloudQ
And he dismay'd his rainbow fairO
Against a swarthy cloudQ
-
Then heart and pulse throbb'd more and moreO
With courage firm and highA2
And down the good Confederates boreO
On the Austrian chivalryO
-
The Austrian Lion 'gan to growlB2
And toss his mane and tailC2
And ball and shaft and crossbow boltQ
Went whistling forth like hailC2
-
Lance pike and halbert mingled thereO
The game was nothing sweetQ
The boughs of many a stately treeO
Lay shiver'd at their feetQ
-
The Austrian met at arms stood fastQ
So close their spears they laidQ
It chafed the gallant WinkelreidQ
Who to his comrades saidQ
-
I have a virtuous wife at homeD2
A wife and infant sonV
I leave them to my country's careO
This field shall soon be wonV
-
These nobles lay their spears right thickE2
And keep full firm arrayO
Yet shall my charge their order breakH
And make my brethren wayO
-
He rush'd against the Austrian handQ
In desperate careerO
And with his body breast and handQ
Bore down each hostile spearO
-
Four lances splinter'd on his crestQ
Six shiver'd in his sideQ
Still on the serried files he press'dQ
He broke their ranks and diedQ
-
This patriot's self devoted deedQ
First tamed the Lion's moodQ
And the four forest cantons freedQ
From thraldom by his bloodQ
-
Right where his charge had made a laneV
His valiant comrades burstQ
With sword and axe and partisanV
And hack and stab and thrustQ
-
The daunted Lion 'gan to whineV
And granted ground amainV
The Mountain Bull he bent his browsC
And gored his sides againV
-
Then lost was banner spear and shieldQ
At Sempach in the flightQ
The cloister vaults at Konig's fieldQ
Hold many an Austrian knightQ
-
It was the Archduke LeopoldQ
So lordly would he rideQ
But he came against the Switzer churlsC
And they slew him in his prideQ
-
The heifer said unto the bullF2
And shall I not complainV
There came a foreign noblemanV
To milk me on the plainV
-
One thrust of thine outrageous hornV
Has gall'd the knight so soreO
That to the churchyard he is borneV
To range our glens no moreO
-
An Austrian noble left the stourO
-
And fast the flight 'gan takeH
And he arrived in luckless hourO
At Sempach on the lakeH
-
He and his squire a fisher call'dQ
His name was Hans Von RotQ
For love or meed or charityQ
Receive us in thy boatQ
-
Their anxious call the fisher heardQ
And glad the meed to winV
His shallop to the shore he steer'dQ
And took the flyers inV
-
And while against the tide and windQ
Hans stoutly row'd his wayO
The noble to his follower sign'dQ
He should the boatman slayO
-
The fisher's back was to them turn'dQ
The squire his dagger drewO
Hans saw his shadow in the lakeH
The boat he overthrewO
-
He 'whelmed the boat and as they stroveG2
He stunn'd them with his oarO
Now drink ye deep my gentle sirsC
You'll ne'er stab boatman moreO
-
Two gilded fishes in the lakeH
This morning have I caughtQ
Their silver scales may much availC2
Their carrion flesh is naughtQ
-
It was a messenger of woeM
Has sought the Austrian landQ
Ah gracious lady evil newsC
My lord lies on the strandQ
-
At Sempach on the battle fieldQ
His bloody corpse lies thereO
Ah gracious God the lady criedQ
What tidings of despairO
-
Now would you know the minstrel wightQ
Who sings of strife so sternV
Albert the Souter is he hightQ
A burgher of LucerneV
-
A merry man was he I wotQ
The night he made the layO
Returning from the bloody spotQ
Where God had judged the dayO

Walter Scott (sir)



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about The Battle Of Sempach poem by Walter Scott (sir)


 

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