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 trees | A |
The bees had housed in swarms | B |
And grey hair'd peasants say that these | A |
Betoken foreign arms | C |
- | |
Then look'd we down to Willisow | C |
The land was all in flame | D |
We knew the Archduke Leopold | E |
With all his army came | D |
- | |
The Austrian nobles made their vow | F |
So hot their heart and bold | E |
On Switzer carles we'll trample now | F |
And slay both young and old | E |
- | |
With clarion loud and banner proud | G |
From Zurich on the lake | H |
In martial pomp and fair array | I |
Their onward march they make | H |
- | |
Now list ye lowland nobles all | J |
Ye seek the mountain strand | K |
Nor wot ye what shall be your lot | L |
In such a dangerous land | K |
- | |
I rede ye shrive ye of your sins | C |
Before ye farther go | M |
A skirmish in Helvetian hills | C |
May send your souls to woe | M |
- | |
But where now shall we find a priest | N |
Our shrift that he may hear | O |
The Switzer priest has ta'en the field | P |
He deals a penance drear | O |
- | |
Right heavily upon your head | Q |
He'll lay his hand of steel | R |
And with his trusty partisan | S |
Your absolution deal | R |
- | |
'Twas on a Monday morning then | T |
The corn was steep'd in dew | U |
And merry maids had sickles ta'en | T |
When the host to Sempach drew | U |
- | |
The stalwart men of fair Lucerne | V |
Together have they join'd | W |
The pith and core of manhood stern | V |
Was none cast looks behind | X |
- | |
It was the Lord of Hare castle | Y |
And to the duke he said | Q |
Yon little band of brethren true | U |
Will meet us undismay'd | Q |
- | |
O Hare castle thou heart of hare | O |
Fierce Oxenstern replied | Q |
Shalt see then how the game will fare | O |
The taunted knight replied | Q |
- | |
There was lacing then of helmets bright | Q |
And closing ranks amain | V |
The peaks they hew'd from their boot points | C |
Might wellnigh load a wain | V |
- | |
And thus they to each other said | Q |
Yon handful down to hew | U |
Will be no boastful tale to tell | Z |
The peasants are so few | U |
- | |
The gallant Swiss Confederates there | O |
They pray'd to God aloud | Q |
And he dismay'd his rainbow fair | O |
Against a swarthy cloud | Q |
- | |
Then heart and pulse throbb'd more and more | O |
With courage firm and high | A2 |
And down the good Confederates bore | O |
On the Austrian chivalry | O |
- | |
The Austrian Lion 'gan to growl | B2 |
And toss his mane and tail | C2 |
And ball and shaft and crossbow bolt | Q |
Went whistling forth like hail | C2 |
- | |
Lance pike and halbert mingled there | O |
The game was nothing sweet | Q |
The boughs of many a stately tree | O |
Lay shiver'd at their feet | Q |
- | |
The Austrian met at arms stood fast | Q |
So close their spears they laid | Q |
It chafed the gallant Winkelreid | Q |
Who to his comrades said | Q |
- | |
I have a virtuous wife at home | D2 |
A wife and infant son | V |
I leave them to my country's care | O |
This field shall soon be won | V |
- | |
These nobles lay their spears right thick | E2 |
And keep full firm array | O |
Yet shall my charge their order break | H |
And make my brethren way | O |
- | |
He rush'd against the Austrian hand | Q |
In desperate career | O |
And with his body breast and hand | Q |
Bore down each hostile spear | O |
- | |
Four lances splinter'd on his crest | Q |
Six shiver'd in his side | Q |
Still on the serried files he press'd | Q |
He broke their ranks and died | Q |
- | |
This patriot's self devoted deed | Q |
First tamed the Lion's mood | Q |
And the four forest cantons freed | Q |
From thraldom by his blood | Q |
- | |
Right where his charge had made a lane | V |
His valiant comrades burst | Q |
With sword and axe and partisan | V |
And hack and stab and thrust | Q |
- | |
The daunted Lion 'gan to whine | V |
And granted ground amain | V |
The Mountain Bull he bent his brows | C |
And gored his sides again | V |
- | |
Then lost was banner spear and shield | Q |
At Sempach in the flight | Q |
The cloister vaults at Konig's field | Q |
Hold many an Austrian knight | Q |
- | |
It was the Archduke Leopold | Q |
So lordly would he ride | Q |
But he came against the Switzer churls | C |
And they slew him in his pride | Q |
- | |
The heifer said unto the bull | F2 |
And shall I not complain | V |
There came a foreign nobleman | V |
To milk me on the plain | V |
- | |
One thrust of thine outrageous horn | V |
Has gall'd the knight so sore | O |
That to the churchyard he is borne | V |
To range our glens no more | O |
- | |
An Austrian noble left the stour | O |
- | |
And fast the flight 'gan take | H |
And he arrived in luckless hour | O |
At Sempach on the lake | H |
- | |
He and his squire a fisher call'd | Q |
His name was Hans Von Rot | Q |
For love or meed or charity | Q |
Receive us in thy boat | Q |
- | |
Their anxious call the fisher heard | Q |
And glad the meed to win | V |
His shallop to the shore he steer'd | Q |
And took the flyers in | V |
- | |
And while against the tide and wind | Q |
Hans stoutly row'd his way | O |
The noble to his follower sign'd | Q |
He should the boatman slay | O |
- | |
The fisher's back was to them turn'd | Q |
The squire his dagger drew | O |
Hans saw his shadow in the lake | H |
The boat he overthrew | O |
- | |
He 'whelmed the boat and as they strove | G2 |
He stunn'd them with his oar | O |
Now drink ye deep my gentle sirs | C |
You'll ne'er stab boatman more | O |
- | |
Two gilded fishes in the lake | H |
This morning have I caught | Q |
Their silver scales may much avail | C2 |
Their carrion flesh is naught | Q |
- | |
It was a messenger of woe | M |
Has sought the Austrian land | Q |
Ah gracious lady evil news | C |
My lord lies on the strand | Q |
- | |
At Sempach on the battle field | Q |
His bloody corpse lies there | O |
Ah gracious God the lady cried | Q |
What tidings of despair | O |
- | |
Now would you know the minstrel wight | Q |
Who sings of strife so stern | V |
Albert the Souter is he hight | Q |
A burgher of Lucerne | V |
- | |
A merry man was he I wot | Q |
The night he made the lay | O |
Returning from the bloody spot | Q |
Where God had judged the day | O |
Walter Scott (sir)
(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)
Best Poems of Walter Scott (sir)