The Gray Brother Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCB ADAD EFGF HDHD IBIB JKLK MHNO LBLB BPBP QBPB LBLB LRLR STST ULUL LCVC WBXB LTLU WYXY BZBZ YBUB A2LB2L UFUE ULUL C2D2E2D2 BYBY BTF2T LTYT YTG2T H2TYT BTYT TBTB LBLB

The Pope he was saying the high high massA
All on Saint Peter's dayB
With the power to him given by the saints of heavenC
To wash men's sins awayB
-
The Pope he was saying the blessed massA
And the people kneel'd aroundD
And from each man's soul his sins did passA
As he kiss'd the holy groundD
-
And all among the crowded throngE
Was still both limb and tongueF
While through vaulted roof and aisles aloofG
The holy accents rungF
-
At the holiest word he quiver'd for fearH
And falter'd in the soundD
And when he would the chalice rearH
He dropp'd it to the groundD
-
The breath of one of evil deedI
Pollutes our sacred dayB
He has no portion in our creedI
No part in what I sayB
-
A being whom no blessed wordJ
To ghostly peace can bringK
A wretch at whose approach abhorr'dL
Recoils each holy thingK
-
Up up unhappy haste ariseM
My adjuration fearH
I charge thee not to stop my voiceN
Nor longer tarry hereO
-
Amid them all a pilgrim kneel'dL
In gown of sackcloth greyB
Far journeying from his native fieldL
He first saw Rome that dayB
-
For forty days and nights so drearB
I ween he had not spokeP
And save with bread and water clearB
His fast he ne'er had brokeP
-
Amid the penitential flockQ
Seem'd none more bent to prayB
But when the Holy Father spokeP
He rose and went his wayB
-
Again unto his native landL
His weary course he drewB
To Lothian's fair and fertile strandL
And Pentland's mountains blueB
-
His unblest feet his native seatL
'Mid Eske's fair woods regainR
Thro' woods more fair no stream more sweetL
Rolls to the eastern mainR
-
And lords to meet the pilgrim cameS
And vassals bent the kneeT
For all 'mid Scotland's chiefs of fameS
Was none more famed than heT
-
And boldly for his country stillU
In battle he had stoodL
Ay even when on the banks of TillU
Her noblest pour'd their bloodL
-
Sweet are the paths O passing sweetL
By Eske's fair streams that runC
O'er airy steep through copsewood deepV
Impervious to the sunC
-
There the rapt poet's step may roveW
And yield the muse the dayB
There Beauty led by timid LoveX
May shun the tell tale rayB
-
From that fair dome where suit is paidL
By blast of bugle freeT
To Auchendinny's hazel gladeL
And haunted WoodhouseleeU
-
Who knows not Melville's beechy groveW
And Roslin's rocky glenY
Dalkeith which all the virtues loveX
And classic HawthorndenY
-
Yet never a path from day to dayB
The pilgrim's footsteps rangeZ
Save but the solitary wayB
To Burndale's ruin'd grangeZ
-
A woful place was that I weenY
As sorrow could desireB
For nodding to the fall was each crumbling wallU
And the roof was scathed with fireB
-
It fell upon a summer's eveA2
While on Carnethy's headL
The last faint gleams of the sun's low beamsB2
Had streak'd the grey with redL
-
And the convent bell did vespers tellU
Newbattle's oaks amongF
And mingled with the solemn knellU
Our Ladye's evening songE
-
The heavy knell the choir's faint swellU
Came slowly down the windL
And on the pilgrim's ear they fellU
As his wonted path he did findL
-
Deep sunk in thought I ween he wasC2
Nor ever raised his eyeD2
Until he came to that dreary placeE2
Which did all in ruins lieD2
-
He gazed on the walls so scathed with fireB
With many a bitter groanY
And there was aware of a Gray FriarB
Resting him on a stoneY
-
Now Christ thee save said the Gray BrotherB
Some pilgrim thou seemest to beT
But in sore amaze did Lord Albert gazeF2
Nor answer again made heT
-
O come ye from east or come ye from westL
Or bring reliques from over the seaT
Or come ye from the shrine of St James the divineY
Or St John of BeverleyT
-
I come not from the shrine of St James the divineY
Nor bring reliques from over the seaT
I bring but a curse from our father the PopeG2
Which for ever will cling to meT
-
Now woful pilgrim say not soH2
But kneel thee down to meT
And shrive thee so clean of thy deadly sinY
That absolved thou mayst beT
-
-
And who art thou thou Gray BrotherB
That I should shrive to theeT
When He to whom are given the keys of earth and heavenY
Has no power to pardon meT
-
O I am sent from a distant climeT
Five thousand miles awayB
And all to absolve a foul foul crimeT
Done here 'twixt night and dayB
-
The pilgrim kneel'd him on the sandL
And thus began his sayeB
When on his neck an ice cold handL
Did that Gray Brother layeB

Walter Scott (sir)



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