Thomas The Rhymer Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCDED FGGG HGGG IGIG IGJG KGJG IGLG IIMI GIII NGOG IOOO IGOG IPIQ MOIP GOGO IORP GPOQ IPSP PTIP UGIG I GVCV IPIP WPIP OPXP XPGP PPPP IPIP OIII GPGP IPGPG IPIP IPIP GPIP KIYI GGGG GPKPKP PPGP GPZP OPIP I GIGI GA2KA2 IPIP GPGP GPGP IGIG MPPP PWPW GPGP IB2IB2 PPPP IPIP IIII MIMI GIGI IC2IC2 PIPI PTPP WIWI IMIM D2PD2P PE2PE2 IPIP F2PF2P PPPP IPIP KPIP IPIP IPIP IGIG IPGP IMIM IPIP GPGP PPPP RWG2M IGIG PIPI IPIP GGGG

Part FirstA
-
AncientB
True Thomas lay on Huntlie bankC
A ferlie he spied wi' his eeD
And there he saw a lady brightE
Come riding down by the Eildon TreeD
-
Her skirt was o the grass green silkF
Her mantle o the velvet fyneG
At ilka tett of her horse's maneG
Hang fifty siller bells and nineG
-
True Thomas he pulld aff his capH
And louted low down to his kneeG
All hail thou mighty Queen of HeavenG
For thy peer on earth I never did seeG
-
O no O no Thomas she saidI
That name does not belang to meG
I am but the queen of fair ElflandI
That am hither come to visit theeG
-
Harp and carp Thomas she saidI
Harp and carp along wi' meG
And if ye dare to kiss my lipsJ
Sure of your bodie I will beG
-
Betide me weal betide me woeK
That weird sall never daunton meG
Syne he has kissed her rosy lipsJ
All underneath the Eildon TreeG
-
Now ye maun go wi me she saidI
True Thomas ye maun go wi meG
And ye maun serve me seven yearsL
Thro weal or woe as may chance to beG
-
She mounted on her milk white steedI
She's taen True Thomas up behindI
And aye wheneer her bride rungM
The steed flew swifter than the windI
-
O they rade on and farther onG
The steed gaed swifter than the windI
Until they reached a desart wideI
And living land was left behindI
-
Light down light down now True ThomasN
And lean your head upon my kneeG
Abide and rest a little spaceO
And I will shew you ferlies threeG
-
O see ye not yon narrow roadI
So thick beset with thorns and briersO
That is the path of righteousnessO
Tho after it but few enquiresO
-
And see ye not that braid braid roadI
That lies across that lily levenG
That is the path of wickednessO
Tho some call it the road to heavenG
-
And see not ye that bonny roadI
That winds about the fernie braeP
That is the road to fair ElflandI
Where thou and I this night maun gaeQ
-
But Thomas ye maun hold your tongueM
Whatever ye may hear or seeO
For if you speak word in Elflyn landI
Ye'll neer get back to your ain countrieP
-
O they rade on and farther onG
And they waded thro rivers aboon the kneeO
And they saw neither sun nor moonG
But they heard the roaring of the seaO
-
It was mirk mirk night and there was nae stern lightI
And they waded thro red blude to the kneeO
For a' the blude that's shed an earthR
Rins thro the springs o that countrieP
-
Syne they came on to a garden greenG
And she pu'd an apple frae a treeP
Take this for thy wages True ThomasO
It will give the tongue that can never lieQ
-
My tongue is mine ain True Thomas saidI
A gudely gift ye wad gie meP
I neither dought to buy nor sellS
At fair or tryst where I may beP
-
I dought neither speak to prince or peerP
Nor ask of grace from fair ladyeT
Now hold thy peace the lady saidI
For as I say so must it beP
-
He has gotten a coat of the even clothU
And a pair of shoes of velvet greenG
And till seven years were gane and pastI
True Thomas on earth was never seenG
-
Part SecondI
-
When seven years were come and ganeG
The sun blink'd fair on pool and streamV
And Thomas lay on Huntlie bankC
Like one awaken'd from a dreamV
-
He heard the trampling of a steedI
He saw the flash of armour fleeP
And he beheld a gallant knightI
Come riding down by the Eildon TreeP
-
He was a stalwart knight and strongW
Of giant make he 'pear'd to beP
He stirr'd his horse as he were wodeI
Wi' gilded spurs of faushion freeP
-
Says Well met well met true ThomasO
Some uncouth ferlies show to meP
Says Christ thee save Corspatrick braveX
Thrice welcome good Dunbar to meP
-
Light down light down Corspatrick braveX
And I will show thee curses threeP
Shall gar fair Scotland greet and graneG
And change the green to the black liveryP
-
A storm shall roar this very hourP
From Ross's hills to Solway seaP
Ye lied ye lied ye warlock hoarP
For the sun shines sweet on fauld and leeP
-
He put his hand on the Earlie's headI
He show'd him a rock beside the seaP
Where a king lay stiff beneath his steedI
And steel dight nobles wiped their eeP
-
The neist curse lights on Branxton hillsO
By Flodden's high and heathery sideI
Shall wave a banner red as bludeI
And chieftains throng wi' meikle prideI
-
A Scottish King shall come full keenG
The ruddy lion beareth heP
A feather'd arrow sharp I weenG
Shall make him wink and warre to seeP
-
When he is bloody and all to bleddeI
Thus to his men he still shall sayP
'For God's sake turn ye back againG
And give yon southern folk a frayP
Why should I lose the right is mineG
My doom is not to die this day '-
-
Yet turn ye to the eastern handI
And woe and wonder ye sall seeP
How forty thousand spearmen standI
Where yon rank river meets the seaP
-
There shall the lion lose the gylteI
And the libbards bear it clean awayP
At Pinkyn Cleuch there shall be spiltI
Much gentil bluid that dayP
-
Enough enough of curse and banG
Some blessings show thou now to meP
Or by the faith o' my bodie Corspatrick saidI
Ye shall rue the day ye e'er saw meP
-
The first of blessings I shall thee showK
Is by a burn that's call'd of breadI
Where Saxon men shall tine the bowY
And find their arrows lack the headI
-
Beside that brigg out ower that burnG
Where the water bickereth bright and sheenG
Shall many a fallen courser spurnG
And knights shall die in battle keenG
-
Beside a headless cross of stoneG
The libbards there shall lose the greeP
The raven shall come the erne shall goK
And drink the Saxon bluid sae freeP
The cross of stone they shall not knowK
So thick the corses there shall beP
-
But tell me now said brave DunbarP
True Thomas tell now unto meP
What man shall rule the isle of BritainG
Even from the north to the southern seaP
-
A French Queen shall bear the sonG
Shall rule all Britain to the seaP
He of the Bruce's blood shall comeZ
As near as in the ninth degreeP
-
The waters worship shall his raceO
Likewise the waves of the farthest seaP
For they shall ride over ocean wideI
With hempen bridles and horse of treeP
-
Part ThirdI
-
When seven years more were come and goneG
Was war through Scotland spreadI
And Ruberslaw show'd high DunyonG
His beacon blazing redI
-
Then all by bonny ColdingknowG
Pitch'd palliouns took their roomA2
And crested helms and spears a roweK
Glanced gaily through the broomA2
-
The Leader rolling to the TweedI
Resounds the ensenzieP
They roused the deer from CaddenheadI
To distant TorwoodleeP
-
The feast was spread in ErcildouneG
In Learmont's high and ancient hallP
And there were knights of great renownG
And ladies laced in pallP
-
Nor lacked they while they sat at dineG
The music nor the taleP
Nor goblets of the blood red wineG
Nor mantling quaighs of aleP
-
True Thomas rose with harp in handI
When as the feast was doneG
In minstrel strife in Fairy LandI
The elfin harp he wonG
-
Hush'd were the throng both limb and tongueM
And harpers for envy paleP
And arm'd lords lean'd on their swordsP
And hearken'd to the taleP
-
In numbers high the witching taleP
The prophet pour'd alongW
No after bard might e'er availP
Those numbers to prolongW
-
Yet fragments of the lofty strainG
Float down the tide of yearsP
As buoyant on the stormy mainG
A parted wreck appearsP
-
He sung King Arthur's Table RoundI
The Warrior of the LakeB2
How courteous Gawaine met the woundI
And bled for ladies' sakeB2
-
But chief in gentle Tristrem's praiseP
The notes melodious swellP
Was none excell'd in Arthur's daysP
The knight of LionelleP
-
For Marke his cowardly uncle's rightI
A venom'd wound he boreP
When fierce Morholde he slew in fightI
Upon the Irish shoreP
-
No art the poison might withstandI
No medicine could be foundI
Till lovely Isolde's lily handI
Had probed the rankling woundI
-
With gentle hand and soothing tongueM
She bore the leech's partI
And while she o'er his sick bed hungM
He paid her with his heartI
-
O fatal was the gift I weenG
For doom'd in evil tideI
The maid must be rude Cornwall's queenG
His cowardly uncle's brideI
-
Their loves their woes the gifted bardI
In fairy tissue woveC2
Where lords and knights and ladies brightI
In gay confusion stroveC2
-
The Garde Joyeuse amid the taleP
High rear'd its glittering headI
And Avalon's enchanted valeP
In all its wonders spreadI
-
Brangwain was there and SegramoreP
And fiend born Merlin's gramaryeT
Of that famed wizard's mighty loreP
O who could sing but heP
-
Through many a maze the winning songW
In changeful passion ledI
Till bent at length the listening throngW
O'er Tristrem's dying bedI
-
His ancient wounds their scars expandI
With agony his heart is wrungM
O where is Isolde's lilye handI
And where her soothing tongueM
-
She comes she comes like flash of flameD2
Can lovers' footsteps flyP
She comes she comes she only cameD2
To see her Tristrem dieP
-
She saw him die her latest sighP
Join'd in a kiss his parting breathE2
The gentlest pair that Britain bareP
United are in deathE2
-
There paused the harp its lingering soundI
Died slowly on the earP
The silent guests still bent aroundI
For still they seem'd to hearP
-
Then woe broke forth in murmurs weakF2
Nor ladies heaved alone the sighP
But half ashamed the rugged cheekF2
Did many a gauntlet dryP
-
On Leader's stream and Learmont's towerP
The mists of evening closeP
In camp in castle or in bowerP
Each warrior sought reposeP
-
Lord Douglas in his lofty tentI
Dreamed o'er the woeful taleP
When footsteps light across the bentI
The warrior's ears assailP
-
He starts he wakes What Richard hoK
Arise my page ariseP
What venturous wight at dead of nightI
Dare step where Douglas liesP
-
Then forth they rush'd by Leader's tideI
A selcouth sight they seeP
A hart and hind pace side by sideI
As white as snow on FairnalieP
-
Beneath the moon with gesture proudI
They stately move and slowP
Nor scare they at gathering crowdI
Who marvel as they goP
-
To Learmont's tower a message spedI
As fast as page might runG
And Thomas startled from his bedI
And soon his clothes did onG
-
First he woxe pale and then woxe redI
Never a word he spake but threeP
My sand is run my thread is spunG
This sign regardeth meP
-
The elfin harp his neck aroundI
In minstrel guise he hungM
And on the wind in doleful soundI
Its dying accents rungM
-
Then forth he went yet turn'd him oftI
To view his ancient hallP
On the grey tower in lustre softI
The autumn moonbeams fallP
-
And Leader's waves like silver sheenG
Danced shimmering in the rayP
In deepening mass at distance seenG
Broad Soltra's mountains layP
-
Farewell my fathers' ancient towerP
A long farewell said heP
The scene of pleasure pomp or powerP
Thou never more shalt beP
-
To Learmont's name no foot of earthR
Shall here again belongW
And on thy hospitable hearthG2
The hare shall leave her youngM
-
Adieu adieu again he criedI
All as he turn'd him roun'G
Farewell to Leader's silver tideI
Farewell to ErcildouneG
-
The hart and hind approach'd the placeP
As lingering yet he stoodI
And there before Lord Douglas' faceP
With them he cross'd the floodI
-
Lord Douglas leap'd on his berry brown steedI
And spurr'd him the Leader o'erP
But though he rode with lightning speedI
He never saw them moreP
-
Soem said to hill and some to glenG
Their wondrous course had beenG
But ne'er in haunts of living menG
Again was Thomas seenG

Walter Scott (sir)



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