The Ballad Of Lost Souls Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DCEC FGHG IGIG CGJG KGGG FGGG FLML FGFFG GLNL NOPQ GCNC GGIG GFGF GGGG ICFC FRCR NCFC FGGG FCGS FSJS CCGC GCGGC GTOOT FCUUC CCCC GCGGGC CCFFFC GCGC VGGGGG GGLLLG GMGJ OWCXW GGGC GNGN OMGJ CWCW GCCC LGCG GGFFG GGIG ICGC SFNF NCGC NGGG GCOC GCCC GGMG GNCN PNNN

With the thirty pieces of silverA
They bought the Potter's FieldB
For none would have the blood moneyC
And the interest it might yieldB
-
The Place of Blood for the Price of BloodD
And that was meet I weenC
For there they would bury the dead who diedE
In frowardness and sinC
-
And the first man they would bury thereF
Was Judas IscariotG
And that was as dreadful a buryingH
As ever was I wotG
-
For the sick earth would not keep himI
Each time it thrust him outG
And they that would have buried himI
Stood shuddering round aboutG
-
And others they would buryC
In that unhallowed spotG
But honest earth would none of themJ
Because of IscariotG
-
And oh it was a fell fell placeK
With dead black trees all roundG
And a quag that boiled and writhed and coiledG
Where had been solid groundG
-
For every tree that stood thereF
And the green grass every bladeG
Shrivelled and died on every sideG
Whenever the price was paidG
-
And in despair they left him thereF
And there his body layL
Till his sad soul came all black with shameM
And carried it awayL
-
And those denied a sepultureF
In that most dismal spotG
Gibbered and flew a ghastly crewF
Incensed with rage that grew and grewF
Against IscariotG
-
For their souls were all in tormentG
While their bodies uncovered layL
And never a moment's rest was theirsN
Either by night or dayL
-
That was a place of wailingsN
And the grisly things of DeathO
The bare black arms of the trees aboveP
And the black quag underneathQ
-
No light of the moon fell on itG
Nor ever a star did shineC
On the quivering face of that dread placeN
Because of Iscariot's sinC
-
Then there came by the soul of IscariotG
The same who sold his LordG
And he dragged his body after himI
But never spake a wordG
-
Since earth his body would notG
He must drag it to and froF
He had tried in vain to be quit of itG
But it would not let him goF
-
So the soul of Judas IscariotG
Came by the Potter's FieldG
And there the ill his deed had wroughtG
Was unto him revealedG
-
And when the others saw himI
They leaped at him eagerlyC
This is he for whom we sufferF
'Tis he 'Tis he 'Tis heC
-
Then all afire with mad desireF
They chased him through the darkR
And each soul carried his dead bodieC
Grim and stiff and starkR
-
They struck at him with their bodiesN
They cursed him for his sinC
They made to tear his dumb soul thereF
With their fingers long and leanC
-
And Judas fled in his horrorF
With that fell crew behindG
And as they sped the people saidG
Death rode upon the windG
-
They chased him near they chased him farF
Because of his treacheryC
And ever he just escaped their lustG
And ever they were nighS
-
They chased him near they chased him farF
And ever they were nighS
And never a star shone out on themJ
Out of the cold black skyS
-
And as they sped by CalvaryC
There were empty crosses threeC
And on the ground below the moundG
Lay one in agonyC
-
Three times I swore I knew Him notG
And then He looked on meC
Ah such a look no harshest wordG
Had ever proved so sharp a swordG
To my inconstancyC
-
Three times I did deny Thee LordG
And yet thou couldst forgiveT
Now am I thine in life in deathO
Thee will I serve with every breathO
While I have breath to giveT
-
They sped by an open windowF
Where one knelt all aloneC
In great amaze in greater griefU
In woe that wrestled with beliefU
The Mother mourned her SonC
-
My son I knew thee more than manC
Ah me and the heart of meC
Yet man in God and God in manC
Still wast thou part of meC
-
The nails through thy dear hands and feetG
Ah me they pierced my ownC
The thorns that on thy brow they pliedG
The spear they drove into thy sideG
The pangs thy Godhead could not hideG
They pierced me too my sonC
-
My son My son My more than sonC
My heart is full for theeC
Yet tho' I know thee so much moreF
Than ever mortal man beforeF
Yet tho' I worship and adoreF
Woe's me and the heart of meC
-
And ever they came by the Potter's FieldG
And thrust their bodies inC
And ever the sick earth spat them outG
Because of Iscariot's sinC
-
They sped along a palace wallV
The feast waxed high insideG
On Golgotha the Cross still stoodG
The Cross where man had nailed his GodG
Red was the Rood still with his bloodG
They drank The CrucifiedG
-
The revel gashed the sombre nightG
And fast the wine cups pliedG
Time touched Eternity that dayL
God had come down to man that dayL
The world began anew that dayL
They drank The CrucifiedG
-
And ever again to the Potter's FieldG
The Souls in torment cameM
But the black quag boiled and writhed and coiledG
And would have none of themJ
-
And everywhere strange shapes of deathO
Walked in the fearsome gloomW
For that last cry from CalvaryC
Had rent in twain the Temple vailX
And burst the gates of DoomW
-
Through all the startled city walkedG
The saints that had been deadG
And to the sorrowful in heartG
Holy comfort ministr dC
-
And when they met IscariotG
Sore hounded in the chaseN
They cried to him for the Love of GodG
To seek God's graceN
-
And ever to the Field of DeathO
The souls in torment cameM
Seeking the rest of the Bless d DeadG
But earth would none of themJ
-
And as they whirled through a gardenC
They came on an empty tombW
The stone was gone a soft light shoneC
Full softly on the gloomW
-
Bright was that Light and wondrous brightG
'Twas brighter than the sunC
As then it shone so shines it nowC
And shall when Time is doneC
-
And all along the pathwayL
Was a track of throbbing lightG
Where the Christ had gone His footsteps shoneC
Like stars in a velvet nightG
-
'Twas the spent soul of IscariotG
Was like the wind blown dustG
As nearer still and near and nearF
He bent and crept in doubt and fearF
He came because he mustG
-
'Twas the sick soul of IscariotG
That drew from out the nightG
And the full of his sin was known to himI
In the Shining of the LightG
-
In the rim of the Light he laid himI
Repented of his sinC
I wotted not I wotted notG
Dear Master take me inC
-
And as he lay there sorrowingS
Up came the felon crewF
They flailed him with their dead bodiesN
They heeded not his rueF
-
They flailed him with their dead bodiesN
They heeded not their spleenC
I wotted not I wotted notG
Dear Master take me inC
-
And then a Vision and a VoiceN
And the Word made manifestG
Lay down thy load where I abodeG
And I will give thee restG
-
And ye no more hunt IscariotG
He repents him of his sinC
And never a soul that repentethO
But he may enter inC
-
This Day the Door is openedG
That shall never close againC
And never a soul that would come inC
Shall seek to come in vainC
-
And the dead soul of IscariotG
Was born again that nightG
For the Lord Christ came dead souls to claimM
And lead them into LightG
-
And the souls of the unburiedG
When they looked upon His faceN
Were cleansed of sin and entered inC
To His redeeming graceN
-
So by that wonderful great LoveP
Which highest heaven extolsN
To Mother Earth their dead bodiesN
And unto Christ their soulsN

William Arthur Dunkerley (john Oxenham)



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The Ballad Of Lost Souls is a poem by William Arthur Dunkerley (john Oxenham). This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.



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