Samson Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A| Samson the strongest of the children of men I sing how he was foiled by woman's arts by a false wife brought to the gates of death O Truth that shinest with propitious beams turning our earthly night to heavenly day from presence of the Almighty Father thou visitest our darkling world with blessed feet bringing good news of Sin and Death destroyed O whiterobed Angel guide my timorous hand to write as on a lofty rock with iron pen the words of truth that all who pass may read Now Night noontide of damned spirits over the silent earth spreads her pavilion while in dark council sat Philista's lords and where strength failed black thoughts in ambush lay Their helmed youth and aged warriors in dust together lie and Desolation spreads his wings over the land of Palestine from side to side the land groans her prowess lost and seeks to hide her bruised head under the mists of night breeding dark plots For Dalila's fair arts have long been tried in vain in vain she wept in many a treacherous tear Go on fair traitress do thy guileful work ere once again the changing moon her circuit hath performed thou shalt overcome and conquer him by force unconquerable and wrest his secret from him Call thine alluring arts and honest seeming brow the holy kiss of love and the transparent tear put on fair linen that with the lily vies purple and silver neglect thy hair to seem more lovely in thy loose attire put on thy country's pride deceit and eyes of love decked in mild sorrow and sell thy lord for gold ' For now upon her sumptuous couch reclined in gorgeous pride she still entreats and still she grasps his vigorous knees with her fair arms Thou lov'st me not thou'rt war thou art not love O foolish Dalila O weak woman it is death clothed in flesh thou lovest and thou hast been encircled in his arms Alas my lord what am I calling thee Thou art my God To thee I pour my tears for sacrifice morning and evening My days are covered with sorrow shut up darkened By night I am deceived Who says that thou wast born of mortal kind Destruction was thy father a lioness suckled thee thy young hands tore human limbs and gorged human flesh Come hither Death art thou not Samson's servant 'Tis Dalila that calls thy master's wife no stay and let thy master do the deed one blow of that strong arm would ease my pain then should I lay at quiet and have rest Pity forsook thee at thy birth O Dagon furious and all ye gods of Palestine withdraw your hand I am but a weak woman Alas I am wedded to your enemy I will go mad and tear my crisped hair I'll run about and pierce the ears o' th' gods O Samson hold me not thou lovest me not Look not upon me with those deathful eyes Thou wouldst my death and death approaches fast ' Thus in false tears she bath'd his feet and thus she day by day oppressed his soul he seemed a mountain his brow among the clouds she seemed a silver stream his feet embracing Dark thoughts rolled to and fro in his mind like thunder clouds troubling the sky his visage was troubled his soul was distressed Though I should tell her all my heart what can I fear Though I should tell this secret of my birth the utmost may be warded off as well when told as now ' She saw him moved and thus resumes her wiles Samson I'm thine do with me what thou wilt my friends are enemies my life is death I am a traitor to my nation and despised my joy is given into the hands of him who hates me using deceit to the wife of his bosom Thrice hast thou mocked me and grieved my soul Didst thou not tell me with green withs to bind thy nervous arms and after that when I had found thy falsehood with new ropes to bind thee fast I knew thou didst but mock me Alas when in thy sleep I bound thee with them to try thy truth I cried The Philistines be upon thee Samson Then did suspicion wake thee how didst thou rend the feeble ties Thou fearest nought what shouldst thou fear Thy power is more than mortal none can hurt thee thy bones are brass thy sinews are iron Ten thousand spears are like the summer grass an army of mighty men are as flocks in the valleys what canst thou fear I drink my tears like water I live upon sorrow O worse than wolves and tigers what canst thou give when such a trifle is denied me But O at last thou mockest me to shame my over fond inquiry Thou toldest me to weave thee to the beam by thy strong hair I did even that to try thy truth but when I cried The Philistines be upon thee then didst thou leave me to bewail that Samson loved me not ' He sat and inward griev'd he saw and lov'd the beauteous suppliant nor could conceal aught that might appease her then leaning on her bosom thus he spoke Hear O Dalila doubt no more of Samson's love for that fair breast was made the ivory palace of my inmost heart where it shall lie at rest for sorrow is the lot of all of woman born for care was I brought forth and labour is my lot nor matchless might nor wisdom nor every gift enjoyed can from the heart of man hide sorrow Twice was my birth foretold from heaven and twice a sacred vow enjoined me that I should drink no wine nor eat of any unclean thing for holy unto Israel's God I am a Nazarite even from my mother's womb Twice was it told that it might not be broken Grant me a son kind Heaven Manoa cried but Heaven refused Childless he mourned but thought his God knew best In solitude though not obscure in Israel he lived till venerable age came on his flocks increased and plenty crowned his board beloved revered of man But God hath other joys in store Is burdened Israel his grief The son of his old age shall set it free The venerable sweetener of his life receives the promise first from Heaven She saw the maidens play and blessed their innocent mirth she blessed each new joined pair but from her the long wished deliverer shall spring Pensive alone she sat within the house when busy day was fading and calm evening time for contemplation rose from the forsaken east and drew the curtains of heaven pensive she sat and thought on Israel's grief and silent prayed to Israel's God when lo an angel from the fields of light entered the house His form was manhood in the prime and from his spacious brow shot terrors through the evening shade But mild he hailed her Hail highly favoured said he for lo thou shalt conceive and bear a son and Israel's strength shall be upon his shoulders and he shall be called Israel's Deliverer Now therefore drink no wine and eat not any unclean thing for he shall be a Nazarite to God Then as a nei ghbour when his evening tale is told departs his blessing leaving so seemed he to depart she wondered with exceeding joy nor knew he was an angel Manoa left his fields to sit in the house and take his evening's rest from labour the sweetest time that God has allotted mortal man He sat and heard with joy and praised God who Israel still doth keep The time rolled on and Israel groaned oppressed The sword was bright while the ploughshare rusted till hope grew feeble and was ready to give place to doubting Then prayed Manoa O Lord thy flock is scattered on the hills The wolf teareth them Oppression stretches his rod over our land our country is ploughed with swords and reaped in blood The echoes of slaughter reach from hill to hill Instead of peaceful pipe the shepherd bears a sword the ox goad is turned into a spear O when shall our Deliverer come The Philistine riots on our flocks our vintage is gathered by bands of enemies Stretch forth thy hand and save Thus prayed Manoa The aged woman walked into the field and lo again the angel came clad as a traveller fresh risen on his journey She ran and called her husband who came and talked with him O man of God said he thou comest from far Let us d | A |
William Blake
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