The Passions Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCDDEEFFGGHHII JKJK ILML NONO NIIPQPQRSNTRTUUVWXXY ZZYVA2B2A2B2FC2XXD2G GD2E2DDE2F2G2BG2BF2Y YYH2I2J2DG2J2G2K2L2L 2DLG2G2J2J2L G2G2G2G2IIG2G2G2G2M2 M2N2N2J2J2N2N2G2G2O2 O2G2G2An Ode for Music | A |
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When Music heavenly maid was young | B |
While yet in early Greece she sung | B |
The Passions oft to hear her shell | C |
Thronged around her magic cell | C |
Exulting trembling raging fainting | D |
Possest beyond the Muse's painting | D |
By turns they felt the glowing mind | E |
Disturbed delighted raised refined | E |
Till once 'tis said when all were fired | F |
Filled with fury rapt inspired | F |
From the supporting myrtles round | G |
They snatched her instruments of sound | G |
And as they oft had heard apart | H |
Sweet lessons of her forceful art | H |
Each for Madness ruled the hour | I |
Would prove his own expressive power | I |
- | |
First Fear his hand its skill to try | J |
Amid the chords bewildered laid | K |
And back recoiled he knew not why | J |
E'en at the sound himself had made | K |
- | |
Next Anger rushed his eyes on fire | I |
In lightnings owned his secret stings | L |
In one rude clash he struck the lyre | M |
And swept with hurried hand the strings | L |
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With woful measures wan Despair | N |
Low sullen sounds his grief beguiled | O |
A solemn strange and mingled air | N |
'Twas sad by fits by starts 'twas wild | O |
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But thou O Hope with eyes so fair | N |
What was thy delighted measure | I |
Still it whispered promised pleasure | I |
And bade the lovely scenes at distance hail | P |
Still would her touch the strain prolong | Q |
And from the rocks the woods the vale | P |
She called on Echo still through all the song | Q |
And where her sweetest theme she chose | R |
A soft responsive voice was heard at every close | S |
And Hope enchanted smiled and waved her golden hair | N |
And longer had she sung but with a frown | T |
Revenge impatient rose | R |
He threw his blood stained sword in thunder down | T |
And with a withering look | U |
The war denouncing trumpet took | U |
And blew a blast so loud and dread | V |
Were ne'er prophetic sounds so full of woe | W |
And ever and anon he beat | X |
The doubling drum with furious heat | X |
And though sometimes each dreary pause between | Y |
Dejected Pity at his side | Z |
Her soul subduing voice applied | Z |
Yet still he kept his wild unaltered mien | Y |
While each strained ball of sight seemed bursting from his head | V |
Thy numbers Jealousy to nought were fixed | A2 |
Sad proof of thy distressful state | B2 |
Of differing themes the veering song was mixed | A2 |
And now it courted Love now raving called on Hate | B2 |
With eyes up raised as one inspired | F |
Pale Melancholy sat retired | C2 |
And from her wild sequestered seat | X |
In notes by distance made more sweet | X |
Poured through the mellow horn her pensive soul | D2 |
And dashing soft from rocks around | G |
Bubbling runnels joined the sound | G |
Through glades and glooms the mingled measure stole | D2 |
Or o'er some haunted stream with fond delay | E2 |
Round an holy calm diffusing | D |
Love of Peace and lonely musing | D |
In hollow murmurs died away | E2 |
But Oh how altered was its sprightlier tone | F2 |
When Cheerfulness a nymph of healthiest hue | G2 |
Her bow across her shoulder flung | B |
Her buskins gemmed with morning dew | G2 |
Blew an inspiring air that dale and thicket rung | B |
The hunter's call to Faun and Dryad known | F2 |
The oak crowned Sisters and their chaste eyed Queen | Y |
Satyrs and Sylvan Boys were seen | Y |
Peeping from forth their alleys green | Y |
Brown Exercise rejoiced to hear | H2 |
And Sport leapt up and seized his beechen spear | I2 |
Last came Joy's ecstatic trial | J2 |
He with viny crown advancing | D |
First to the lively pipe his hand addrest | G2 |
But soon he saw the brisk awakening viol | J2 |
Whose sweet entrancing voice he loved the best | G2 |
They would have thought who heard the strain | K2 |
They saw in Tempe's vale her native maids | L2 |
Amidst the festal sounding shades | L2 |
To some unwearied minstrel dancing | D |
While as his flying fingers kissed the strings | L |
Love framed with Mirth a gay fantastic round | G2 |
Loose were her tresses seen her zone unbound | G2 |
And he amidst his frolic play | J2 |
As if he would the charming air repay | J2 |
Shook thousand odours from his dewy wings | L |
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O Music sphere descended maid | G2 |
Friend of Pleasure Wisdom's aid | G2 |
Why goddess why to us denied | G2 |
Lay'st thou thy ancient lyre aside | G2 |
As in that loved Athenian bower | I |
You learned an all commanding power | I |
Thy mimic soul O Nymph endeared | G2 |
Can well recall what then it heard | G2 |
Where is thy native simple heart | G2 |
Devote to Virtue Fancy Art | G2 |
Arise as in that elder time | M2 |
Warm energetic chaste sublime | M2 |
Thy wonders in that godlike age | N2 |
Fill thy recording Sister's page | N2 |
'Tis said and I believe the tale | J2 |
Thy humblest reed could more prevail | J2 |
Had more of strength diviner rage | N2 |
Than all which charms this laggard age | N2 |
E'en all at once together found | G2 |
Cecilia's mingled world of sound | G2 |
O bid our vain endeavours cease | O2 |
Revive the just designs of Greece | O2 |
Return in all thy simple state | G2 |
Confirm the tales her sons relate | G2 |
William Collins
(1)
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