Charity Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ KKLLEEMMNNOPQQRRSSTT UUVVVCWWXXEEVVVVYYZZ A2A2VVUB2CCC2C2VVVCV VD2D2FFFFCVE2E2FFFFF 2F2VVUUFFVVXXG2G2H2H 2VVFFVVVVVVI2I2J2J2Q QCVK2K2L2L2FFM2M2N2N 2FFWWHHVVO2O2VVXXP2P 2CVVVVVQ2Q2CVFFL2L2V VVVCCFFR2R2B2B2FFFS2 S2T2

Fairest and foremost of the train that waitA
On man's most dignified and happiest stateA
Whether we name thee Charity or LoveB
Chief grace below and all in all aboveB
Prosper I press thee with a powerful pleaC
A task I venture on impell d by theeC
Oh never seen but in thy blest effectsD
Or felt but in the soul that Heaven selectsD
Who seeks to praise thee and to make thee knownE
To other hearts must have thee in his ownE
Come prompt me with benevolent desiresF
Teach me to kindle at thy gentle firesF
And though disgraced and slighted to redeemG
A poet s name by making thee the themeG
God working ever on a social planH
By various ties attaches man to manH
He made at first though free and unconfinedI
One man the common father of the kindI
That every tribe though placed as he sees bestJ
Where seas or deserts part them from the restJ
Differing in language manners or in faceK
Might feel themselves allied to all the raceK
When Cook lamented and with tears as justL
As ever mingled with heroic dustL
Steer d Britain s oak into a world unknownE
And in his country s glory sought his ownE
Wherever he found man to nature trueM
The rights of man were sacred in his viewM
He soothed with gifts and greeted with a smileN
The simple native of the new found isleN
He spurn d the wretch that slighted or withstoodO
The tender argument of kindred bloodP
Nor would endure that any should controlQ
His freeborn brethren of the southern poleQ
But though some nobler minds a law respectR
That none shall with impunity neglectR
In baser souls unnumber d evils meetS
To thwart its influence and its end defeatS
While Cook is loved for savage lives he savedT
See Cortez odious for a world enslavedT
Where wast thou then sweet Charity where thenU
Thou tutelary friend of helpless menU
Wast thou in monkish cells and nunneries foundV
Or building hospitals on English groundV
No Mammon makes the world his legateeV
Through fear not love and Heaven abhors the feeC
Wherever found and all men need thy careW
Nor age nor infancy could find thee thereW
The hand that slew till it could slay no moreX
Was glued to the sword hilt with Indian goreX
Their prince as justly seated on his throneE
As vain imperial Philip on his ownE
Trick d out of all his royalty by artV
That stripp d him bare and broke his honest heartV
Died by the sentence of a shaven priestV
For scorning what they taught him to detestV
How dark the veil that intercepts the blazeY
Of Heaven s mysterious purposes and waysY
God stood not though he seem d to stand aloofZ
And at this hour the conqueror feels the proofZ
The wreath he won drew down an instant curseA2
The fretting plague is in the public purseA2
The canker d spoil corrodes the pining stateV
Starved by that indolence their mines createV
Oh could their ancient Incas rise againU
How would they take up Israel s taunting strainB2
Art thou too fallen Iberia Do we seeC
The robber and the murderer weak as weC
Thou that hast wasted earth and dared despiseC2
Alike the wrath and mercy of the skiesC2
Thy pomp is in the grave thy glory laidV
Low in the pits thine avarice has madeV
We come with joy from our eternal restV
To see the oppressor in his turn oppress dC
Art thou the god the thunder of whose handV
Roll d over all our desolated landV
Shook principalities and kingdoms downD2
And made the mountains tremble at his frownD2
The sword shall light upon thy boasted powersF
And waste them as thy sword has wasted oursF
Tis thus Omnipotence his law fulfilsF
And vengeance executes what justice willsF
Again the band of commerce was design dC
To associate all the branches of mankindV
And if a boundless plenty be the robeE2
Trade is the golden girdle of the globeE2
Wise to promote whatever end he meansF
God opens fruitful Nature s various scenesF
Each climate needs what other climes produceF
And offers something to the general useF
No land but listens to the common callF2
And in return receives supply from allF2
This genial intercourse and mutual aidV
Cheers what were else a universal shadeV
Calls nature from her ivy mantled denU
And softens human rock work into menU
Ingenious Art with her expressive faceF
Steps forth to fashion and refine the raceF
Not only fills necessity s demandV
But overcharges her capacious handV
Capricious taste itself can crave no moreX
Than she supplies from her abounding storeX
She strikes out all that luxury can askG2
And gains new vigour at her endless taskG2
Hers is the spacious arch the shapely spireH2
The painter s pencil and the poet s lyreH2
From her the canvas borrows light and shadeV
And verse more lasting hues that never fadeV
She guides the finger o er the dancing keysF
Gives difficulty all the grace of easeF
And pours a torrent of sweet notes aroundV
Fast as the thirsting ear can drink the soundV
These are the gifts of art and art thrives mostV
Where Commerce has enrich d the busy coastV
He catches all improvements in his flightV
Spreads foreign wonders in his country s sightV
Imports what others have invented wellI2
And stirs his own to match them or excelI2
Tis thus reciprocating each with eachJ2
Alternately the nations learn and teachJ2
While Providence enjoins to ev ry soulQ
A union with the vast terraqueous wholeQ
Heaven speed the canvas gallantly unfurl dC
To furnish and accommodate a worldV
To give the pole the produce of the sunK2
And knit the unsocial climates into oneK2
Soft airs and gentle heavings of the waveL2
Impel the fleet whose errand is to saveL2
To succour wasted regions and replaceF
The smile of opulence in sorrow s faceF
Let nothing adverse nothing unforeseenM2
Impede the bark that ploughs the deep sereneM2
Charged with a freight transcending in its worthN2
The gems of India Nature s rarest birthN2
That flies like Gabriel on his Lord s commandsF
A herald of God s love to pagan landsF
But ah what wish can prosper or what prayerW
For merchants rich in cargoes of despairW
Who drive a loathsome traffic gauge and spanH
And buy the muscles and the bones of manH
The tender ties of father husband friendV
All bonds of nature in that moment endV
And each endures while yet he draws his breathO2
A stroke as fatal as the scythe of deathO2
The sable warrior frantic with regretV
Of her he loves and never can forgetV
Loses in tears the far receding shoreX
But not the thought that they must meet no moreX
Deprived of her and freedom at a blowP2
What has he left that he can yet foregoP2
Yes to deep sadness sullenly resign dC
He feels his body s bondage in his mindV
Puts off his generous nature and to suitV
His manners with his fate puts on the bruteV
Oh most degrading of all ills that waitV
On man a mourner in his best estateV
All other sorrows virtue may endureQ2
And find submission more than half a cureQ2
Grief is itself a medicine and bestow dC
To improve the fortitude that bears the loadV
To teach the wanderer as his woes increaseF
The path of wisdom all whose paths are peaceF
But slavery Virtue dreads it as her graveL2
Patience itself is meanness in a slaveL2
Or if the will and sovereignty of GodV
Bid suffer it a while and kiss the rodV
Wait for the dawning of a brighter dayV
And snap the chain the moment when you mayV
Nature imprints upon whate er we seeC
That has a heart and life in it Be freeC
The beasts are charter d neither age nor forceF
Can quell the love of freedom in a horseF
He breaks the cord that held him at the rackR2
And conscious of an unencumber d backR2
Snuffs up the morning air forgets the reinB2
Loose fly his forelock and his ample maneB2
Responsive to the distant neigh he neighsF
Nor stops till overleaping all delaysF
He finds the pasture where his fellows grazeF
Canst thou and honour d with a Christian nameS2
Buy what is woman born and feel no shameS2
Trade iT2

William Cowper



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