On Receipt Of My Mother's Picture Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDEEFF GHIIJJKKBB LLMMNNOCCPPQJRRSSTTU UVVWW RRCCCCJJXXCCCCYZCCA2 A2B2B2C2C2CCGH D2D2E2E2F2F2GHCCG2G2 H2I2 CCF2F2J2J2CCR CCCCCCD2D2BBK2K2D2D2 MMH2I2L2L2BBCCOh that those lips had language Life has pass'd | A |
With me but roughly since I heard thee last | A |
Those lips are thine thy own sweet smiles I see | B |
The same that oft in childhood solaced me | B |
Voice only fails else how distinct they say | C |
'Grieve not my child chase all thy fears away ' | D |
The meek intelligence of those dear eyes | E |
Blest be the art that can immortalize | E |
The art that baffles time's tyrannic claim | F |
To quench it here shines on me still the same | F |
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Faithful remembrancer of one so dear | G |
Oh welcome guest though unexpected here | H |
Who bidd'st me honour with an artless song | I |
Affectionate a mother lost so long | I |
I will obey not willingly alone | J |
But gladly as the precept were her own | J |
And while that face renews my filial grief | K |
Fancy shall weave a charm for my relief | K |
Shall steep me in Elysian reverie | B |
A momentary dream that thou art she | B |
- | |
My mother when I learn'd that thou wast dead | L |
Say wast thou conscious of the tears I shed | L |
Hover'd thy spirit o'er thy sorrowing son | M |
Wretch even then life's journey just begun | M |
Perhaps thou gav'st me though unseen a kiss | N |
Perhaps a tear if souls can weep in bliss | N |
Ah that maternal smile it answers Yes | O |
I heard the bell toll'd on thy burial day | C |
I saw the hearse that bore thee slow away | C |
And turning from my nurs'ry window drew | P |
A long long sigh and wept a last adieu | P |
But was it such It was Where thou art gone | Q |
Adieus and farewells are a sound unknown | J |
May I but meet thee on that peaceful shore | R |
The parting sound shall pass my lips no more | R |
Thy maidens griev'd themselves at my concern | S |
Oft gave me promise of a quick return | S |
What ardently I wish'd I long believ'd | T |
And disappointed still was still deceiv'd | T |
By disappointment every day beguil'd | U |
Dupe of to morrow even from a child | U |
Thus many a sad to morrow came and went | V |
Till all my stock of infant sorrow spent | V |
I learn'd at last submission to my lot | W |
But though I less deplor'd thee ne'er forgot | W |
- | |
Where once we dwelt our name is heard no more | R |
Children not thine have trod my nurs'ry floor | R |
And where the gard'ner Robin day by day | C |
Drew me to school along the public way | C |
Delighted with my bauble coach and wrapt | C |
In scarlet mantle warm and velvet capt | C |
'Tis now become a history little known | J |
That once we call'd the past'ral house our own | J |
Short liv'd possession but the record fair | X |
That mem'ry keeps of all thy kindness there | X |
Still outlives many a storm that has effac'd | C |
A thousand other themes less deeply trac'd | C |
Thy nightly visits to my chamber made | C |
That thou might'st know me safe and warmly laid | C |
Thy morning bounties ere I left my home | Y |
The biscuit or confectionary plum | Z |
The fragrant waters on my cheeks bestow'd | C |
By thy own hand till fresh they shone and glow'd | C |
All this and more endearing still than all | A2 |
Thy constant flow of love that knew no fall | A2 |
Ne'er roughen'd by those cataracts and brakes | B2 |
That humour interpos'd too often makes | B2 |
All this still legible in mem'ry's page | C2 |
And still to be so to my latest age | C2 |
Adds joy to duty makes me glad to pay | C |
Such honours to thee as my numbers may | C |
Perhaps a frail memorial but sincere | G |
Not scorn'd in heav'n though little notic'd here | H |
- | |
Could time his flight revers'd restore the hours | D2 |
When playing with thy vesture's tissued flow'rs | D2 |
The violet the pink and jessamine | E2 |
I prick'd them into paper with a pin | E2 |
And thou wast happier than myself the while | F2 |
Would'st softly speak and stroke my head and smile | F2 |
Could those few pleasant hours again appear | G |
Might one wish bring them would I wish them here | H |
I would not trust my heart the dear delight | C |
Seems so to be desir'd perhaps I might | C |
But no what here we call our life is such | G2 |
So little to be lov'd and thou so much | G2 |
That I should ill requite thee to constrain | H2 |
Thy unbound spirit into bonds again | I2 |
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Thou as a gallant bark from Albion's coast | C |
The storms all weather'd and the ocean cross'd | C |
Shoots into port at some well haven'd isle | F2 |
Where spices breathe and brighter seasons smile | F2 |
There sits quiescent on the floods that show | J2 |
Her beauteous form reflected clear below | J2 |
While airs impregnated with incense play | C |
Around her fanning light her streamers gay | C |
So thou with sails how swift hast reach'd the shore | R |
'Where tempests never beat nor billows roar ' | - |
And thy lov'd consort on the dang'rous tide | C |
Of life long since has anchor'd at thy side | C |
But me scarce hoping to attain that rest | C |
Always from port withheld always distress'd | C |
Me howling winds drive devious tempest toss'd | C |
Sails ript seams op'ning wide and compass lost | C |
And day by day some current's thwarting force | D2 |
Sets me more distant from a prosp'rous course | D2 |
But oh the thought that thou art safe and he | B |
That thought is joy arrive what may to me | B |
My boast is not that I deduce my birth | K2 |
From loins enthron'd and rulers of the earth | K2 |
But higher far my proud pretensions rise | D2 |
The son of parents pass'd into the skies | D2 |
And now farewell time unrevok'd has run | M |
His wonted course yet what I wish'd is done | M |
By contemplation's help not sought in vain | H2 |
I seem t' have liv'd my childhood o'er again | I2 |
To have renew'd the joys that once were mine | L2 |
Without the sin of violating thine | L2 |
And while the wings of fancy still are free | B |
And I can view this mimic shew of thee | B |
Time has but half succeeded in his theft | C |
Thyself remov'd thy power to sooth me left | C |
William Cowper
(1)
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