On The Death Of Mrs. (afterwards Lady) Throckmorton's Bullfinch. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABCCB DDEFFE GGHIIH JJKLLK MMNOON PPOQQO RRSTTS FFHCUH VVWXLW YYZLLZ A2A2LKKLYe nymphs if e'er your eyes were red | A |
With tears o'er hapless favourites shed | A |
O share Maria's grief | B |
Her favourite even in his cage | C |
What will not hunger's cruel rage | C |
Assassin'd by a thief | B |
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Where Rhenus strays his vines among | D |
The egg was laid from which he sprung | D |
And though by nature mute | E |
Or only with a whistle blest | F |
Well taught he all the sounds express'd | F |
Of flageolet or flute | E |
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The honours of his ebon poll | G |
Were brighter than the sleekest mole | G |
His bosom of the hue | H |
With which Aurora decks the skies | I |
When piping winds shall soon arise | I |
To sweep away the dew | H |
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Above below in all the house | J |
Dire foe alike of bird and mouse | J |
No cat had leave to dwell | K |
And Bully's cage supported stood | L |
On props of smoothest shaven wood | L |
Large built and latticed well | K |
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Well latticed but the grate alas | M |
Not rough with wire of steel or brass | M |
For Bully's plumage sake | N |
But smooth with wands from Ouse's side | O |
With which when neatly peel'd and dried | O |
The swains their baskets make | N |
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Night veil'd the pole all seem'd secure | P |
When led by instinct sharp and sure | P |
Subsistence to provide | O |
A beast forth sallied on the scout | Q |
Long back'd long tail'd with whisker'd snout | Q |
And badger colour'd hide | O |
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He entering at the study door | R |
Its ample area 'gan explore | R |
And something in the wind | S |
Conjectured sniffling round and round | T |
Better than all the books he found | T |
Food chiefly for the mind | S |
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Just then by adverse fate impress'd | F |
A dream disturb'd poor Bully's rest | F |
In sleep he seem'd to view | H |
A rat fast clinging to the cage | C |
And screaming at the sad presage | U |
Awoke and found it true | H |
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For aided both by ear and scent | V |
Right to his mark the monster went | V |
Ah muse forbear to speak | W |
Minute the horrors that ensued | X |
His teeth were strong the cage was wood | L |
He left poor Bully's beak | W |
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O had he made that too his prey | Y |
That beak whence issued many a lay | Y |
Of such mellifluous tone | Z |
Might have repaid him well I wot | L |
For silencing so sweet a throat | L |
Fast stuck within his own | Z |
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Maria weeps the Muses mourn | A2 |
So when by Bacchanalians torn | A2 |
On Thracian Hebrus' side | L |
The tree enchanter Orpheus fell | K |
His head alone remain'd to tell | K |
The cruel death he died | L |
William Cowper
(1)
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