The Cock-fighter's Garland Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABCCB DDEFFE GGHIIH JKLMML NNOPPO QQRSSR JJTHHT UUNVWN XXOYYO ZZA2OOA2 OOB2C2C2B2 OOOOOO D2D2E2AAE2Muse hide his name of whom I sing | A |
Lest his surviving house thou bring | A |
For his sake into scorn | B |
Nor speak the school from which he drew | C |
The much or little that he knew | C |
Nor place where he was born | B |
- | |
That such a man once was may seem | D |
Worthy of record if the theme | D |
Perchance may credit win | E |
For proof to man what man may prove | F |
If grace depart and demons move | F |
The source of guilt within | E |
- | |
This man for since the howling wild | G |
Disclaims him man he must be styled | G |
Wanted no good below | H |
Gentle he was if gentle birth | I |
Could make him such and he had worth | I |
If wealth can worth bestow | H |
- | |
In social talk and ready jest | J |
He shone superior at the feast | K |
And qualities of mind | L |
Illustrious in the eyes of those | M |
Whose gay society he chose | M |
Possessed of every kind | L |
- | |
Methinks I see him powdered red | N |
With bushy locks his well dressed head | N |
Winged broad on either side | O |
The mossy rose bud not so sweet | P |
His steeds superb his carriage neat | P |
As luxury could provide | O |
- | |
Can such be cruel Such can be | Q |
Cruel as hell and so was he | Q |
A tyrant entertained | R |
With barbarous sports whose fell delight | S |
Was to encourage mortal fight | S |
'Twixt birds to battle trained | R |
- | |
One feathered champion he possessed | J |
His darling far beyond the rest | J |
Which never knew disgrace | T |
Nor e'er had fought but he made flow | H |
The life blood of his fiercest foe | H |
The Caesar of his race | T |
- | |
It chanced at last when on a day | U |
He pushed him to the desperate fray | U |
His courage drooped he fled | N |
The master stormed the prize was lost | V |
And instant frantic at the cost | W |
He doomed his favourite dead | N |
- | |
He seized him fast and from the pit | X |
Flew to the kitchen snatched the spit | X |
And bring me cord he cried | O |
The cord was brought and at his word | Y |
To that dire implement the bird | Y |
Alive and struggling tied | O |
- | |
The horrid sequel asks a veil | Z |
And all the terrors of the tale | Z |
That can be shall be sunk | A2 |
Led by the sufferer's screams aright | O |
His shocked companions view the sight | O |
And him with fury drunk | A2 |
- | |
All suppliant beg a milder fate | O |
For the old warrior at the grate | O |
He deaf to pity's call | B2 |
Whirled round him rapid as a wheel | C2 |
His culinary club of steel | C2 |
Death menacing on all | B2 |
- | |
But vengeance hung not far remote | O |
For while he stretched his clamorous throat | O |
And heaven and earth defied | O |
Big with a curse too closely pent | O |
That struggled vainly for a vent | O |
He tottered reeled and died | O |
- | |
'Tis not for us with rash surmise | D2 |
To point the judgements of the skies | D2 |
But judgements plain as this | E2 |
That sent for a man's instruction bring | A |
A written label on their wing | A |
'Tis hard to read amiss | E2 |
William Cowper
(1)
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