The Task: Book I, The Sofa (excerpts) Poem Rhyme Scheme

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	A
	-
	-
Thou know'st my praise of nature most sincere	B
And that my raptures are not conjur'd up	C
To serve occasions of poetic pomp	D
But genuine and art partner of them all	E
How oft upon yon eminence our pace	F
Has slacken'd to a pause and we have borne	G
The ruffling wind scarce conscious that it blew	H
While admiration feeding at the eye	I
And still unsated dwelt upon the scene	J
Thence with what pleasure have we just discern'd	K
The distant plough slow moving and beside	L
His lab'ring team that swerv'd not from the track	M
The sturdy swain diminish'd to a boy	N
Here Ouse slow winding through a level plain	O
Of spacious meads with cattle sprinkled o'er	P
Conducts the eye along its sinuous course	Q
Delighted There fast rooted in his bank	R
Stand never overlook'd our fav'rite elms	S
That screen the herdsman's solitary hut	T
While far beyond and overthwart the stream	U
That as with molten glass inlays the vale	V
The sloping land recedes into the clouds	W
Displaying on its varied side the grace	F
Of hedge row beauties numberless square tow'r	X
Tall spire from which the sound of cheerful bells	Y
Just undulates upon the list'ning ear	Z
Groves heaths and smoking villages remote	A2
Scenes must be beautiful which daily view'd	B2
Please daily and whose novelty survives	C2
Long knowledge and the scrutiny of years	D2
Praise justly due to those that I describe	E2
	-
	-
But though true worth and virtue in the mild	F2
And genial soil of cultivated life	G2
Thrive most and may perhaps thrive only there	H2
Yet not in cities oft in proud and gay	I2
And gain devoted cities Thither flow	J2
As to a common and most noisome sewer	P
The dregs and feculence of every land	K2
In cities foul example on most minds	L2
Begets its likeness Rank abundance breeds	M2
In gross and pamper'd cities sloth and lust	N2
And wantonness and gluttonous excess	O2
In cities vice is hidden with most ease	P2
Or seen with least reproach and virtue taught	Q2
By frequent lapse can hope no triumph there	H2
Beyond th' achievement of successful flight	R2
I do confess them nurseries of the arts	S2
In which they flourish most where in the beams	T2
Of warm encouragement and in the eye	I
Of public note they reach their perfect size	U2
Such London is by taste and wealth proclaim'd	V2
The fairest capital of all the world	W2
By riot and incontinence the worst	X2
There touch'd by Reynolds a dull blank becomes	Y2
A lucid mirror in which Nature sees	P2
All her reflected features Bacon there	H2
Gives more than female beauty to a stone	Z2
And Chatham's eloquence to marble lips	A3
	-
	-
God made the country and man made the town	B3
What wonder then that health and virtue gifts	C3
That can alone make sweet the bitter draught	D3
That life holds out to all should most abound	E3
And least be threaten'd in the fields and groves	F3
Possess ye therefore ye who borne about	G3
In chariots and sedans know no fatigue	H3
But that of idleness and taste no scenes	I3
But such as art contrives possess ye still	J3
Your element there only ye can shine	K3
There only minds like yours can do no harm	L3
Our groves were planted to console at noon	M3
The pensive wand'rer in their shades At eve	N3
The moonbeam sliding softly in between	J
The sleeping leaves is all the light they wish	O3
Birds warbling all the music We can spare	H2
The splendour of your lamps they but eclipse	A3
Our softer satellite Your songs confound	E3
Our more harmonious notes the thrush departs	S2
Scared and th' offended nightingale is mute	P3
There is a public mischief in your mirth	Q3
It plagues your country Folly such as yours	R3
Grac'd with a sword and worthier of a fan	S3
Has made which enemies could ne'er have done	T3
Our arch of empire steadfast but for you	H
A mutilated structure soon to fall	E

William Cowper

The Task: Book I, The Sofa (excerpts) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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