The Task: Book I, The Sofa (excerpts) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTU VWFXYZA2B2C2D2E2 F2G2H2I2J2PK2L2M2N2O 2P2Q2H2R2S2T2IU2V2W2 X2Y2P2H2Z2A3 B3C3D3E3F3G3H3I3J3K3 L3M3N3JO3H2A3E3S2P3Q 3R3S3T3HEA | |
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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 |
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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 |
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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
(1)
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