The Task: Book Iv, The Winter Evening (excerpts) Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Hark 'tis the twanging horn O'er yonder bridge	A
That with its wearisome but needful length	B
Bestrides the wintry flood in which the moon	C
Sees her unwrinkled face reflected bright	D
He comes the herald of a noisy world	E
With spatter'd boots strapp'd waist and frozen locks	F
News from all nations lumb'ring at his back	G
True to his charge the close pack'd load behind	H
Yet careless what he brings his one concern	I
Is to conduct it to the destin'd inn	J
And having dropp'd th' expected bag pass on	K
He whistles as he goes light hearted wretch	L
Cold and yet cheerful messenger of grief	M
Perhaps to thousands and of joy to some	N
To him indiff'rent whether grief or joy	O
Houses in ashes and the fall of stocks	F
Births deaths and marriages epistles wet	P
With tears that trickled down the writer's cheeks	Q
Fast as the periods from his fluent quill	R
Or charg'd with am'rous sighs of absent swains	Q
Or nymphs responsive equally affect	S
His horse and him unconscious of them all	T
But oh th' important budget usher'd in	J
With such heart shaking music who can say	Q
What are its tidings have our troops awak'd	S
Or do they still as if with opium drugg'd	S
Snore to the murmurs of th' Atlantic wave	U
Is India free and does she wear her plum'd	S
And jewell'd turban with a smile of peace	Q
Or do we grind her still The grand debate	S
The popular harangue the tart reply	V
The logic and the wisdom and the wit	S
And the loud laugh I long to know them all	T
I burn to set th' imprison'd wranglers free	W
And give them voice and utt'rance once again	X
Now stir the fire and close the shutters fast	S
Let fall the curtains wheel the sofa round	S
And while the bubbling and loud hissing urn	I
Throws up a steamy column and the cups	Q
That cheer but not inebriate wait on each	L
So let us welcome peaceful ev'ning in	J
Not such his ev'ning who with shining face	Q
Sweats in the crowded theatre and squeez'd	S
And bor'd with elbow points through both his sides	Q
Out scolds the ranting actor on the stage	Y
Nor his who patient stands till his feet throb	Z
And his head thumps to feed upon the breath	A2
Of patriots bursting with heroic rage	Y
Or placemen all tranquility and smiles	Q
This folio of four pages happy work	B2
Which not ev'n critics criticise that holds	Q
Inquisitive attention while I read	S
Fast bound in chains of silence which the fair	C2
Though eloquent themselves yet fear to break	D2
What is it but a map of busy life	E2
Its fluctuations and its vast concerns	Q
	-
	-
Oh winter ruler of th' inverted year	F2
Thy scatter'd hair with sleet like ashes fill'd	S
Thy breath congeal'd upon thy lips thy cheeks	Q
Fring'd with a beard made white with other snows	Q
Than those of age thy forehead wrapp'd in clouds	Q
A leafless branch thy sceptre and thy throne	G2
A sliding car indebted to no wheels	Q
But urg'd by storms along its slipp'ry way	Q
I love thee all unlovely as thou seem'st	S
And dreaded as thou art Thou hold'st the sun	H2
A pris'ner in the yet undawning east	S
Short'ning his journey between morn and noon	C
And hurrying him impatient of his stay	Q
Down to the rosy west but kindly still	R
Compensating his loss with added hours	Q
Of social converse and instructive ease	Q
And gath'ring at short notice in one group	I2
The family dispers'd and fixing thought	S
Not less dispers'd by day light and its cares	Q
I crown thee king of intimate delights	Q
Fire side enjoyments home born happiness	Q
And all the comforts that the lowly roof	J2
Of undisturb'd retirement and the hours	Q
Of long uninterrupted ev'ning know	K2
No rattling wheels stop short before these gates	Q
No powder'd pert proficient in the art	S
Of sounding an alarm assaults these doors	Q
Till the street rings no stationary steeds	Q
Cough their own knell while heedless of the sound	S
The silent circle fan themselves and quake	D2
But here the needle plies its busy task	L2
The pattern grows the well depicted flow'r	M2
Wrought patiently into the snowy lawn	N2
Unfolds its bosom buds and leaves and sprigs	Q
And curling tendrils gracefully dispos'd	S
Follow the nimble finger of the fair	C2
A wreath that cannot fade or flow'rs that blow	K2
With most success when all besides decay	Q
The poet's or historian's page by one	H2
Made vocal for th' amusement of the rest	S
The sprightly lyre whose treasure of sweet sounds	Q
The touch from many a trembling chord shakes out	S
And the clear voice symphonious yet distinct	S
And in the charming strife triumphant still	R
Beguile the night and set a keener edge	O2
On female industry the threaded steel	P2
Flies swiftly and unfelt the task proceeds	Q
The volume clos'd the customary rites	Q
Of the last meal commence A Roman meal	P2
Such as the mistress of the world once found	S
Delicious when her patriots of high note	S
Perhaps by moonlight at their humble doors	Q
And under an old oak's domestic shade	S
Enjoy'd spare feast a radish and an egg	Q2
Discourse ensues not trivial yet not dull	R2
Nor such as with a frown forbids the play	Q
Of fancy or proscribes the sound of mirth	S2
Nor do we madly like an impious world	S
Who deem religion frenzy and the God	S
That made them an intruder on their joys	Q
Start at his awful name or deem his praise	Q
A jarring note Themes of a graver tone	G2
Exciting oft our gratitude and love	T2
While we retrace with mem'ry's pointing wand	S
That calls the past to our exact review	U2
The dangers we have 'scaped the broken snare	C2
The disappointed foe deliv'rance found	S
Unlook'd for life preserv'd and peace restor'd	S
Fruits of omnipotent eternal love	T2
Oh ev'nings worthy of the gods exclaim'd	S
The Sabine bard Oh ev'nings I reply	V
More to be priz'd and coveted than yours	Q
As more illumin'd and with nobler truths	Q
That I and mine and those we love enjoy	O

William Cowper

The Task: Book Iv, The Winter Evening (excerpts) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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