The Elephant Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB BCBC DEDE FGFG BBBB HIHI JKJK LMLM NONO PQPQ RSTS UVUV WEWE XCXC IYIY MBMB VZVZ A2MA2M B2LBL C2YC2Y D2E2D2E2 F2VF2V BCBC AG2AG2

Say nature on whose wond'rous reignA
Delighted fancy dwellsB
Of all thy numerous brutal trainA
What animal excellsB
-
What quadruped most nobly viesB
In virtue with mankindC
Like man deliberately wiseB
And resolutely kindC
-
Beneath a form vast and uncouthD
Such excellence is foundE
Sagacious Elephant thy truthD
Thy kindness is renown'dE
-
More mild than sanguinary manF
Whose servant thou hast prov'dG
Oft in his frantic battle's vanF
Thy bulk has stood unmovedG
-
There oft thy spirit griev'd to seeB
His murd'rous rage encreaseB
'Till mad himself he madden'd theeB
Thou nobler friend to peaceB
-
Acts of thy courage might occurH
To grace heroic songI
But I thy gentle deeds preferH
Thou strongest of the strongI
-
Where India serves the British throneJ
In scenes no longer wildK
A menial Elephant was knownJ
Most singularly mildK
-
It was his custom fresh and gayL
By his attendant ledM
Walking to water every dayL
To pass a gard'ner's shedM
-
This gard'ner of good natured fameN
Admir'd the noble beastO
And gave him whensoe'er he cameN
A vegetable feastO
-
Some dainty from his stall bestow'dP
So made the beast his friendQ
'Twas joy to see at this abodeP
His blythe proboscis bendQ
-
Not coarsely eager for his foodR
He seem'd his love to courtS
And oft delighted as he stoodT
To yield his children sportS
-
As if to thank them for each giftU
With tender touching careV
The boys he to his back would liftU
And still caress them thereV
-
In short his placid gambols seem'dW
Affection so profoundE
His friendship for this man was deem'dW
A wonder all aroundE
-
But O can humour's giddy rangeX
Mislead the brutal mindC
Can elephants their friendship changeX
As fickle as mankindC
-
See now the hero of my songI
That theme of every tongueY
Alone and fierce he stalks alongI
As if with frenzy stungY
-
See to the gard'ner's well known shedM
Impetuous he fliesB
Seizes his friend in silent dreadM
And lifts him to the skiesB
-
High as his trunk the man can bearV
Th' astonish'd man he boreZ
Who vainly struggled in the airV
And trembled more and moreZ
-
So wild so swift the monster pastA2
All deem'd him mad and fledM
Thro' a high window gently castA2
With terror almost deadM
-
The astounded gard'ner view'd with aweB2
The savage speed awayL
But soon with gratitude he sawB
The source of his dismayL
-
Unthought of source for now inflam'dC2
A ravenous tyger sprungY
And at the window vainly aim'dC2
To which he trembling clungY
-
And now with joy his heart strings swellD2
And blest he deems his lotE2
For the foil'd tyger as he fellD2
A latent marksman shotE2
-
The Elephant returns O HeavenF2
How tender was his airV
Seeing the friend whose life was givenF2
To his preserving careV
-
For conscious of the danger heB
Most providently kindC
From unseen ill to set him freeB
Such rescue had designedC
-
Ye whom a friend's dark perils painA
When terrors most unnerve himG2
Learn from this Elephant to strainA
Your sinews to preserve himG2

William Hayley



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