The Grateful Snake. Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Ingratitude of earth the shame	A
Thou monster at whose hated name	A
The nerves of kindness ake	B
Would I could drive thee from mankind	C
By telling how a grateful mind	C
Once dignified a snake	B
	-
The tale is antient and is sweet	D
To mortals who with joy repeat	D
What soothes the feeling heart	E
The first of virtues that may boast	F
The power to soothe and please it most	F
Sweet gratitude thou art	E
	-
The reptile whom thy beauties raise	G
Has an unquestion'd claim to praise	G
That justice will confirm	H
The Muses with a graceful pride	I
May turn from thankless man aside	I
To celebrate a worm	H
	-
In Arcady grave authors write	J
There liv'd a Serpent the delight	J
Of an ingenuous child	K
Proud of his kindness the brave boy	L
Fed and caress'd it with a joy	L
Heroically mild	K
	-
Pleased all his gambols to attend	M
The snake his playfellow and friend	M
Still in his sight he kept	N
The reptile ever at his side	I
Obeys him waking and with pride	I
Would watch him while he slept	N
	-
Once ere her darling was awake	B
The anxious mother saw the snake	B
So twin'd around his arm	O
She begged her husband to convey	P
The fondling serpent far away	P
For fear of casual harm	O
	-
The happy father of the child	K
Himself a being bravely mild	K
To her request attends	Q
Conscious such comrades could not part	E
Without great anguish of the heart	E
He fear'd to wound the friends	Q
	-
They both were young and both had shewn	R
Affection into habit grown	R
With feelings most acute	S
Yet to a parent's duty just	T
Tho' griev'd to part them part he must	T
The point bears no dispute	S
	-
But with a tenderness of mind	C
That prov'd him truly not inclined	C
Their friendship to destroy	L
He form'd a plan and held it good	U
To hurt as little as he could	U
The Serpent or the boy	L
	-
To sleep he both with opiates lur'd	V
Then in their slumber's bond secur'd	V
See in his arms they go	W
To woody scenes where for the snake	B
There left entranc'd when he shall wake	B
Both food and shelter grow	W
	-
The slumbering boy awak'd at home	X
And miss'd his friend and wish'd to roam	X
And seek the friend he miss'd	Y
But hearing all his sire had done	R
Soon pacified the grateful son	R
Could not such love resist	Y
	-
He promis'd for his mother's sake	B
Not to recall his exil'd snake	B
Nor wander to his wood	U
He was a boy of manly soul	Z
And true to honour's just controul	Z
He made his promise good	U
	-
Nature to these divided friends	Q
Now in their separate lot attends	Q
Time decks them as he flies	A2
The child a graceful stripling grows	B2
And freedom on the snake bestows	B2
A formidable size	A2
	-
And now it chanc'd the Arcadian youth	C2
Renown'd for courage love and truth	C2
Had sought a favourite maid	D2
Led by her tender charms to roam	X
Forgetting distance from his home	X
Abroad too late he stay'd	D2
	-
Sooner indeed he meant to start	E
To save a watchful parent's heart	E
And not one fear excite	J
But oft as nature's records tell	Z
Ere love can utter his farewell	Z
Day melts into the night	J
	-
Eager to take the shortest road	E2
That led to his remote abode	E2
He thro' a forest sped	F2
There by the moon's slow rising beam	G2
He saw a robber's faulchion gleam	G2
High brandish'd o'er his head	F2
	-
A hunter's javelin in his hand	H2
He scorn'd the ruffian's base demand	H2
And made the wretch recoil	Z
But numbers from a thicket spring	I2
The youth they hem within a ring	I2
And threaten to despoil	Z
	-
He then alarm'd calls loud for aid	D2
And sudden from the rustling shade	D2
A wond'rous sound they hear	J2
The startled ruffians turned in dread	F2
Some shriek'd some shouted and some fled	F2
Their foe approaches near	K2
	-
Against one wretch of form uncouth	C2
Who basely struck the encircled youth	C2
And gave his foot a wound	L2
This shadowy foe of silent tongue	M2
Had from his secret ambush sprung	M2
And beat him to the ground	L2
	-
Another as he fled in haste	N2
The youth's defender then embrac'd	N2
With such a deadly clasp	O2
The villain fell and in the strife	P2
Groan'd out his miserable life	P2
In horror's speechless gasp	O2
	-
Who can describe the youth's surprise	A2
When by the moon beam he descries	A2
The source of his escape	Q2
That aid who crush'd his murd'rous foes	A2
To meet his gratitude now rose	A2
And in a serpent's shape	Q2
	-
My Zoe hear him now exclaim	A
The child had by that fondling name	A
Been used his snake to call	Z
The reptile heard and at the sound	L2
Began with pitying care around	L2
His wounded foot to crawl	Z
	-
The blood she staunch'd with tender tongue	M2
Then higher to his hand she sprung	M2
And lick'd with fond caress	A2
Her gestures all this truth declare	R2
Thy Zoe makes thy life her care	R2
And joys in her success	A2
	-
The wasting night now wears away	P
The youth's fond mother at his stay	P
To fear maternal yields	A2
And doubting of some dire mischance	A2
She hurries ere the morn's advance	A2
To seek him in the fields	A2
	-
With what delight with what amaze	A2
Her eye her smiling son surveys	A2
And rolling by his side	I
A serpent of triumphant air	R2
Who seems his fond regard to share	R2
And serve him as a guide	I
	-
For faithful Zoe would attend	M
The footsteps of her wounded friend	M
'Till he at home may rest	S2
His mother learnt her wond'rous truth	C2
And clasping the dear rescued youth	C2
His brave confederate blest	S2
	-
Zoe no more condemn'd to roam	X
Now grew an inmate of their home	X
The snake at Athens rear'd	T2
The symbol of Minerva's power	U2
Lodg'd as her servant in her tower	U2
Was never more rever'd	T2
	-
Zoe was the delight of all	Z
Obedient to each friendly call	Z
From all she honour won	R
But her the mother most caresst	T2
And fondly shew'd to every guest	T2
The guardian of her son	R

William Hayley

The Grateful Snake. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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