Madeleine Vercheres Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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I've told you many a tale my child of theA
old heroic daysB
Of Indian wars and massacre of villages ablazeB
With savage torch from Ville Marie to theA
Mission of Trois RivieresC
But never have I told you yet of MadeleineD
VercheresC
-
Summer had come with its blossoms and gailyE
the robin sangF
And deep in the forest arches the axe of theA
woodman rangF
Again in the waving meadows the sun brownedG
farmers metH
And out on the green St Lawrence the fisherI
man spread his netH
-
And so through the pleasant season till theA
days of October cameJ
When children wrought their parents andK
even the old and lameJ
With tottering frames and footsteps theirL
feeble labors lentM
At the gathering of the harvest le bon DieuM
himself had sentM
-
For news there was none of battle from theA
forts on the RichelieuN
To the gates of the ancient city where theA
flag of King Louis flewN
All peaceful the skies hung over the seignerieL
of VercheresC
Like the calm that so often cometh ere theA
hurricanes rends the airL
-
And never a thought of danger had theA
Seigneur sailing awayO
To join the soldiers of Carignan where downP
at Quebec they layO
But smiled on his little daughter the maidenQ
MadeleineD
And a necklet of jewels promised her whenD
home he should come againD
-
And ever the days passed swiftly and carelessC
the workmen grewL
For the months they seemed a hundred sinceC
the last war bugle blewL
Ah little they dreamt on their pillows theA
farmers of VercheresC
That the wolves of the southern forest hadM
scented the harvest fairL
-
Like ravens they quickly gather like tigersC
they watch their preyO
Poor people with hearts so happy they sangF
as they toiled awayO
Till the murderous eyeballs glistened and theA
tomahawk leaped outM
And the banks on the green St LawrenceC
echoed the savage shoutM
-
'Oh mother of Christ have pity ' shriekedM
the women in despairL
'This is no time for praying ' cried the youngR
Madeleine VercheresC
'Aux armes aux armes les Iroquois quickS
to your arms and gunsC
Fight for your God and country and the livesC
of the inocent ones '-
-
And she sped like a deer of the mountain whenD
beagles press close behindM
And the feet that would follow after must beE
swift as the prairie windM
Alas for the men and women and litle onesC
that dayO
For the road it was long and weary and theA
fort it was far awayO
-
But the fawn had outstripped the hunters andM
the palisades drew nearL
And soon from the inner gateway the warL
bugle rang out clearL
Gallant and clear it sounded with never a noteM
of despairL
'T was a soldier of France's challenge fromT
the young Madeleine VercheresC
-
'And this is my little garrison my brothersC
Louis and PaulU
With soldiers two and a cripple may theA
Virgin pray for us allU
But we've powder and guns in plenty andM
we 'll fight to the latest breathV
And if need be for God and country die aA
brave soldier's deathV
-
'Load all the carabines quickly and wheneverL
you sight the foeW
Fire from the upper turret and the loopholesC
down belowW
Keep up the fire brave soldiers though theA
fight may be fierce and longX
And they 'll think out little garrison is moreL
than a hundred strong '-
-
So spake the maiden Madeleine and she rousedM
the Norman bloodM
That seemed for a moment sleeping and sentM
it like a floodM
Though every heart around her and theyO
fought the red IroquoisC
As fought in the old time battles the soldiersC
of CarignanQ
-
And they say the black clouds gathered and aA
tempest swept the skyY
And the roar of the thunder mingled with theA
forest tiger's cryY
But still the garrison fought on while theA
lightning's jagged spearL
Tore a hole in the night's dark curtain andM
showed them a foeman nearL
-
And the sun rose up in the morning and theA
color of blood was heE
Gazing down from the heavens on the littleZ
companyE
'Behold my friend ' cried the maiden ' 't isC
a warning lest we forgetM
Though the night saw us do our duty ourL
work is not finished yet '-
-
And six days followed each other and feebleZ
her limbs becameJ
Yet the maid never sought her pillow and theA
flash of the carabines' flamesC
Illuminated the powder smoked face aye evenA2
when hope seemed goneB2
And she only smiled on her comrades and toldM
them to fight fight onC2
-
And she blew a blast on the bugle and loW
from the forest blackD2
Merrily merrily ringing an answer came pealE2
ing backD2
Oh pleasant and sweet it sounded borne onC2
the morning airL
For it heralded fifty soldiers with gallant DeE
la MonniereL
-
And when he beheld the maiden the soldierL
of CarignanQ
And looked on the little garrison that foughtM
the red IroquoisC
And held their own in the battle for six longX
weary daysC
He stood for a moment speechless and marL
velled at woman's waysC
-
Then he beckoned the men behind him andM
steadily they advanceC
And with carabines uplifted the veterans ofF2
FranceC
Saluted the brave young captain so timidlyE
standing thereL
And they fired a volley in honor of MadeleineD
VercheresC
-
And this my dear is the story of the maidenQ
MadeleineD
God grant that we in Canada may never seeC
againD
Such cruel wars and massacres in waking or inA2
dreamG2
As our fathers and mothers saw my child inA2
the days of the old regimeG2

William Henry Drummond



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