Hope, An Allegorical Sketch Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCDEE FGFGHIIIJJ KLKMNONOPQ IIIIJIJIII RSRSOTOTUU JOJOSISIVV WXWXIYIYZZ A2IA2IIIIIII A2B2A2B2JC2JC2WW D2IE2IF2G2F2G2H2H2 IJIJII2II2KK IIIIZIZIE2D2 J2K2L2ZH2IH2III IIIIJNINII NJNJIIIIII M2IM2IIN2IN2II IIIIN2IN2IFF IO2NI am the comforter of them that mourn | A |
My scenes well shadowed and my carol sweet | B |
Cheer the poor passengers of life's rude bourne | A |
Till they are sheltered in that last retreat | B |
Where human toils and troubles are forgot | C |
These sounds I heard amid this mortal road | D |
When I had reached with pain one pleasant spot | C |
So that for joy some tears in silence flowed | D |
I raised mine eyes sickness had long depressed | E |
And felt thy warmth O sun come cheering to my breast | E |
- | |
The storm of night had ceased upon the plain | F |
When thoughtful in the forest walk I strayed | G |
To the long hollow murmur of the main | F |
Listening and to the many leaves that made | G |
A drowsy cadence as the high trees waved | H |
When straight a beauteous scene burst on my sight | I |
Smooth were the waters that the lowland laved | I |
And lo a form as of some fairy sprite | I |
Who held in her right hand a budding spray | J |
And like a sea maid sung her sweetly warbled lay | J |
- | |
Soothing as steals the summer wave she sung | K |
The grisly phantoms of the night are gone | L |
To hear in shades forlorn the death bell rung | K |
But thou whom sickness hast left weak and wan | M |
Turn from their spectre terrors the green sea | N |
That whispers at my feet the matin gale | O |
That crisps its shining marge shall solace thee | N |
And thou my long forgotten voice shalt hail | O |
For I am Hope whom weary hearts confess | P |
The soothest sprite that sings on life's long wilderness | Q |
- | |
As slowly ceased her tender voice I stood | I |
Delighted the hard way so lately passed | I |
Seemed smooth the ocean's bright extended flood | I |
Before me stretched the clouds that overcast | I |
Heaven's melancholy vault hurried away | J |
Driven seaward and the azure hills appeared | I |
The sunbeams shone upon their summits gray | J |
Strange saddening sounds no more by fits were heard | I |
But birds in new leaves shrouded sung aloft | I |
And o'er the level seas Spring's healing airs blew soft | I |
- | |
As when a traveller who many days | R |
Hath journeyed 'mid Arabian deserts still | S |
A dreary solitude far on surveys | R |
And met nor flitting bird nor gushing rill | S |
But near some marble ruin gleaming pale | O |
Sighs mindful of the haunts of cheerful man | T |
And thinks he hears in every sickly gale | O |
The bells of some approaching caravan | T |
At length emerging o'er the dim tract sees | U |
Damascus' golden fanes and minarets and trees | U |
- | |
So beat my bosom when my winding way | J |
Led through the thickets to a sheltered vale | O |
Where the fair syren sat a smooth clear bay | J |
Skirted with woods appeared where many a sail | O |
Went shining o'er the watery surface still | S |
Lessening at last in the gray ocean flood | I |
And yonder half way up the fronting hill | S |
Peeping from forth the trees a cottage stood | I |
Above whose peaceful umbrage trailing high | V |
A little smoke went up and stained the cloudless sky | V |
- | |
I turned and lo a mountain seemed to rise | W |
Upon whose top a spiry citadel | X |
Lifted its dim seen turrets to the skies | W |
Where some high lord of the domain might dwell | X |
And onward where the eye scarce stretched its sight | I |
Hills over hills in long succession rose | Y |
Touched with a softer and yet softer light | I |
And all was blended as in deep repose | Y |
The woods the sea the hills that shone so fair | Z |
Till woods and sea and hills seemed fading into air | Z |
- | |
At once methought I saw a various throng | A2 |
To this enchanting spot their footsteps bend | I |
All drawn sweet Hope by thy inspiring song | A2 |
Which melodies scarce mortal seem to blend | I |
First buxom Youth with cheeks of glowing red | I |
Came lightly tripping o'er the morning dew | I |
He wore a harebell garland on his head | I |
And stretched his hands at the bright bursting view | I |
A mountain fawn went bounding by his side | I |
Around whose slender neck a silver bell was tied | I |
- | |
Then said I Mistress of the magic song | A2 |
Oh pity 'twere that hearts that know no guile | B2 |
Should ever feel the pangs of truth or wrong | A2 |
She heeded not but sang with lovelier smile | B2 |
Enjoy O youth the season of thy May | J |
Hark how the throstles in the hawthorn sing | C2 |
The hoary Time that resteth night nor day | J |
O'er the earth's shade may speed with noiseless wing | C2 |
But heed not thou snatch the brief joys that rise | W |
And sport beneath the light of these unclouded skies | W |
- | |
His fine eye flashing an unwonted fire | D2 |
Then Fancy o'er the glade delighted went | I |
He struck at times a small and silver lyre | E2 |
Or gazed upon the rolling element | I |
Sometimes he took his mirror which did show | F2 |
The various landscape lovelier than the life | G2 |
Beaming more bright the vivid tints did glow | F2 |
And so well mingled was the colours' strife | G2 |
That the fond heart the beauteous shades once seen | H2 |
Would sigh for such retreats for vales and woods so green | H2 |
- | |
Gay was his aspect and his airy vest | I |
As loose it flowed such colours did display | J |
As paint the clouds reposing in the west | I |
Or the moist rainbow's radiant arch inlay | J |
And now he tripped like fairy of the wood | I |
And seemed with dancing spirits to rejoice | I2 |
And now he hung his head in pensive mood | I |
Meantime O Hope he listened to thy voice | I2 |
And whilst of joy and youth it cheerly sung | K |
He touched his answering harp and o'er the valley sprung | K |
- | |
Pleasure a frolic nymph to the glad sound | I |
Came dancing as all tears she might forget | I |
And now she gazed with a sweet archness round | I |
And wantonly displayed a silken net | I |
She won her way with fascinating air | Z |
Her eyes illumined with a tender light | I |
Her smile's strange blandishment her shaded hair | Z |
That lengthening hung her teeth as ivory white | I |
That peeped from her moist lip seemed to inspire | E2 |
Tumultuous wishes warm and dreams of fond desire | D2 |
- | |
What softer passions did thy bosom move | J2 |
When those melodious measures met thine ear | K2 |
Child of Sincerity and virtuous Love | L2 |
Thine eyes did shine beneath a blissful tear | Z |
That still were turned towards the tranquil scene | H2 |
Where the thin smoke rose from the embowered cot | I |
And thou didst think that there with smile serene | H2 |
In quiet shades and every pang forgot | I |
Thou mightest sink on pure Affection's breast | I |
And listen to the winds that whispered thee to rest | I |
- | |
I thought O Love how seldom art thou found | I |
Without annoyance in this earthly state | I |
For haply thou dost feed some rankling wound | I |
Or on thy youth pale poverty doth wait | I |
Till years on heavy wing have rolled away | J |
Or where thou most didst hope firm faith to see | N |
Thou meetest fickleness estranged and cold | I |
Or if some true and tender heart there be | N |
On which through every change thy soul might trust | I |
Death comes with his fell dart and smites it to the dust | I |
- | |
But lusty Enterprise with looks of glee | N |
Approached the drooping youth as he would say | J |
Come to the high woods and the hills with me | N |
And cast thy sullen myrtle wreath away | J |
Upon a neighing courser he did sit | I |
That stretched its arched neck in conscious pride | I |
And champed as with disdain a golden bit | I |
But Hope her animating voice applied | I |
And Enterprise with speed impetuous passed | I |
Whilst the long vale returned his wreathed bugle's blast | I |
- | |
Suddenly lifting high his ponderous spear | M2 |
A mailed man came forth with scornful pride | I |
I saw him towering in his proud career | M2 |
Along the valley with a giant stride | I |
Upon his helm in letters of bright gold | I |
That to the sun's meridian splendour shone | N2 |
Ambition's name far off I might behold | I |
Meantime from earth there came a hollow moan | N2 |
But Fame who followed her loud trumpet blew | I |
And to the murmuring beach with eyes a flame he flew | I |
- | |
And now already had he gained the strand | I |
Where a tall vessel rode with sail unfurled | I |
And soon he thought to reach the farther land | I |
Which to his eager eye seemed like a world | I |
That he by strength might win and make his own | N2 |
And in that citadel which shone so bright | I |
Seat him a purple sovereign on his throne | N2 |
So he went tilting o'er the waters white | I |
And whilst he oft looked back with stern disdain | F |
In louder tone methought was heard the inspiring strain | F |
- | |
By the shade of cities old | I |
By many a river stained with gore | O2 |
B | N |
William Lisle Bowles
(1)
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