St Michael's Mount - Inscribed To The Right Honourable Lord Somers. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGAAHHII JJKKLMNNOOPPQQRRSSKK TTUUFFVVWWXXYYZZA2A2 B2B2SSVVIIDDC2C2TTII D2D2RRE2E2HHF2F2G2G2 ZZJJEEH2H2III2I2AAJ2 J2DDK2K2HHIIJJL2L2M2 N2O2O2XXAAAP2P2E2E2Q 2Q2R2R2M2N2S2S2T2T2U 2O2AAH2H2JJV2V2AAIIN 2M2W2W2M2N2JJIIX2X2Y 2Z2O2O2EEA3A3KKS2S2O 2O2DDI2I2A2A2B3B3C3D 3BE3F3F3G3H3SSO2O2D3 D3D3D3F3F3ERIIF3F3I3 I3EED3D3F3F3EEF3F3SS D3D3F3F3F3F3F3J3J3K3 K3D3D3F3F3K2K2I2I2X2 X2QQJ3J3H2H2L3L3O2O2 SSD3D3F3F3U2O2KKH2H2 O2O2RRF3F3D3D3H2H2D3 D3BBIIOOEED3D3F3F3M3 M3D3D3SSN3N3F3F3F3F3 D3D3EED3D3D3D3F3F3D3 D3O2O2F3F3F3F3H2H2RR O3I2F3F3F3F3F3F3F3F3 F3While summer airs scarce breathe along the tide | A |
Oft pausing up the mountain's craggy side | A |
We climb how beautiful how still how clear | B |
The scenes that stretch around The rocks that rear | B |
Their shapes in rich fantastic colours dressed | C |
The hill tops where the softest shadows rest | C |
The long retiring bay the level sand | D |
The fading sea line and the furthest land | D |
That seems as low it lessens from the eye | E |
To steal away beneath the cloudless sky | E |
But yesterday the misty morn was spread | F |
In dreariness on the bleak mountain's head | F |
No glittering prospect from the upland smiled | G |
The driving squall came dark the sea heaved wild | G |
And lost and lonely the wayfarer sighed | A |
Wet with the hoar spray of the flashing tide | A |
How changed is now the circling scene The deep | H |
Stirs not the glancing roofs and white towers peep | H |
Along the margin of the lucid bay | I |
The sails descried far in the offing gray | I |
Hang motionless and the pale headland's height | J |
Is touched as with sweet gleams of fairy light | J |
Oh lives there on earth's busy stirring scene | K |
Whom Nature's tranquil charms her airs serene | K |
Her seas her skies her sunbeams fail to move | L |
With stealing tenderness and grateful love | M |
Go thankless man to Misery's cave behold | N |
Captivity stretched in her dungeon cold | N |
Or think on those who in yon dreary mine | O |
Sunk fathoms deep beneath the rolling brine | O |
From year to year amid the lurid shade | P |
O'er wearied ply their melancholy trade | P |
That thou may'st bless the glorious sun and hail | Q |
Him who with beauty clothed the hill and vale | Q |
Who bent the arch of the high heavens for thee | R |
And stretched in amplitude the broad blue sea | R |
Now sunk are all its murmurs and the air | S |
But moves by fits the bents that here and there | S |
Upshoot in casual spots of faded green | K |
Here straggling sheep the scanty pasture glean | K |
Or on the jutting fragments that impend | T |
Stray fearlessly and gaze as we ascend | T |
Mountain no pomp of waving woods hast thou | U |
That deck with varied shade thy hoary brow | U |
No sunny meadows at thy feet are spread | F |
No streamlets sparkle o'er their pebbly bed | F |
But thou canst boast thy beauties ample views | V |
That catch the rapt eye of the pausing Muse | V |
Headlands around new lighted sails and seas | W |
Now glassy smooth now wrinkling to the breeze | W |
And when the drisly Winter wrapped in sleet | X |
Goes by and winds and rain thy ramparts beat | X |
Fancy can see thee standing thus aloof | Y |
And frowning bleak and bare and tempest proof | Y |
Look as with awful confidence and brave | Z |
The howling hurricane the dashing wave | Z |
More graceful when the storm's dark vapours frown | A2 |
Than when the summer suns in pomp go down | A2 |
And such is he who clad in watchet weeds | B2 |
And boasting little more than nature needs | B2 |
Can wrap him in contentedness and wear | S |
A port unchanged in seasons rude or fair | S |
His may be Fancy's sunshine and the Muse | V |
May deck his visions with her fairest hues | V |
And he may lift his honest front and say | I |
To the hard storm that rends his locks of gray | I |
I heed thee not he unappalled may stand | D |
Beneath the cloud that shades a sinking land | D |
While heedless of the storm that onward sweeps | C2 |
Mad impious Riot his loud wassail keeps | C2 |
Pre eminent in native worth nor bend | T |
Though gathering ills on his bare head descend | T |
And when the wasteful storm sweeps o'er its prey | I |
And rends the kingdoms of the world away | I |
He firm as stands the rock's unshaken base | D2 |
Yet panting for a surer resting place | D2 |
The human hurricane unmoved can see | R |
And say O GOD my refuge is in Thee | R |
States anchored deep that far their shadow cast | E2 |
Rock and are scattered by the ALMIGHTY'S blast | E2 |
As when awakened from his horrid sleep | H |
In fiery caves a thousand fathoms deep | H |
The Earthquake's Demon hies aloft he waits | F2 |
Nigh some high turreted proud city's gates | F2 |
As listening to the mingled shouts and din | G2 |
Of the mad crowd that feast or dance within | G2 |
Mean time sad Nature feels his sway the wave | Z |
Heaves and low sounds moan through the mountain cave | Z |
Then all at once is still still as midnight | J |
When not the lime leaf moves Oh piteous sight | J |
For now the glittering domes crash from on high | E |
And hark a strange and lamentable cry | E |
It ceases and the tide's departing roar | H2 |
Alone is heard upon the desert shore | H2 |
That as it sweeps with slow huge swell away | I |
Remorseless mutters o'er its buried prey | I |
So Ruin hurrieth o'er this shaken ball | I2 |
He bids his blast go forth and lo doth fall | I2 |
A Carthage or a Rome Then rolls the tide | A |
Of deep Forgetfulness whelming the pride | A |
Of man his shattered and forsaken bowers | J2 |
His noiseless cities and his prostrate towers | J2 |
Some columns eminent and awful stand | D |
Like Egypt's pillars on the lonely sand | D |
We read upon their base inscribed by Fame | K2 |
A HOMER'S here or here a SHAKESPEARE'S name | K2 |
Yet think not of the surge that soon may sweep | H |
Ourselves unnumbered to the oblivious deep | H |
Yet time has been as mouldering legends say | I |
When all yon western tract and this bright bay | I |
Where now the sunshine sleeps and wheeling white | J |
The sea mew circles in fantastic flight | J |
Was peopled wide but the loud storm hath raved | L2 |
Where its green top the high wood whispering waved | L2 |
And many a year the slowly rising flood | M2 |
Raked where the Druids' uncooth altar stood | N2 |
Thou only aged mountain dost remain | O2 |
Stern monument amidst the deluged plain | O2 |
And fruitless the big waves thy bulwarks beat | X |
The big waves slow retire and murmur at thy feet | X |
Thou half encircled by the refluent tide | A |
As if thy state its utmost rage defied | A |
Dost tower above the scene as in thine ancient pride | A |
Mountain the curious Muse might love to gaze | P2 |
On the dim record of thy early days | P2 |
Oft fancying that she heard like the low blast | E2 |
The sounds of mighty generations past | E2 |
Thee the Phoenician as remote he sailed | Q2 |
Along the unknown coast exulting hailed | Q2 |
And when he saw thy rocky point aspire | R2 |
Thought on his native shores of Aradus or Tyre | R2 |
Distained with many a ghastly giant's blood | M2 |
Upon thy height huge Corineus stood | N2 |
And clashed his shield whilst hid in caves profound | S2 |
His monstrous foe cowered at the fearful sound | S2 |
Hark to the brazen clarion's pealing swell | T2 |
The shout at intervals the deepening yell | T2 |
Long ages speed away yet now again | U2 |
The noise of battle hurtles on the plain | O2 |
Behold the dark haired warriors down thy side | A |
O mountain sternly terrible they stride | A |
Ev'n now impatient for the promised war | H2 |
They rear their axes huge and shouting cry to Thor | H2 |
The sounds of conflict cease at dead of night | J |
A voice is heard Prepare the Druid rite | J |
And hark the bard upon thy summit rings | V2 |
The deep chords of his thrilling harp and sings | V2 |
To Night's pale Queen that through the heavens wide | A |
Amidst her still host list'ning seems to ride | A |
Slow sinks the cadence of the solemn lay | I |
And all the sombrous scenery steals away | I |
The shadowy Druid throng the darksome wood | N2 |
And the hoar altar wet with human blood | M2 |
Marked ye the Angel spectre that appeared | W2 |
By other hands the holy fane is reared | W2 |
High on the point where gazing o'er the flood | M2 |
Confessed the glittering apparition stood | N2 |
And now the sailor on his watch of night | J |
Sees like a glimmering star the far off light | J |
Or homeward bound hears on the twilight bay | I |
The slowly chanted vespers die away | I |
These scenes are fled and passed yet still sublime | X2 |
And wearing graceful the gray tints of Time | X2 |
Upon the steep rock's craggy eminence | Y2 |
The embattled castle sits surveying thence | Z2 |
The villages that strew the subject plain | O2 |
And the long winding of the lucid main | O2 |
Meantime the stranger marks its turrets high | E |
And muses on the tale of changeful years gone by | E |
Of this no more lo here our journey ends | A3 |
Wide and more wide the arch of heaven extends | A3 |
And on this topmost fragment as we lean | K |
We feel removed from dim earth's distant scene | K |
Lift up the hollow trump that on the ground | S2 |
Is cast and let it rolling its long sound | S2 |
Speak to the surge below that we may gain | O2 |
Tidings from those who traverse the wide main | O2 |
Or tread we now some spot of wizard land | D |
And mark the sable trump that may command | D |
The brazen doors to fly and with loud call | I2 |
Scare the grim giant in his murky hall | I2 |
Hail solitary castle that dost crown | A2 |
This desert summit and supreme look down | A2 |
On the long lessening landscape stretched below | B3 |
Fearless to trace thy inmost haunts we go | B3 |
We climb the steps No warning signs are sent | C3 |
No fiery shapes flash on the battlement | D3 |
We enter the long chambers without fear | B |
We traverse no strange echoes meet the ear | E3 |
No time worn tapestry spontaneous shakes | F3 |
No spell bound maiden from her trance awakes | F3 |
But Taste's fair hand arrays the peaceful dome | G3 |
And hither the domestic virtues come | H3 |
Pleased while to this secluded scene they bear | S |
Sweets that oft wither in a world of care | S |
Castle no more thou frownest on the main | O2 |
In the dark terror of thy ancient reign | O2 |
No more thy long and dreary halls affright | D3 |
Swept by the stoled spirits of the night | D3 |
But calm and heedless of the storms that beat | D3 |
Here Elegance and Peace assume their seat | D3 |
And when the night descends and Ocean roars | F3 |
Rocking without upon his darkened shores | F3 |
These vaulted roofs to gentle sounds reply | E |
The voice of social cheer or song of harmony | R |
So fade the modes of life with slow decay | I |
And various ages various hues display | I |
Fled are the grimly shadows of Romance | F3 |
And pleased we see in beauteous troop advance | F3 |
New arts new manners from the Gothic gloom | I3 |
Escaped and scattering flowers that sweetlier bloom | I3 |
Refinement wakes before her beaming eye | E |
Dispersed the fumes of feudal darkness fly | E |
Like orient Morning on the mountain's head | D3 |
A softer light on life's wide scene is shed | D3 |
Lapping in bliss the sense of human cares | F3 |
Hark Melody pours forth her sweetest airs | F3 |
And like the shades that on the still lake lie | E |
Of rocks or fringing woods or tinted sky | E |
Painting her hues on the clear tablet lays | F3 |
And her own beauteous world with tender touch displays | F3 |
Then Science lifts her form august and fair | S |
And shakes the night dews from her glittering hair | S |
Meantime rich Culture clothes the living waste | D3 |
And purer patterns of Athenian Taste | D3 |
Invite the eye and wake the kindling sense | F3 |
And milder Manners as they play dispense | F3 |
Like tepid airs of Spring their genial influence | F3 |
Such is thy boast Refinement But deep dyes | F3 |
Oft mar the splendour of thy noontide skies | F3 |
Then Fancy sick of follies that deform | J3 |
The face of day and in the sunshine swarm | J3 |
Sick of the fluttering fopperies that engage | K3 |
The vain pursuits of a degenerate age | K3 |
Sick of smooth Sophistry's insidious cant | D3 |
Or cold Impiety's defying rant | D3 |
Sick of the muling sentiment that sighs | F3 |
O'er its dead bird while Want unpitied cries | F3 |
Sick of the pictures that pale Lust inflame | K2 |
And flush the cheek of Love with deep deep shame | K2 |
Would fain the shade of elder days recall | I2 |
The Gothic battlements the bannered hall | I2 |
Or list of elfin harps the fabling rhyme | X2 |
Or wrapped in melancholy trance sublime | X2 |
Pause o'er the working of some wond'rous tale | Q |
Or bid the spectres of the castle hail | Q |
Oh might I now amid the frowning storm | J3 |
Behold great Vision of the Mount thy form | J3 |
Such and so vast as thou wert seen of yore | H2 |
When looking steadfast to Bayonna's shore | H2 |
Thou sattest awful on the topmost stone | L3 |
Making the rock thy solitary throne | L3 |
For up the narrow steps winding with pain | O2 |
The watch tower's loftiest platform now we gain | O2 |
Departed spirit fruitless is the prayer | S |
We see alone thy long deserted chair | S |
And never more or in the storm of night | D3 |
Or by the glimmering moon's illusive light | D3 |
Or when the flash with red and hasty glance | F3 |
Sudden illumes the sea's remote expanse | F3 |
The shores the cliffs the mountain till again | U2 |
Deep darkness closes on the roaring main | O2 |
Shalt thou dread Angel with unaltered mien | K |
Sublime upon thy cloudy seat be seen | K |
Yet musing much on wild tradition's lore | H2 |
And many a phantom tale believed of yore | H2 |
Chiefly remembering the sweet song whose strain | O2 |
Shall never die of him who wept in vain | O2 |
For his loved Lycidas in the wide sea | R |
Whelmed when he cried great Angel unto thee | R |
The fabled scene of thy renown we trace | F3 |
And hail with thronging thoughts thy hallowed resting place | F3 |
The stealing Morn goes out here let us end | D3 |
Fitliest our song and to the shore descend | D3 |
Yet once more azure ocean and once more | H2 |
Ye lighted headlands and thou stretching shore | H2 |
Down on the beauties of your scenes we cast | D3 |
A tender look the longest and the last | D3 |
Amid the arch of heaven extended clear | B |
Scarce the thin flecks of feathery clouds appear | B |
Beyond the long curve of the lessening bay | I |
The still Atlantic stretches its bright way | I |
The tall ship moves not on the tranquil brine | O |
Around the solemn promontories shine | O |
No sounds approach us save at times the cry | E |
Of the gray gull that scarce is heard so high | E |
The billows make no noise and on the breast | D3 |
Of charmed Ocean Silence sinks to rest | D3 |
Oh might we thus from heaven's bright battlements | F3 |
Behold the scene Humanity presents | F3 |
And see like this all harmonised and still | M3 |
And hear no far off sounds of earthly ill | M3 |
Wide landscape of the world in purest light | D3 |
Arrayed how fair how cheering were the sight | D3 |
Alas we think upon this seat of care | S |
And ask if peace if harmony be there | S |
We hear the clangours and the cries that shake | N3 |
The mad world and their dismal music make | N3 |
We see gaunt Vice of dread enormous size | F3 |
That fearless in the broad day sweltering lies | F3 |
And scorns the feeble arrow that assails | F3 |
His Heaven defying crest and iron scales | F3 |
His brows with wan and withered roses crowned | D3 |
And reeling to the pipe's lascivious sound | D3 |
We see Intemperance his goblet quaff | E |
And mocking Blasphemy with mad loud laugh | E |
Acting before high Heaven a direr part | D3 |
Sport with the weapons that shall pierce his heart | D3 |
If o'er the southern wave we turn our sight | D3 |
More dismal shapes of hideous woe affright | D3 |
Grim visaged War that ruthless as he hies | F3 |
Drowns with his trumpet's blast a brother's cries | F3 |
And Massacre by yelling furies led | D3 |
With ghastly grin and eye balls rolling red | D3 |
O'er a vast field wide heaped with festering slain | O2 |
Hark how the Demon Passions shout amain | O2 |
And cry exulting while the death storm lowers | F3 |
Hurrah the kingdoms of the world are ours | F3 |
O GOD who madest man I see these things | F3 |
And wearied wish for a fleet angel's wings | F3 |
That I might fly away and hear no more | H2 |
The surge that moans along this mortal shore | H2 |
But Joy's unclouded sunshine may not be | R |
Till Father of all worlds we rest with Thee | R |
Then Truth uplifting from thy works the pall | O3 |
Shall speak In wisdom hast Thou made them all | I2 |
Then angels and archangels as they gaze | F3 |
And all the acclaiming host of heaven shall raise | F3 |
The loud hosannah of eternal praise | F3 |
Here all is mixed with sorrow and the clouds | F3 |
Hang awfully whose shade the dim earth shrouds | F3 |
Therefore I mourn for man and sighing say | F3 |
As down the steep I wind my homeward way | F3 |
Oh when will Earth's long muttering tempests cease | F3 |
And all be sunshine like this scene and peace | F3 |
William Lisle Bowles
(1)
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