The Missionary - Canto Eighth Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDEFFGG H IIJJ KLDE MMJJ NNOPAAQRSSTTCCUUJJJJ AAAVVNNWWXXYYMMZZNNA 2A2B2B2C2C2D2D2E2E2D 2D2JJF2F2ZZG2G2H2C2W I2J2J2K2L2B2B2M2M2VV I2WWWAAN2N2D2D2O2WP2 P2Q2Q2R2R2S2S2T2T2P2 P2U2V2W2W2WWX2X2Y2Y2 ZZZ2Z2A3A3V2B3C3C3JJ B2B2D3D3CCEJJSSCCE3E 3W2W2W2JJNNNEDTTF3F3 CCG3G3F

The morn returns and reddening seems to shedA
One ray of glory on the patriot deadA
Round the dark stone the victor chiefs beholdB
Still on their locks the gouts of gore hang coldB
There stands the brave Caupolican the prideC
Of Chili young Lautaro by his sideC
Near the grim circle pendent from the woodD
Twelve hundred Spanish heads are dripping bloodE
Shrill sound the notes of death in festive danceF
The Indian maids with myrtle boughs advanceF
The tinkling sea shells on their ancles ringG
As hailing thus the victor youth they singG
-
SONG OF INDIAN MAIDSH
-
Oh shout for Lautaro the young and the braveI
The arm of whose strength was uplifted to saveI
When the steeds of the strangers came rushing amainJ
And the ghosts of our fathers looked down on the slainJ
-
'Twas eve and the noise of the battle was o'erK
Five thousand brave warriors were cold in their goreL
When in front young Lautaro invincible stoodD
And the horses and iron men rolled in their bloodE
-
As the snows of the mountain are swept by the blastM
The earthquake of death o'er the white men has passedM
Shout Chili in triumph the battle is wonJ
And we dance round the heads that are black in the sunJ
-
Lautaro as if wrapt in thought profoundN
Oft turned an anxious look inquiring roundN
He is not here Say does my father liveO
Ere eager voices could an answer giveP
With faltering footsteps and declining headA
And slowly by an aged Indian ledA
Wounded and weak the mountain chief appearsQ
Live live Lautaro cried with bursting tearsR
And fell upon his neck and kissing pressedS
With folding arms his gray hairs to his breastS
Oh live I am thy son thy long lost childT
The warrior raised his look and faintly smiledT
Chili my country is avenged he criedC
My son then sunk upon a shield and diedC
Lautaro knelt beside him as he bowedU
And kissed his bleeding breast and wept aloudU
The sounds of sadness through the circle ranJ
When thus with lifted axe CaupolicanJ
What for our fathers brothers children slainJ
Canst thou repay ruthless inhuman SpainJ
Here on the scene with recent slaughter redA
To sooth the spirits of the brave who bledA
Raise we to day the war feast of the deadA
Bring forth the chief in bonds Fathers to dayV
Devote we to our gods the noblest preyV
Lautaro turned his eyes and gazing roundN
Beheld Valdivia and Anselmo boundN
One stood in arms as with a stern despairW
His helmet cleft in twain his temples bareW
Where streaks of blood that dropped upon his mailX
Served but to show his face more deadly paleX
His eyebrows dark and resolute he bentY
And stood composed to wait the dire eventY
Still on the cross his looks Anselmo castM
As if all thought of this vain world was passedM
And in a world of light without a shadeZ
Ev'n now his meek and guileless spirit strayedZ
Where stood the Spanish chief a muttering soundN
Rose and each club was lifted from the groundN
When starting from his father's corse his swordA2
Waving before his once triumphant lordA2
Lautaro cried My breast shall meet the blowB2
But save save him to whom my life I oweB2
Valdivia marked him with unmoving eyeC2
Then looked upon his bonds nor deigned replyC2
When Harratomac stealing with slow paceD2
And lifting high his iron jagged maceD2
Smote him to earth a thousand voices roseE2
Mingled with shouts and yells So fall our foesE2
Lautaro gave to tears a moment's spaceD2
As black in death he marked Valdivia's faceD2
Then cried Chiefs friends and thou CaupolicanJ
Oh spare this innocent and holy manJ
He never sailed rapacious o'er the deepF2
The gold of blood polluted lands to heapF2
He never gave the armed hosts his aidZ
But meekly to the Mighty Spirit prayedZ
That in all lands the sounds of woe might ceaseG2
And brothers of the wide world dwell in peaceG2
The victor youth saw generous sympathyH2
Already steal to every warrior's eyeC2
Then thus again Oh if this filial tearW
Bear witness my own father was most dearI2
If this uplifted arm this bleeding steelJ2
Speak for my country what I felt and feelJ2
If at this hour I meet her high applauseK2
While my heart beats still ardent in her causeL2
Hear and forgive these tears that grateful flowB2
Oh hear how much to this poor man I oweB2
I was a child when to my sire's abodeM2
In Chillan's vale the armed horsemen rodeM2
Me whilst my father cold and breathless layV
Far off the crested soldiers bore awayV
And for a captive sold No friend was nearI2
To mark a young and orphan stranger's tearW
This humble man with kind parental careW
Snatched me from slavery saved from dark despairW
And as my years increased protected fedA
And breathed a father's blessings on my headA
A Spanish maid was with him need I speakN2
Behold affection's tear still wets my cheekN2
Years as they passed matured in ripening graceD2
Her form unfolding and her beauteous faceD2
She heard my orphan tale she loved to hearO2
And sometimes for my fortunes dropped a tearW
I could have bowed to direst ills resignedP2
But wept at looks so sweet at words so kindP2
Valdivia saw me now in blooming ageQ2
And claimed me from the father as his pageQ2
The chief too cherished me yea saved my lifeR2
When in Peru arose the civil strifeR2
Yet still remembering her I loved so wellS2
Oft I returned to the gray father's cellS2
His voice instructed me recalled my youthT2
From rude idolatry to heavenly truthT2
Of this hereafter he my darkling mindP2
Cleared and from low and sensual thoughts refinedP2
Then first with feelings new impressed I stroveU2
To hide the tear of tenderness and loveV2
Amid the fairest maidens of PeruW2
My eyes my heart one only object knewW2
I lived that object's love and faith to shareW
He saw and blessed us with a father's prayerW
Here at Valdivia's last and stern commandX2
I came a stranger in my native landX2
Anselmo so him call now most in needY2
And standing here in bonds for whom I pleadY2
Came by our chief so summoned and for aidZ
To the Great Spirit of the Christians prayedZ
Here as a son I loved him but I leftZ2
A wife a child of my fond cares bereftZ2
Never to see again for death awaitsA3
My entrance now in Lima's jealous gatesA3
Caupolican didst thou thy father loveV2
Did his last dying look affection moveB3
Pity this aged man unbend thy browC3
He was my father is my father nowC3
Consenting mercy marks each warrior's mienJ
But who is this what pallid form is seenJ
As crushed already by the fatal blowB2
Bound and with looks white as a wreath of snowB2
Her hands upon her breast scarce drawn her breathD3
A Spanish woman knelt expecting deathD3
Whilst borne by a dark warrior at her sideC
An infant shrunk from the red plumes and criedC
Lautaro startedE
Injured maid of SpainJ
Me me oh take me to thine arms againJ
She heard his voice and by the scene oppressedS
With one faint sigh fell senseless on his breastS
Caupolican with warm emotion criedC
Live live Lautaro and his beauteous brideC
Live aged father and forthwith commandsE3
A warrior to unbind Anselmo's handsE3
She raised her head his eyes first met her viewW2
As round Lautaro's neck her arms she threwW2
Ah no she feebly spoke it is not trueW2
It is some form of the distempered brainJ
Then hid her face upon his breast againJ
Dark flashing eyes terrific glared aroundN
Here his brains scattered by the deadly woundN
The Spanish chief lay on the gory groundN
With lowering brows and mace yet drooping bloodE
And clotted hair there Mariantu stoodD
Anselmo here sad yet in sorrow mildT
Appeared she cried A blessing on your childT
And knelt as slow revived her waking senseF3
And then with looks aghast Oh bear us henceF3
Now all the assembled chiefs assenting criedC
Live live Lautaro and his beauteous brideC
With eager arms Lautaro snatched his boyG3
And kissed him in an agony of joyG3
Then to AnseF

William Lisle Bowles



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