The Missionary - Canto First Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDEEFFGGDDHHGEII JJKKLLMNEEJJEEEEHHEE GGEEOOPQRREEEESSTTRR UUVWEEEEEEEXXEEGGEEE EEEEEEEEVVEEEEEEGGEE YYJJEEZZEEEEA2A2JJEE SSB2B2EEC2C2D2E2EEEF 2G2TTH2H2I2I2EEEEJ2J 2GGHHK2K2EESSC2C2JJJ JL2L2EESSEETJ2EEJG

Beneath aerial cliffs and glittering snowsA
The rush roof of an aged warrior roseA
Chief of the mountain tribes high overheadB
The Andes wild and desolate were spreadB
Where cold Sierras shot their icy spiresC
And Chillan trailed its smoke and smouldering firesD
A glen beneath a lonely spot of restE
Hung scarce discovered like an eagle's nestE
Summer was in its prime the parrot flocksF
Darkened the passing sunshine on the rocksF
The chrysomel and purple butterflyG
Amid the clear blue light are wandering byG
The humming bird along the myrtle bowersD
With twinkling wing is spinning o'er the flowersD
The woodpecker is heard with busy billH
The mock bird sings and all beside is stillH
And look the cataract that bursts so highG
As not to mar the deep tranquillityE
The tumult of its dashing fall suspendsI
And stealing drop by drop in mist descendsI
Through whose illumined spray and sprinkling dewsJ
Shine to the adverse sun the broken rainbow huesJ
Chequering with partial shade the beams of noonK
And arching the gray rock with wild festoonK
Here its gay net work and fantastic twineL
The purple cogul threads from pine to pineL
And oft as the fresh airs of morning breatheM
Dips its long tendrils in the stream beneathN
There through the trunks with moss and lichens whiteE
The sunshine darts its interrupted lightE
And 'mid the cedar's darksome boughs illumesJ
With instant touch the Lori's scarlet plumesJ
So smiles the scene but can its smiles impartE
Aught to console yon mourning warrior's heartE
He heeds not now when beautifully brightE
The humming bird is circling in his sightE
Nor ev'n above his head when air is stillH
Hears the green woodpecker's resounding billH
But gazing on the rocks and mountains wildE
Rock after rock in glittering masses piledE
To the volcano's cone that shoots so highG
Gray smoke whose column stains the cloudless skyG
He cries Oh if thy spirit yet be fledE
To the pale kingdoms of the shadowy deadE
In yonder tract of purest light aboveO
Dear long lost object of a father's loveO
Dost thou abide or like a shadow comeP
Circling the scenes of thy remembered homeQ
And passing with the breeze or in the beamR
Of evening light the desert mountain streamR
Or at deep midnight are thine accents heardE
In the sad notes of that melodious birdE
Which as we listen with mysterious dreadE
Brings tidings from our friends and fathers deadE
Perhaps beyond those summits far awayS
Thine eyes yet view the living light of dayS
Sad in the stranger's land thou may'st sustainT
A weary life of servitude and painT
With wasted eye gaze on the orient beamR
And think of these white rocks and torrent streamR
Never to hear the summer cocoa waveU
Or weep upon thy father's distant graveU
Ye who have waked and listened with a tearV
When cries confused and clangours rolled more nearW
With murmured prayer when Mercy stood aghastE
As War's black trump pealed its terrific blastE
And o'er the withered earth the armed giant passedE
Ye who his track with terror have pursuedE
When some delightful land all blood imbruedE
He swept where silent is the champaign wideE
That echoed to the pipe of yester tideE
Save when far off the moonlight hills prolongX
The last deep echoes of his parting gongX
Nor aught is seen in the deserted spotE
Where trailed the smoke of many a peaceful cotE
Save livid corses that unburied lieG
And conflagrations reeking to the skyG
Come listen whilst the causes I relateE
That bowed the warrior to the storms of fateE
And left these smiling scenes forlorn and desolateE
In other days when in his manly prideE
Two children for a father's fondness viedE
Oft they essayed in mimic strife to wieldE
His lance or laughing peeped behind his shieldE
Oft in the sun or the magnolia's shadeE
Lightsome of heart as gay of look they playedE
Brother and sister She along the dewE
Blithe as the squirrel of the forest flewE
Blue rushes wreathed her head her dark brown hairV
Fell gently lifted on her bosom bareV
Her necklace shone of sparkling insects madeE
That flit like specks of fire from sun to shadeE
Light was her form a clasp of silver bracedE
The azure dyed ichella round her waistE
Her ancles rung with shells as unconfinedE
She danced and sung wild carols to the windE
With snow white teeth and laughter in her eyeG
So beautiful in youth she bounded byG
Yet kindness sat upon her aspect blandE
The tame alpaca stood and licked her handE
She brought him gathered moss and loved to deckY
With flowery twine his tall and stately neckY
Whilst he with silent gratitude repliesJ
And bends to her caress his large blue eyesJ
These children danced together in the shadeE
Or stretched their hands to see the rainbow fadeE
Or sat and mocked with imitative gleeZ
The paroquet that laughed from tree to treeZ
Or through the forest's wildest solitudeE
From glen to glen the marmozet pursuedE
And thought the light of parting day too shortE
That called them lingering from their daily sportE
In that fair season of awakening lifeA2
When dawning youth and childhood are at strifeA2
When on the verge of thought gay boyhood standsJ
Tiptoe with glistening eye and outspread handsJ
With airy look and form and footsteps lightE
And glossy locks and features berry brightE
And eye like the young eaglet's to the rayS
Of noon unblenching as he sails awayS
A brede of sea shells on his bosom strungB2
A small stone hatchet o'er his shoulder slungB2
With slender lance and feathers blue and redE
That like the heron's crest waved on his headE
Buoyant with hope and airiness and joyC2
Lautaro was a graceful Indian boyC2
Taught by his sire ev'n now he drew the bowD2
Or tracked the jagguar on the morning snowE2
Startled the condor on the craggy heightE
Then silent sat and marked its upward flightE
Lessening in ether to a speck of whiteE
But when the impassioned chieftain spoke of warF2
Smote his broad breast or pointed to a scarG2
Spoke of the strangers of the distant mainT
And the proud banners of insulting SpainT
Of the barbed horse and iron horseman spokeH2
And his red gods that wrapped in rolling smokeH2
Roared from the guns the boy with still drawn breathI2
Hung on the wondrous tale as mute as deathI2
Then raised his animated eyes and criedE
Oh let me perish by my father's sideE
Once when the moon o'er Chillan's cloudless heightE
Poured far and wide its softest mildest lightE
A predatory band of mailed menJ2
Burst on the stillness of the sheltered glenJ2
They shouted Death and shook their sabres highG
That shone terrific to the moonlight skyG
Where'er they rode the valley and the hillH
Echoed the shrieks of death till all again was stillH
The warrior ere he sank in slumber deepK2
Had kissed his son soft breathing in his sleepK2
Where on a Llama's skin he lay and saidE
Placing his hand with tears upon his headE
Aerial nymphs that in the moonlight strayS
O gentle spirits here awhile delayS
Bless as ye pass unseen my sleeping boyC2
Till blithe he wakes to daylight and to joyC2
If the GREAT SPIRIT will in future daysJ
O'er the fall'n foe his hatchet he shall raiseJ
And 'mid a grateful nation's high applauseJ
Avenge his violated country's causeJ
Now nearer points of spears and many a coneL2
Of moving helmets in the moonlight shoneL2
As clanking through the pass the band of bloodE
Sprang like hyaenas from the secret woodE
They rush they seize their unresisting preyS
Ruthless they tear the shrieking boy awayS
But not till gashed by many a sabre woundE
The father sank expiring on the groundE
He waked from the dark trance to life and painT
But never saw his darling child againJ2
Seven snows had fallen and seven green summers passedE
Since here he heard that son's loved accents lastE
Still his beloved daughter soothed his caresJ
Whilst time begaG

William Lisle Bowles



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