The Missionary - Canto Seventh Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIJCC KKLLMMNNOOPPQGRRSSKK TTTUVVDDWWXXOOQPPYYZ A2OOB2B2KGPPKKOOOOC2 C2OOOOAAHHVVD2D2E2E2 D2D2GGC2C2OOHHF2B2G2 G2VVH2H2I2I2D2D2J2K2 PPL2M2CCSSAAN2N2O2O2 A2A2P2P2ZA2O2O2OOVVO OOOG2G2J2K2KKQ2OR2R2 VVWWS2T2UTU2U2H2H2GG OOU2U2V2W2KKO2S2O2VV OD2

The watchman on the tower his bugle blewA
And swelling to the morn the streamers flewA
The rampart guns a dread alarum gaveB
Smoke rolled and thunder echoed o'er the waveB
When starting from his couch Valdivia criedC
What tidings Of the tribes a scout repliedC
Ev'n now prepared thy bulwarks to assailD
Their gathering numbers darken all the valeD
Valdivia called to the attendant youthE
Philip he cried belike thy words have truthE
The formidable host by holy JamesF
Might well appal our priests and city damesF
Dost thou not fear Nay dost thou not replyG
Now by the rood and all the saints on highG
I hold it sin that thou shouldst lift thy handH
Against thy brothers in thy native landH
But as thou saidst those mighty enemiesI
Me and my feeble legions would despiseJ
Yes by our holy lady thou shalt rideC
Spectator of their prowess by my sideC
Come life come death our battle shall displayK
Its ensigns to the earliest beam of dayK
With louder summons ring the rampart bellL
And haste the shriving father from his cellL
A soldier's heart rejoices in alarmsM
And let the trump at midnight sound to armsM
And now obedient to the chief's commandsN
The gray haired priest before the soldier standsN
Father Valdivia cried fierce are our foesO
The last event of war GOD only knowsO
Let mass be sung father this very nightP
I would attend the high and holy riteP
Yet deem not that I doubt of victoryQ
Or place defeat or death before mine eyeG
It blenches not But whatsoe'er befallR
Good father I would part in peace with allR
So tell Lautaro his ingenuous mindS
Perhaps may grieve if late I seemed unkindS
Hear my heart speak though far from virtue's wayK
Ambition's lure hath led my steps astrayK
No wanton exercise of barbarous powerT
Harrows my shrinking conscience at this hourT
If hasty passions oft my spirit fireT
They flash a moment and the next expireU
Lautaro knows it There is somewhat moreV
I would not here here on this distant shoreV
Should they the Indian multitudes prevailD
And this good sword and these firm sinews failD
Amid my deadly enemies be foundW
'Unhouseled ananealed ' upon the groundW
A dying man thy look thy reverend ageX
Might save my poor remains from barb'rous rageX
And thou may'st pay the last sad obsequiesO
O'er the heaped earth where a brave soldier liesO
So GOD be with theeQ
By the torches' lightP
The slow procession moves the solemn riteP
Is chanted through the aisles and arches dimY
At intervals is heard the imploring hymnY
Now all is still that only you might hearZ
The tall and slender tapers burning clearA2
Whose light Anselmo's palid brow illumesO
Now glances on the mailed soldier's plumesO
Hear sounding far only the iron treadB2
That echoed through the cloisters of the deadB2
Dark clouds are wandering o'er the heaven's wide wayK
Now from the camp at times a horse's neighG
Breaks on the ear and on the rampart heightP
The sentinel proclaims the middle watch of nightP
By the dim taper's solitary rayK
Tired in his tent the sovereign soldier layK
Meantime as shadowy dreams arise he roamsO
'Mid bright pavilions and imperial domesO
Where terraces and battlements and towersO
Glisten in air o'er rich romantic bowersO
Sudden the visionary pomp is pastC2
The vacant court sounds to the moaning blastC2
A dismal vault appears where with swoll'n eyesO
As starting from their orbs a dead man liesO
It is Almagro's corse roll on ye drumsO
Lo where the great the proud Pizarro comesO
Her gold her richest gems let Fortune strewA
Before the mighty conqueror of PeruA
Ah turn and see a dagger in his handH
With ghastly look see the assassin standH
Pizarro falls he welters in his goreV
Lord of the western world art thou no moreV
Valdivia hark it was another groanD2
Another shadow comes it is thy ownD2
Ah bind not thus his arms give give him breathE2
Wipe from his bleeding brow those damps of deathE2
Valdivia starting woke He is aloneD2
The taper in his tent yet dimly shoneD2
Lautaro haste he cried Lautaro saveG
Thy dying master Ah is this the braveG
The haughty victor Hush the dream is pastC2
The early trumpets ring the second blastC2
Arm arm Ev'n now the impatient charger neighsO
Again from tent to tent the trumpet braysO
By torch light then Valdivia gave commandH
Haste let Del Oro take a chosen bandH
With watchful caution on his fleetest steedF2
A troop observant on the heights to leadB2
Now beautiful beneath the heaven's gray archG2
Appeared the main battalion's moving marchG2
The banner of the cross was borne beforeV
And next with aspect sad and tresses hoarV
The holy man went thoughtfully and pressedH2
A crucifix in silence to his breastH2
Valdivia all in burnished steel arrayedI2
Upon whose crest the morn's effulgence playedI2
Majestic reined his steed and seemed aloneD2
Worthy the southern world's imperial throneD2
His features through the barred casque that glowJ2
His pole axe pendent from the saddle bowK2
His dazzling armour and the glitter brightP
Of his drawn sabre in the orient lightP
Speak him not now for knightly tournamentL2
Arrayed but on emprise of prowess bentM2
And deeds of deadly strife In blooming prideC
The attendant youth rode pensive by his sideC
Their pennoned lances waving in the windS
Two hundred clanking horsemen tramped behindS
In iron harness clad The bugles blewA
And high in air the sanguine ensigns flewA
The arbalasters next with cross bows slungN2
Marched whilst the plumed Moors their cymbals swungN2
Auxiliar Indians here a various trainO2
With spears and bows darkened the distant plainO2
Drums rolled and fifes re echoed shrill and clearA2
At intervals as near and yet more nearA2
While flags and intermingled halberds shineP2
The long battalion drew its passing lineP2
Last rolled the heavy guns a sable tierZ
By Indians drawn with matchmen in the rearA2
And many a straggling mule and sumpter trainO2
Closed the embattled order on the plainO2
Till nought beneath the azure sky appearsO
But the projecting points of scarce discovered spearsO
Slow up the hill with floating vapours hoarV
Or by the blue lake's long retiring shoreV
Now seen distinct through the disparting hazeO
The glittering file its bannered length displaysO
Now winding from the woods again appearsO
The moving line of matchlocks and of spearsO
Part seen part lost the long illustrious marchG2
Circling the swamp now draws its various archG2
And seems as on it moves meandering slowJ2
A radiant segment of a living bowK2
Five days the Spaniards trooping in arrayK
O'er plains and headlands held their eastern wayK
On the sixth early dawn with shuddering aweQ2
And horror in the last defile they sawO
Ten pendent heads from which the gore still runR2
All gashed and grim and blackening in the sunR2
These were the gallant troop that passed beforeV
The Indians' vast encampment to exploreV
Led by Del Oro now with many a woundW
Pierced and a headless trunk upon the groundW
The horses startled as they tramped in bloodS2
The troops a moment half recoiling stoodT2
But boots not now to pause or to retireU
Valdivia's eye flashed with indignant fireT
Follow he cried brave comrades to the hillU2
And instant shouts the pealing valley fillU2
And now up to the hill's ascending crestH2
With animated look and beating breastH2
He urged his steed when wide beneath his eyeG
He saw in long expanse Arauco's valley lieG
Far as the labouring sight could stretch its glanceO
One undulating mass of club and lanceO
One animated surface seemed to fillU2
The many stirring scene from hill to hillU2
To the deep mass he pointed with his swordV2
Banner advance give out 'Castile ' the wordW2
Instant the files advance the trumpets brayK
And now the host in terrible arrayK
Ranged on the heights that overlook the plainO2
Has haltedS2
But the task were long and vainO2
To tell what nations from the seas that roarV
Round Patagonia's melancholy shoreV
From forests brown with everlasting shadesO
From rocks of sunshine white with proneD2

William Lisle Bowles



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