The Spirit Of Discovery By Sea - Book The Fourth Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLJMNOPQRS TUVWGXJYZA2B2ZC2D2E2 OF2G2EHH2I2J2K2L2YM2 N2SO2P2Q2R2S2T2U2MV2 EW2X2Y2Z2A3B3J2CC3D3 AE3TNF3G3H3H3A2JI3J3 K3L3M3S2E3N3O3F3H3CL 3P3Q3M3N3R3S3O2T3U3Z 2V3W3C2C3A2EX3Y3O2G2 Z3SJ3A4K2B4GV2C4D4C3 OJ3MW3TOE4F4G4TTF2E2 TH4QTF2F2TQF2TF2F2H3 F2TTTF2Z2TTTTV2F2TF2 I4TQ3F2F2C4J4F2K4O2T M3F2JF2F2F2F2J4Stand on the gleaming Pharos and aloud | A |
Shout Commerce to the kingdoms of the earth | B |
Shout for thy golden portals are set wide | C |
And all thy streamers o'er the surge aloft | D |
In pomp triumphant wave The weary way | E |
That pale Nearchus passed from creek to creek | F |
Advancing slow no longer bounds the track | G |
Of the adventurous mariner who steers | H |
Steady with eye intent upon the stars | I |
To Elam's echoing port Meantime more high | J |
Aspiring o'er the Western main her towers | K |
Th' imperial city lifts the central mart | L |
Of nations and beneath the calm clear sky | J |
At distance from the palmy marge displays | M |
Her clustering columns whitening to the morn | N |
Damascus' fleece Golconda's gems are there | O |
Murmurs the haven with one ceaseless hum | P |
The hurrying camel's bell the driver's song | Q |
Along the sands resound Tyre art thou fall'n | R |
A prouder city crowns the inland sea | S |
Raised by his hand who smote thee as if thus | T |
His mighty mind were swayed to recompense | U |
The evil of his march through cities stormed | V |
And regions wet with blood and still had flowed | W |
The tide of commerce through the destined track | G |
Traced by his mind sagacious who surveyed | X |
The world he conquered with a sage's eye | J |
As with a soldier's spirit but a scene | Y |
More awful opens ancient world adieu | Z |
Adieu cloud piercing pillars erst its bounds | A2 |
And thou whose aged head once seemed to prop | B2 |
The heavens huge Atlas sinking fast adieu | Z |
What though the seas with wilder fury rave | C2 |
Through their deserted realm though the dread Cape | D2 |
Sole frowning o'er the war of waves below | E2 |
That bar the seaman's search horrid in air | O |
Appear with giant amplitude his head | F2 |
Shrouded in clouds the tempest at his feet | G2 |
And standing thus terrific seem to say | E |
Incensed Approach who dare What though the fears | H |
Of superstition people the vexed space | H2 |
With spirits unblessed that lamentations make | I2 |
To the sad surge beyond yet Enterprise | J2 |
Not now a darkling Cyclop on the sands | K2 |
Striding but led by Science and advanced | L2 |
To a more awful height on the wide scene | Y |
Looks down commanding | M2 |
Does a shuddering thought | N2 |
Of danger start as the tumultuous sea | S |
Tosses below Calm Science with a smile | O2 |
Displays the wondrous index that still points | P2 |
With nice vibration tremulous to the Pole | Q2 |
And such she whispers is the just man's hope | R2 |
In this tempestuous scene of human things | S2 |
Even as the constant needle to the North | T2 |
Still points so Piety and meek eyed Faith | U2 |
Direct though trembling oft their constant gaze | M |
Heavenward as to their lasting home nor fear | V2 |
The night fast closing on their earthly way | E |
And guided by this index thou shall pass | W2 |
The world of seas secure Far from all land | X2 |
Where not a sea bird wanders where nor star | Y2 |
Nor moon appears nor the bright noonday sun | Z2 |
Safe in the wildering storm as when the breeze | A3 |
Of summer gently blows through day through night | B3 |
Where sink the well known stars and others rise | J2 |
Slow from the South the victor bark shall ride | C |
Henry thy ardent mind first pierced the gloom | C3 |
Of dark disastrous ignorance that sat | D3 |
Upon the Southern wave like the deep cloud | A |
That lowered upon the woody skirts and veiled | E3 |
From mortal search with umbrage ominous | T |
Madeira's unknown isle But look the morn | N |
Is kindled on the shadowy offing streaks | F3 |
Of clear cold light on Sagres' battlements | G3 |
Are cast where Henry watches listening still | H3 |
To the unwearied surge and turning still | H3 |
His anxious eyes to the horizon's bounds | A2 |
A sail appears it swells it shines more high | J |
Seen through the dusk it looms and now the hull | I3 |
Is black upon the surge whilst she rolls on | J3 |
Aloft the weather beaten ship and now | K3 |
Streams by the watch tower | L3 |
Zarco from the deep | M3 |
What tidings | S2 |
The loud storm of night prevailed | E3 |
And swept our vessel from Bojador's rocks | N3 |
Far out to sea a sylvan isle received | O3 |
Our sails so willed the ALMIGHTY He who speaks | F3 |
And all the waves are still | H3 |
Hail HENRY cried | C |
The omen we have burst the sole barrier | L3 |
Prosper our wishes Father of the world | P3 |
We speed to Asia | Q3 |
Soon upon the deep | M3 |
The brave ship speeds again Bojador's rocks | N3 |
Arise at distance frowning o'er the surf | R3 |
That boils for many a league without Its course | S3 |
The ship holds on till lo the beauteous isle | O2 |
That shielded late the sufferers from the storm | T3 |
Springs o'er the wave again Here they refresh | U3 |
Their wasted strength and lift their vows to Heaven | Z2 |
But Heaven denies their further search for ah | V3 |
What fearful apparition palled in clouds | W3 |
For ever sits upon the Western wave | C2 |
Like night and in its strange portentous gloom | C3 |
Wrapping the lonely waters seems the bounds | A2 |
Of Nature Still it sits day after day | E |
The same mysterious vision Holy saints | X3 |
Is it the dread abyss where all things cease | Y3 |
Or haply hid from mortal search thine isle | O2 |
Cipango and that unapproached seat | G2 |
Of peace where rest the Christians whom the hate | Z3 |
Of Moorish pride pursued Whate'er it be | S |
Zarco thy holy courage bids thee on | J3 |
To burst the gloom though dragons guard the shore | A4 |
Or beings more than mortal pace the sands | K2 |
The favouring gales invite the bowsprit bears | B4 |
Right onward to the fearful shade more black | G |
The cloudy spectre towers already fear | V2 |
Shrinks at the view aghast and breathless Hark | C4 |
'Twas more than the deep murmur of the surge | D4 |
That struck the ear whilst through the lurid gloom | C3 |
Gigantic phantoms seem to lift in air | O |
Their misty arms yet yet bear boldly on | J3 |
The mist dissolves seen through the parting haze | M |
Romantic rocks like the depictured clouds | W3 |
Shine out beneath a blooming wilderness | T |
Of varied wood is spread that scents the air | O |
Where fruits of 'golden rind ' thick interspersed | E4 |
And pendent through the mantling umbrage gleam | F4 |
Inviting Cypress here and stateliest pine | G4 |
Spire o'er the nether shades as emulous | T |
Of sole distinction where all nature smiles | T |
Some trees in sunny glades alone their head | F2 |
And graceful stem uplifting mark below | E2 |
The turf with shadow whilst in rich festoons | T |
The flowery lianes braid their boughs meantime | H4 |
Choirs of innumerous birds of liveliest song | Q |
And brightest plumage flitting through the shades | T |
With nimble glance are seen they unalarmed | F2 |
Now near in airy circles sing then speed | F2 |
Their random flight back to their sheltering bowers | T |
Whose silence broken only by their song | Q |
From the foundation of this busy world | F2 |
Perhaps had never echoed to the voice | T |
Or heard the steps of Man What rapture fired | F2 |
The strangers' bosoms as from glade to glade | F2 |
They passed admiring all and gazing still | H3 |
With new delight 'Tis solitude around | F2 |
Deep solitude that on the gloom of woods | T |
Primaeval fearful hangs a green recess | T |
Now opens in the wilderness gay flowers | T |
Of unknown name purple the yielding sward | F2 |
The ring dove murmurs o'er their head like one | Z2 |
Attesting tenderest joy but mark the trees | T |
Where slanting through the gloom the sunshine rests | T |
Beneath a moss grown monument appears | T |
O'er which the green banana gently waves | T |
Its long leaf and an aged cypress near | V2 |
Leans as if listening to the streamlet's sound | F2 |
That gushes from the adverse bank but pause | T |
Approach with reverence Maker of the world | F2 |
There is a Christian's cross and on the stone | I4 |
A name yet legible amid its moss | T |
Anna | Q3 |
In that remote sequestered spot | F2 |
Shut as it seemed from all the world and lost | F2 |
In boundless seas to trace a name to mark | C4 |
The emblems of their holy faith from all | J4 |
Drew tears while every voice faintly pronounced | F2 |
Anna But thou loved harp whose strings have rung | K4 |
To louder tones oh let my hand awhile | O2 |
The wires more softly touch whilst I rehearse | T |
Her name and fate who in this desert deep | M3 |
Far from the world from friends and kindred found | F2 |
Her long and last abode there where no eye | J |
Might shed a tear on her remains no heart | F2 |
Sigh in remembrance of her fate | F2 |
She left | F2 |
The Severn's side and fled with him she loved | F2 |
O'er the wide main for he had tol | J4 |
William Lisle Bowles
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