The Death Of The Old Mendicant Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCD EEDDD FFF GHIIDD DDAAAJJ KKII JJIIDD JJLMKKK JJKK DDKK NNKK JJDD

There was a rich old gentlemanA
Lived on a lonely moor in SwitzerlandB
And he was very hard to the wandering poorC
'Tis said he never lodged nor served them at his doorD
-
'Twas on a stormy night and Boreas blew a bitter blastE
And the snowflakes they fell thick and fastE
When a poor old mendicant tired and footsoreD
Who had travelled that day fifteen miles and moreD
Knocked loudly at the rich man's doorD
-
The rich man was in his parlour counting his goldF
And he ran to the door to see who was so boldF
And there he saw the mendicant shivering with the coldF
-
Then the mendicant unto him saidG
My dear sir be not afraidH
Pray give me lodgings for the nightI
And heaven will your love requiteI
Have pity on me for I am tired and footsoreD
I have travelled fifteen miles to day and moreD
-
Begone you vagabond from my doorD
I never give lodgings to the poorD
So be off take to your heels and runA
Or else I'll shoot you with my gunA
Now do not think I'm making funA
Do you hear old beggar what I sayJ
Now be quick and go awayJ
-
Have mercy sir I cannot goK
For I shall perish in the snowK
Oh for heaven's sake be not so hardI
And God will your love rewardI
-
My limbs are tired I cannot go awayJ
Oh be so kind as let me stayJ
'Twas vain the rich man said I shan'tI
And shut his door on the mendicantI
And said That is the way I'll serve the poorD
While I live on this lonely moorD
-
Then the old mendicant did go awayJ
And murmuring to himself did sayJ
Oh woe's me that ever I was bornL
Oh God protect me from the stormM
My feeble limbs refuse to goK
And my poor heart does break with woeK
Then he lay down and died among the snowK
-
He was found by the rich man's shepherd next dayJ
While he was searching for sheep that had gone astrayJ
And he was struck with fear and woeK
To see the body lying dead among the snowK
-
So the shepherd ran home and told his masterD
About the very sad disasterD
That he had found a dead body in the snowK
But whose it was he did not knowK
-
Then the rich man ordered the body to be brought to his houseN
And to be instantly dressed by his loving spouseN
For his conscience smote him with fear and woeK
When he heard of the old mendicant being found dead in the snowK
-
So the poor old mendicant was buried without delayJ
In a very respectable wayJ
And from that very day the rich man was kind to the poorD
And never turned any one away from his doorD

William Topaz Mcgonagall



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