Epistle - To Sir George Howland Beaumont, Bart. From The South-west Coast Or Cumberland - 1811 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDEEEFFGHEEIIJKB BLLMMNNOOPPFFQQRRAAS STTUUVVWWFFXXYYIIZA2 A2B2B2VVB2B2C2C2D2D2 E2E2LLF2F2G2G2H2H2I2 I2LLJ2J2K2L2M2M2L2L2 BBN2N2B2B2YB2YO2O2P2 P2Q2Q2MMR2R2R2BBR2R2 H2H2OOR2R2S2S2S2BBR2 R2B2B2BBT2T2R2R2B2B2 R2R2R2U2U2B2B2V2V2R2 R2R2R2R2R2R2R2W2W2B2 B2R2R2BBB2B2N2N2B2B2 B2R2R2R2R2R2R2X2X2Y2 Y2Z2Z2A3A3B2B2R2R2FF R2R2R2R2R2G2B3B2B2W2 W2W2FFC3C3R2R2R2R2R2 R2R2R2PPQQR2R2R2R2TT OOR2R2R2R2R2D3D3R2R2 E3E3R2R2R2R2R2R2R2R2 F3R2R2R2R2R2H2H2B2B2 V2V2R2R2R2R2B2B2B2B2 AAB2B2R2R2N2N2T2T2YR 2Y

Far from our home by Grasmere's quiet Lake	A
From the Vale's peace which all her fields partake	A
Here on the bleakest point of Cumbria's shore	B
We sojourn stunned by Ocean's ceaseless roar	B
While day by day grim neighbour huge Black Comb	C
Frowns deepening visibly his native gloom	D
Unless perchance rejecting in despite	E
What on the Plain 'we' have of warmth and light	E
In his own storms he hides himself from sight	E
Rough is the time and thoughts that would be free	F
From heaviness oft fly dear Friend to thee	F
Turn from a spot where neither sheltered road	G
Nor hedge row screen invites my steps abroad	H
Where one poor Plane tree having as it might	E
Attained a stature twice a tall man's height	E
Hopeless of further growth and brown and sere	I
Through half the summer stands with top cut sheer	I
Like an unshifting weathercock which proves	J
How cold the quarter that the wind best loves	K
Or like a Centinel that evermore	B
Darkening the window ill defends the door	B
Of this unfinished house a Fortress bare	L
Where strength has been the Builder's only care	L
Whose rugged walls may still for years demand	M
The final polish of the Plasterer's hand	M
This Dwelling's Inmate more than three weeks space	N
And oft a Prisoner in the cheerless place	N
I of whose touch the fiddle would complain	O
Whose breath would labour at the flute in vain	O
In music all unversed nor blessed with skill	P
A bridge to copy or to paint a mill	P
Tired of my books a scanty company	F
And tired of listening to the boisterous sea	F
Pace between door and window muttering rhyme	Q
An old resource to cheat a froward time	Q
Though these dull hours mine is it or their shame	R
Would tempt me to renounce that humble aim	R
But if there be a Muse who free to take	A
Her seat upon Olympus doth forsake	A
Those heights like Phoebus when his golden locks	S
He veiled attendant on Thessalian flocks	S
And in disguise a Milkmaid with her pail	T
Trips down the pathways of some winding dale	T
Or like a Mermaid warbles on the shores	U
To fishers mending nets beside their doors	U
Or Pilgrim like on forest moss reclined	V
Gives plaintive ditties to the heedless wind	V
Or listens to its play among the boughs	W
Above her head and so forgets her vows	W
If such a Visitant of Earth there be	F
And she would deign this day to smile on me	F
And aid my verse content with local bounds	X
Of natural beauty and life's daily rounds	X
Thoughts chances sights or doings which we tell	Y
Without reserve to those whom we love well	Y
Then haply Beaumont words in current clear	I
Will flow and on a welcome page appear	I
Duly before thy sight unless they perish here	Z
What shall I treat of News from Mona's Isle	A2
Such have we but unvaried in its style	A2
No tales of Runagates fresh landed whence	B2
And wherefore fugitive or on what pretence	B2
Of feasts or scandal eddying like the wind	V
Most restlessly alive when most confined	V
Ask not of me whose tongue can best appease	B2
The mighty tumults of the HOUSE OF KEYS	B2
The last year's cup whose Ram or Heifer gained	C2
What slopes are planted or what mosses drained	C2
An eye of fancy only can I cast	D2
On that proud pageant now at hand or past	D2
When full five hundred boats in trim array	E2
With nets and sails outspread and streamers gay	E2
And chanted hymns and stiller voice of prayer	L
For the old Manx harvest to the Deep repair	L
Soon as the herring shoals at distance shine	F2
Like beds of moonlight shifting on the brine	F2
Mona from our Abode is daily seen	G2
But with a wilderness of waves between	G2
And by conjecture only can we speak	H2
Of aught transacted there in bay or creek	H2
No tidings reach us thence from town or field	I2
Only faint news her mountain sunbeams yield	I2
And some we gather from the misty air	L
And some the hovering clouds our telegraph declare	L
But these poetic mysteries I withhold	J2
For Fancy hath her fits both hot and cold	J2
And should the colder fit with You be on	K2
When You might read my credit would be gone	L2
Let more substantial themes the pen engage	M2
And nearer interests culled from the opening stage	M2
Of our migration Ere the welcome dawn	L2
Had from the east her silver star withdrawn	L2
The Wain stood ready at our Cottage door	B
Thoughtfully freighted with a various store	B
And long or ere the uprising of the Sun	N2
O'er dew damped dust our journey was begun	N2
A needful journey under favouring skies	B2
Through peopled Vales yet something in the guise	B2
Of those old Patriarchs when from well to well	Y
They roamed through Wastes where now the tented Arabs	B2
dwell	Y
Say first to whom did we the charge confide	O2
Who promptly undertook the Wain to guide	O2
Up many a sharply twining road and down	P2
And over many a wide hill's craggy crown	P2
Through the quick turns of many a hollow nook	Q2
And the rough bed of many an unbridged brook	Q2
A blooming Lass who in her better hand	M
Bore a light switch her sceptre of command	M
When yet a slender Girl she often led	R2
Skilful and bold the horse and burthened 'sled'	R2
From the peat yielding Moss on Gowdar's head	R2
What could go wrong with such a Charioteer	B
For goods and chattels or those Infants dear	B
A Pair who smilingly sate side by side	R2
Our hope confirming that the salt sea tide	R2
Whose free embraces we were bound to seek	H2
Would their lost strength restore and freshen the pale cheek	H2
Such hope did either Parent entertain	O
Pacing behind along the silent lane	O
Blithe hopes and happy musings soon took flight	R2
For lo an uncouth melancholy sight	R2
On a green bank a creature stood forlorn	S2
Just half protruded to the light of morn	S2
Its hinder part concealed by hedge row thorn	S2
The Figure called to mind a beast of prey	B
Stript of its frightful powers by slow decay	B
And though no longer upon rapine bent	R2
Dim memory keeping of its old intent	R2
We started looked again with anxious eyes	B2
And in that griesly object recognise	B2
The Curate's Dog his long tried friend for they	B
As well we knew together had grown grey	B
The Master died his drooping servant's grief	T2
Found at the Widow's feet some sad relief	T2
Yet still he lived in pining discontent	R2
Sadness which no indulgence could prevent	R2
Hence whole day wanderings broken nightly sleeps	B2
And lonesome watch that out of doors he keeps	B2
Not oftentimes I trust as we poor brute	R2
Espied him on his legs sustained blank mute	R2
And of all visible motion destitute	R2
So that the very heaving of his breath	U2
Seemed stopt though by some other power than death	U2
Long as we gazed upon the form and face	B2
A mild domestic pity kept its place	B2
Unscared by thronging fancies of strange hue	V2
That haunted us in spite of what we knew	V2
Even now I sometimes think of him as lost	R2
In second sight appearances or crost	R2
By spectral shapes of guilt or to the ground	R2
On which he stood by spells unnatural bound	R2
Like a gaunt shaggy Porter forced to wait	R2
In days of old romance at Archimago's gate	R2
Advancing Summer Nature's law fulfilled	R2
The choristers in every grove had stilled	R2
But we we lacked not music of our own	W2
For lightsome Fanny had thus early thrown	W2
Mid the gay prattle of those infant tongues	B2
Some notes prelusive from the round of songs	B2
With which more zealous than the liveliest bird	R2
That in wild Arden's brakes was ever heard	R2
Her work and her work's partners she can cheer	B
The whole day long and all days of the year	B
Thus gladdened from our own dear Vale we pass	B2
And soon approach Diana's Looking glass	B2
To Loughrigg tarn round clear and bright as heaven	N2
Such name Italian fancy would have given	N2
Ere on its banks the few grey cabins rose	B2
That yet disturb not its concealed repose	B2
More than the feeblest wind that idly blows	B2
Ah Beaumont when an opening in the road	R2
Stopped me at once by charm of what it showed	R2
The encircling region vividly exprest	R2
Within the mirror's depth a world at rest	R2
Sky streaked with purple grove and craggy 'bield'	R2
And the smooth green of many a pendent field	R2
And quieted and soothed a torrent small	X2
A little daring would be waterfall	X2
One chimney smoking and its azure wreath	Y2
Associate all in the calm Pool beneath	Y2
With here and there a faint imperfect gleam	Z2
Of water lilies veiled in misty steam	Z2
What wonder at this hour of stillness deep	A3
A shadowy link 'tween wakefulness and sleep	A3
When Nature's self amid such blending seems	B2
To render visible her own soft dreams	B2
If mixed with what appeared of rock lawn wood	R2
Fondly embosomed in the tranquil flood	R2
A glimpse I caught of that Abode by Thee	F
Designed to rise in humble privacy	F
A lowly Dwelling here to be outspread	R2
Like a small Hamlet with its bashful head	R2
Half hid in native trees Alas 'tis not	R2
Nor ever was I sighed and left the spot	R2
Unconscious of its own untoward lot	R2
And thought in silence with regret too keen	G2
Of unexperienced joys that might have been	B3
Of neighbourhood and intermingling arts	B2
And golden summer days uniting cheerful hearts	B2
But time irrevocable time is flown	W2
And let us utter thanks for blessings sown	W2
And reaped what hath been and what is our own	W2
Not far we travelled ere a shout of glee	F
Startling us all dispersed my reverie	F
Such shout as many a sportive echo meeting	C3
Oft times from Alpine 'chalets' sends a greeting	C3
Whence the blithe hail behold a Peasant stand	R2
On high a kerchief waving in her hand	R2
Not unexpectant that by early day	R2
Our little Band would thrid this mountain way	R2
Before her cottage on the bright hill side	R2
She hath advanced with hope to be descried	R2
Right gladly answering signals we displayed	R2
Moving along a tract of morning shade	R2
And vocal wishes sent of like good will	P
To our kind Friend high on the sunny hill	P
Luminous region fair as if the prime	Q
Were tempting all astir to look aloft or climb	Q
Only the centre of the shining cot	R2
With door left open makes a gloomy spot	R2
Emblem of those dark corners sometimes found	R2
Within the happiest breast on earthly ground	R2
Rich prospect left behind of stream and vale	T
And mountain tops a barren ridge we scale	T
Descend and reach in Yewdale's depths a plain	O
With haycocks studded striped with yellowing grain	O
An area level as a Lake and spread	R2
Under a rock too steep for man to tread	R2
Where sheltered from the north and bleak northwest	R2
Aloft the Raven hangs a visible nest	R2
Fearless of all assaults that would her brood molest	R2
Hot sunbeams fill the steaming vale but hark	D3
At our approach a jealous watch dog's bark	D3
Noise that brings forth no liveried Page of state	R2
But the whole household that our coming wait	R2
With Young and Old warm greetings we exchange	E3
And jocund smiles and toward the lowly Grange	E3
Press forward by the teasing dogs unscared	R2
Entering we find the morning meal prepared	R2
So down we sit though not till each had cast	R2
Pleased looks around the delicate repast	R2
Rich cream and snow white eggs fresh from the nest	R2
With amber honey from the mountain's breast	R2
Strawberries from lane or woodland offering wild	R2
Of children's industry in hillocks piled	R2
Cakes for the nonce and butter fit to lie	F3
Upon a lordly dish frank hospitality	R2
Where simple art with bounteous nature vied	R2
And cottage comfort shuned not seemly pride	R2
Kind Hostess Handmaid also of the feast	R2
If thou be lovelier than the kindling East	R2
Words by thy presence unrestrained may speak	H2
Of a perpetual dawn from brow and cheek	H2
Instinct with light whose sweetest promise lies	B2
Never retiring in thy large dark eyes	B2
Dark but to every gentle feeling true	V2
As if their lustre flowed from ether's purest blue	V2
Let me not ask what tears may have been wept	R2
By those bright eyes what weary vigils kept	R2
Beside that hearth what sighs may have been heaved	R2
For wounds inflicted nor what toil relieved	R2
By fortitude and patience and the grace	B2
Of heaven in pity visiting the place	B2
Not unadvisedly those secret springs	B2
I leave unsearched enough that memory clings	B2
Here as elsewhere to notices that make	A
Their own significance for hearts awake	A
To rural incidents whose genial powers	B2
Filled with delight three summer morning hours	B2
More cold my pen report of grave or gay	R2
That through our gipsy travel cheered the way	R2
But bursting forth above the waves the Sun	N2
Laughs at my pains and seems to say Be done	N2
Yet Beaumont thou wilt not I trust reprove	T2
This humble offering made by Truth to Love	T2
Nor chide the Muse that stooped to break a spell	Y
Which might have else been on me yet	R2
FAREWELL	Y

William Wordsworth

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