Humanity Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEFGGHHHHIJHH KKLLMMNNHHOPQQHHRRJJ SSHHTTHHOOHHUUVVHHHH HWWXYXZZHHBBHHJJA2A2 B2B2WWC2C2D2D2HHE2E2 F2F2HHG2G2H2H2HHYYJJ I2I2HHJ2J2What though the Accused upon his own appeal | A |
To righteous Gods when man has ceased to feel | A |
Or at a doubting Judge's stern command | B |
Before the Stone of Power no longer stand | B |
To take his sentence from the balanced Block | C |
As at his touch it rocks or seems to rock | C |
Though in the depths of sunless groves no more | D |
The Druid priest the hallowed Oak adore | D |
Yet for the Initiate rocks and whispering trees | E |
Do still perform mysterious offices | F |
And functions dwell in beast and bird that sway | G |
The reasoning mind or with the fancy play | G |
Inviting at all seasons ears and eyes | H |
To watch for undelusive auguries | H |
Not uninspired appear their simplest ways | H |
Their voices mount symbolical of praise | H |
To mix with hymns that Spirits make and hear | I |
And to fallen man their innocence is dear | J |
Enraptured Art draws from those sacred springs | H |
Streams that reflect the poetry of things | H |
Where Christian Martyrs stand in hues portrayed | K |
That might a wish avail would never fade | K |
Borne in their hands the lily and the palm | L |
Shed round the altar a celestial calm | L |
There too behold the lamb and guileless dove | M |
Prest in the tenderness of virgin love | M |
To saintly bosoms Glorious is the blending | N |
Of right affections climbing or descending | N |
Along a scale of light and life with cares | H |
Alternate carrying holy thoughts and prayers | H |
Up to the sovereign seat of the Most High | O |
Descending to the worm in charity | P |
Like those good Angels whom a dream of night | Q |
Gave in the field of Luz to Jacob's sight | Q |
All while 'he' slept treading the pendent stairs | H |
Earthward or heavenward radiant messengers | H |
That with a perfect will in one accord | R |
Of strict obedience serve the Almighty Lord | R |
And with untired humility forbore | J |
To speed their errand by the wings they wore | J |
What a fair world were ours for verse to paint | S |
If Power could live at ease with self restraint | S |
Opinion bow before the naked sense | H |
Of the great Vision faith in Providence | H |
Merciful over all his creatures just | T |
To the least particle of sentient dust | T |
But fixing by immutable decrees | H |
Seedtime and harvest for his purposes | H |
Then would be closed the restless oblique eye | O |
That looks for evil like a treacherous spy | O |
Disputes would then relax like stormy winds | H |
That into breezes sink impetuous minds | H |
By discipline endeavour to grow meek | U |
As Truth herself whom they profess to seek | U |
Then Genius shunning fellowship with Pride | V |
Would braid his golden locks at Wisdom's side | V |
Love ebb and flow untroubled by caprice | H |
And not alone 'harsh' tyranny would cease | H |
But unoffending creatures find release | H |
From qualified oppression whose defense | H |
Rests on a hollow plea of recompense | H |
Thought tempered wrongs for each humane respect | W |
Oft worse to bear or deadlier in effect | W |
Witness those glances of indignant scorn | X |
From some high minded Slave impelled to spurn | Y |
The kindness that would make him less forlorn | X |
Or if the soul to bondage be subdued | Z |
His look of pitiable gratitude | Z |
Alas for thee bright Galaxy of Isles | H |
Whose day departs in pomp returns with smiles | H |
To greet the flowers and fruitage of a land | B |
As the sun mounts by sea born breezes fanned | B |
A land whose azure mountain tops are seats | H |
For Gods in council whose green vales retreats | H |
Fit for the shades of heroes mingling there | J |
To breathe Elysian peace in upper air | J |
Though cold as winter gloomy as the grave | A2 |
Stone walls a prisoner make but not a slave | A2 |
Shall man assume a property in man | B2 |
Lay on the moral will a withering ban | B2 |
Shame that our laws at distance still protect | W |
Enormities which they at home reject | W |
Slaves cannot breathe in England yet that boast | C2 |
Is but a mockery when from coast to coast | C2 |
Though 'fettered' slave be none her floors and soil | D2 |
Groan underneath a weight of slavish toil | D2 |
For the poor Many measured out by rules | H |
Fetched with cupidity from heartless schools | H |
That to an Idol falsely called the Wealth | E2 |
Of Nations sacrifice a People's health | E2 |
Body and mind and soul a thirst so keen | F2 |
Is ever urging on the vast machine | F2 |
Of sleepless Labour 'mid whose dizzy wheels | H |
The Power least prized is that which thinks and feels | H |
Then for the pastimes of this delicate age | G2 |
And all the heavy or light vassalage | G2 |
Which for their sakes we fasten as may suit | H2 |
Our varying moods on human kind or brute | H2 |
'Twere well in little as in great to pause | H |
Lest Fancy trifle with eternal laws | H |
Not from his fellows only man may learn | Y |
Rights to compare and duties to discern | Y |
All creatures and all objects in degree | J |
Are friends and patrons of humanity | J |
There are to whom the garden grove and field | I2 |
Perpetual lessons of forbearance yield | I2 |
Who would not lightly violate the grace | H |
The lowliest flower possesses in its place | H |
Nor shorten the sweet life too fugitive | J2 |
Which nothing less than Infinite Power could give | J2 |
William Wordsworth
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always smile: it is amazing such a big and awesome poem i can get many ideas from it and i wrote a poem on humanity by my own
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