Stanzas Suggested In A Steamboat Off Saint Bees' Heads, On The Coast Of Cumberland Poem Rhyme Scheme

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 57 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Wonderful Women
by Umaru Kanneh Boima
Freedom To Scratch In Peace
by Olute Aete
Happy New Year
by Felix Menda
Human Beings
by Dana Graslie
Lust
by Wisdom Greatness
An Isolated Tree's Song
by Sayeed Abubakar
A Strange Boy
by Sayeed Abubakar
O Soil
by Sayeed Abubakar
No War, No War-monger
by Sayeed Abubakar
Night's Town
by Sayeed Abubakar

Popular Poets

1. Emily Dickinson(2414 poems)
2. Madison Julius Cawein(1231 poems)
3. Ella Wheeler Wilcox(1136 poems)
4. William Wordsworth(1016 poems)
5. Robert Burns(986 poems)
6. Edgar Albert Guest(945 poems)
7. Thomas Moore(849 poems)
8. Robert Service(831 poems)

If Life were slumber on a bed of down	A
Toil unimposed vicissitude unknown	B
Sad were our lot no hunter of the hare	C
Exults like him whose javelin from the lair	C
Has roused the lion no one plucks the rose	D
Whose proffered beauty in safe shelter blows	D
'Mid a trim garden's summer luxuries	E
With joy like his who climbs on hands and knees	E
For some rare plant yon Headland of St Bees	E
	-
This independence upon oar and sail	F
This new indifference to breeze or gale	F
This straight lined progress furrowing a flat lea	G
And regular as if locked in certainty	G
Depress the hours Up Spirit of the storm	H
That Courage may find something to perform	H
That Fortitude whose blood disdains to freeze	E
At Danger's bidding may confront the seas	E
Firm as the towering Headlands of St Bees	E
	-
Dread cliff of Baruth 'that' wild wish may sleep	I
Bold as if men and creatures of the Deep	I
Breathed the same element too many wrecks	J
Have struck thy sides too many ghastly decks	J
Hast thou looked down upon that such a thought	K
Should here be welcome and in verse enwrought	K
With thy stern aspect better far agrees	E
Utterance of thanks that we have past with ease	E
As millions thus shall do the Headlands of St Bees	E
	-
Yet while each useful Art augments her store	L
What boots the gain if Nature should lose more	L
And Wisdom as she holds a Christian place	M
In man's intelligence sublimed by grace	M
When Bega sought of yore the Cumbrian coast	K
Tempestuous winds her holy errand crossed	K
She knelt in prayer the waves their wrath appease	E
And from her vow well weighed in Heaven's decrees	E
Rose where she touched the strand the Chantry of St Bees	E
	-
Cruel of heart were they bloody of hand	K
Who in these Wilds then struggled for command	K
The strong were merciless without hope the weak	N
Till this bright Stranger came fair as daybreak	O
And as a cresset true that darts its length	P
Of beamy lustre from a tower of strength	P
Guiding the mariner through troubled seas	E
And cheering oft his peaceful reveries	E
Like the fixed Light that crowns yon Headland of St Bees	E
	-
To aid the Votaress miracles believed	K
Wrought in men's minds like miracles achieved	K
So piety took root and Song might tell	Q
What humanizing virtues near her cell	Q
Sprang up and spread their fragrance wide around	K
How savage bosoms melted at the sound	K
Of gospel truth enchained in harmonies	E
Wafted o'er waves or creeping through close trees	E
From her religious Mansion of St Bees	E
	-
When her sweet Voice that instrument of love	R
Was glorified and took its place above	R
The silent stars among the angelic quire	S
Her chantry blazed with sacrilegious fire	T
And perished utterly but her good deeds	U
Had sown the spot that witnessed them with seeds	U
Which lay in earth expectant till a breeze	E
With quickening impulse answered their mute pleas	E
And lo a 'statlier' pile the Abbey of St Bees	E
	-
There are the naked clothed the hungry fed	K
And Charity extendeth to the dead	K
Her intercessions made for the soul's rest	K
Of tardy penitents or for the best	K
Among the good when love might else have slept	K
Sickened or died in pious memory kept	K
Thanks to the austere and simple Devotees	E
Who to that service bound by venial fees	E
Keep watch before the altars of St Bees	E
	-
Are not in sooth their Requiem's sacred ties	V
Woven out of passion's sharpest agonies	E
Subdued composed and formalized by art	K
To fix a wiser sorrow in the heart	K
The prayer for them whose hour is past away	W
Says to the Living profit while ye may	W
A little part and that the worst he sees	E
Who thinks that priestly cunning holds the keys	E
That best unlock the secrets of St Bees	E
	-
Conscience the timid being's inmost light	K
Hope of the dawn and solace of the night	K
Cheers these Recluses with a steady ray	W
In many an hour when judgment goes astray	W
Ah scorn not hastily their rule who try	X
Earth to despise and flesh to mortify	X
Consume with zeal in winged ecstasies	E
Of prayer and praise forget their rosaries	E
Nor hear the loudest surges of St Bees	E
	-
Yet none so prompt to succour and protect	K
The forlorn traveler or sailor wrecked	K
On the bare coast nor do they grudge the boon	Y
Which staff and cockle hat and sandal shoon	Y
Claim for the pilgrim and though chidings sharp	Z
May sometimes greet the strolling minstrel's harp	Z
It is not then when swept with sportive ease	E
It charms a feast day throng of all degrees	E
Brightening the archway of revered St Bees	E
	-
How did the cliffs and echoing hills rejoice	E
What time the Benedictine Brethren's voice	E
Imploring or commanding with meet pride	K
Summoned the Chiefs to lay their feuds aside	K
And under one blest ensign serve the Lord	K
In Palestine Advance indignant Sword	K
Flaming till thou from Panym hands release	E
That Tomb dread centre of all sanctities	E
Nursed in the quiet Abbey of St Bees	E
	-
But look we now to them whose minds from far	A2
Follow the fortunes which they may not share	C
While in Judea Fancy loves to roam	B2
She helps to make a Holy land at home	B2
The Star of Bethlehem from its sphere invites	E
To sound the crystal depth of maiden rights	E
And wedded Life through scriptural mysteries	E
Heavenward ascends with all her charities	E
Taught by the hooded Celibates of St Bees	E
	-
Nor be it e'er forgotten how by skill	C2
Of cloistered Architects free their souls to fill	C2
With love of God throughout the Land were raised	K
Churches on whose symbolic beauty gazed	K
Peasant and mail clad Chief with pious awe	D2
As at this day men seeing what they saw	E
Or the bare wreck of faith's solemnities	E
Aspire to more than earthly destinies	E
Witness yon Pile that greets us from St Bees	E
	-
Yet more around those Churches gathered Towns	E
Safe from the feudal Castle's haughty frowns	E
Peaceful abodes where Justice might uphold	K
Her scales with even hand and culture mould	K
The heart to pity train the mind in care	C
For rules of life sound as the Time could bear	C
Nor dost thou fail thro' abject love of ease	E
Or hindrance raised by sordid purposes	E
To bear thy part in this good work St Bees	E
	-
Who with the ploughshare clove the barren moors	E
And to green meadows changed the swampy shores	E
Thinned the rank woods and for the cheerful grange	E2
Made room where wolf and boar were used to range	E2
Who taught and showed by deeds that gentler chains	E
Should bind the vassal to his lord's domains	E
The thoughtful Monks intent their God to please	E
For Christ's dear sake by human sympathies	E
Poured from the bosom of thy Church St Bees	E
	-
But all availed not by a mandate given	Y
Through lawless will the Brotherhood was driven	Y
Forth from their cells their ancient House laid low	F2
In Reformation's sweeping overthrow	F2
But now once more the local Heart revives	E
The inextinguishable Spirit strives	E
Oh may that Power who hushed the stormy seas	E
And cleared a way for the first Votaries	E
Prosper the new born College of St Bees	E
	-
Alas the Genius of our age from Schools	E
Less humble draws her lessons aims and rules	E
To Prowess guided by her insight keen	Y
Matter and Spirit are as one Machine	Y
Boastful Idolatress of formal skill	C2
She in her own would merge the eternal will	C2
Better if Reason's triumphs match with these	E
Her flight before the bold credulities	E
That furthered the first teaching of St Bees	E

William Wordsworth

Stanzas Suggested In A Steamboat Off Saint Bees' Heads, On The Coast Of Cumberland Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Write your comment about Stanzas Suggested In A Steamboat Off Saint Bees' Heads, On The Coast Of Cumberland poem by William Wordsworth

Recent Interactions*

New Poems

Popular Poets