The Waggoner - Canto Third Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDEDFFGGHHIJKKL LMMEEENNOOHHPQQRRSSS STTUUUUQQSSSUNVWWFFF FXXSSFFFFYZNNA2A2SSS FFFFQQSSFFB2B2FFFFUV C2VFFD2D2FFE2E2FFFUU F2F2FVFFSSXXXXFFXXFV ZZG2G2H2H2I2I2J2J2UU SJ2| RIGHT gladly had the horses stirred | A |
| When they the wished for greeting heard | A |
| The whip's loud notice from the door | B |
| That they were free to move once more | B |
| You think those doings must have bred | C |
| In them disheartening doubts and dread | C |
| No not a horse of all the eight | D |
| Although it be a moonless night | E |
| Fears either for himself or freight | D |
| For this they know and let it hide | F |
| In part the offences of their guide | F |
| That Benjamin with clouded brains | G |
| Is worth the best with all their pains | G |
| And if they had a prayer to make | H |
| The prayer would be that they may take | H |
| With him whatever comes in course | I |
| The better fortune or the worse | J |
| That no one else may have business near them | K |
| And drunk or sober he may steer them | K |
| So forth in dauntless mood they fare | L |
| And with them goes the guardian pair | L |
| Now heroes for the true commotion | M |
| The triumph of your late devotion | M |
| Can aught on earth impede delight | E |
| Still mounting to a higher height | E |
| And higher still a greedy flight | E |
| Can any low born care pursue her | N |
| Can any mortal clog come to her | N |
| No notion have they not a thought | O |
| That is from joyless regions brought | O |
| And while they coast the silent lake | H |
| Their inspiration I partake | H |
| Share their empyreal spirits yea | P |
| With their enraptured vision see | Q |
| O fancy what a jubilee | Q |
| What shifting pictures clad in gleams | R |
| Of colour bright as feverish dreams | R |
| Earth spangled sky and lake serene | S |
| Involved and restless all a scene | S |
| Pregnant with mutual exaltation | S |
| Rich change and multiplied creation | S |
| This sight to me the Muse imparts | T |
| And then what kindness in their hearts | T |
| What tears of rapture what vow making | U |
| Profound entreaties and hand shaking | U |
| What solemn vacant interlacing | U |
| As if they'd fall asleep embracing | U |
| Then in the turbulence of glee | Q |
| And in the excess of amity | Q |
| Says Benjamin 'That Ass of thine | S |
| He spoils thy sport and hinders mine | S |
| If he were tethered to the waggon | S |
| He'd drag as well what he is dragging | U |
| And we as brother should with brother | N |
| Might trudge it alongside each other ' | V |
| Forthwith obedient to command | W |
| The horses made a quiet stand | W |
| And to the waggon's skirts was tied | F |
| The Creature by the Mastiff's side | F |
| The Mastiff wondering and perplext | F |
| With dread of what will happen next | F |
| And thinking it but sorry cheer | X |
| To have such company so near | X |
| This new arrangement made the Wain | S |
| Through the still night proceeds again | S |
| No Moon hath risen her light to lend | F |
| But indistinctly may be kenned | F |
| The VANGUARD following close behind | F |
| Sails spread as if to catch the wind | F |
| 'Thy wife and child are snug and warm | Y |
| Thy ship will travel without harm | Z |
| I like ' said Benjamin 'her shape and stature | N |
| And this of mine this bulky creature | N |
| Of which I have the steering this | A2 |
| Seen fairly is not much amiss | A2 |
| We want your streamers friend you know | S |
| But altogether as we go | S |
| We make a kind of handsome show | S |
| Among these hills from first to last | F |
| We've weathered many a furious blast | F |
| Hard passage forcing on with head | F |
| Against the storm and canvas spread | F |
| I hate a boaster but to thee | Q |
| Will say't who know'st both land and sea | Q |
| The unluckiest hulk that stems the brine | S |
| Is hardly worse beset than mine | S |
| When cross winds on her quarter beat | F |
| And fairly lifted from my feet | F |
| I stagger onward heaven knows how | B2 |
| But not so pleasantly as now | B2 |
| Poor pilot I by snows confounded | F |
| And many a foundrous pit surrounded | F |
| Yet here we are by night and day | F |
| Grinding through rough and smooth our way | F |
| Through foul and fair our task fulfilling | U |
| And long shall be so yet God willing ' | V |
| 'Ay ' said the Tar 'through fair and foul | C2 |
| But save us from yon screeching owl ' | V |
| That instant was begun a fray | F |
| Which called their thoughts another way | F |
| The mastiff ill conditioned carl | D2 |
| What must he do but growl and snarl | D2 |
| Still more and more dissatisfied | F |
| With the meek comrade at his side | F |
| Till not incensed though put to proof | E2 |
| The Ass uplifting a hind hoof | E2 |
| Salutes the Mastiff on the head | F |
| And so were better manners bred | F |
| And all was calmed and quieted | F |
| 'Yon screech owl ' says the Sailor turning | U |
| Back to his former cause of mourning | U |
| 'Yon owl pray God that all be well | F2 |
| 'Tis worse than any funeral bell | F2 |
| As sure as I've the gift of sight | F |
| We shall be meeting ghosts to night ' | V |
| Said Benjamin 'This whip shall lay | F |
| A thousand if they cross our way | F |
| I know that Wanton's noisy station | S |
| I know him and his occupation | S |
| The jolly bird hath learned his cheer | X |
| Upon the banks of Windermere | X |
| Where a tribe of them make merry | X |
| Mocking the Man that keeps the ferry | X |
| Hallooing from an open throat | F |
| Like travellers shouting for a boat | F |
| The tricks he learned at Windermere | X |
| This vagrant owl is playing here | X |
| That is the worst of his employment | F |
| He's at the top of his enjoyment ' | V |
| This explanation stilled the alarm | Z |
| Cured the foreboder like a charm | Z |
| This and the manner and the voice | G2 |
| Summoned the Sailor to rejoice | G2 |
| His heart is up he fears no evil | H2 |
| From life or death from man or devil | H2 |
| He wheels and making many stops | I2 |
| Brandished his crutch against the mountain tops | I2 |
| And while he talked of blows and scars | J2 |
| Benjamin among the stars | J2 |
| Beheld a dancing and a glancing | U |
| Such retreating and advancing | U |
| As I ween was never seen | S |
| In bloodiest battle since the days of Mars | J2 |
William Wordsworth
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