The Patriot
I
It was roses, roses, all the way, With myrtle mixed in my path like mad: The house-roofs seemed to heave and sway, The church-spires flamed, such flags they had, A year ago on this very day. II The air broke into a mist with bells, The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries. Had I said, "Good folk, mere noise repels-- But give me your sun from yonder skies!" They had answered, "And afterward, what else?" 10 III Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun To give it my loving friends to keep! Nought man could do, have I left undone: And you see my harvest, what I reap This very day, now a year is run. IV There's nobody on the house-tops now-- Just a palsied few at the windows set; For the best of the sight is, all allow, At the Shambles' Gate--or, better yet, By the very scaffold's foot, I trow. 20 V I go in the rain, and, more than needs, A rope cuts both my wrists behind; And I think, by the feel, my forehead bleeds, For they fling, whoever has a mind, Stones at me for my year's misdeeds. VI Thus I entered, and thus I go! In triumphs, people have dropped down dead. "Paid by the world, what dost thou owe Me?"--God might question; now instead, 'Tis God shall repay: I am safer so. 30 |
I
- Roses → Describe the setting (Imagery) - Myrtle - A Plant - A year ago → He is walking along a path, people are cheering for him, the place is beautiful. II - The church bells are ringing and people have walked into the street shouting and screaming - It is an ancient place - 'Give me the sun if you love me so much' - persona - 'What else would you like' - How he used to be respected → A YEAR AGO III - He has become arrogant - Was going to give sun to the towns folks ("friends") - Nothing that a man could do, he hasn't tried to do for the town - What has happened to him after all he has done Harvest/Reap - Food IV - A year ago, people would be cheering on roof tops, but now there are a still few watching through the window - The town is closed off by a wall, he has passed through the gates into the town. - The "scaffold" is where he will be hung. - " I trow" - I think V - "I go in the rain" = Pathetic Fallacy - He is walking through the town with his hands tied behind his back. His head is bleeding from one of the stones that have been thrown at him. This is all because of the bad deeds he has done in the past year. VI - He has a clean conscience. He thinks that he has done good but people don't understand. - God has said that he has paid by the world, he doesn't owe him anything. God is going to pay him back now so he is safer with God, (considers all of this a good thing). |