'Jackaw of Rheims, The' by Richard Harris Barham
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The Jackdaw sat on the Cardinal's chair!
Bishop, and abbot, and prior were there;
Many a monk, and many a friar,
Many a knight, and many a squire,
With a great many more of lesser degree,--
In sooth a goodly company;
And they served the Lord Primate on bended knee.
Never, I ween,
Was a prouder seen,
Read of in books, or dreamt of in dreams,
Than the Cardinal Lord Archbishop of Rheims!
In and out
Through the motley rout,
That little Jackdaw kept hopping about;
Here and there
Like a dog in a fair,
Over comfits and cates,
And dishes and plates,
Cowl and cope, and rochet and pall,
Mitre and crosier! he hopp'd upon all!
With saucy air,
He perch'd on the chair
Where, in state, the great Lord Cardinal sat
In the great Lord Cardinal's great red hat;
And he peer'd in the face
Of his Lordship's Grace,
With a satisfied look, as if he would say,
'We two are the greatest folks here to-day!'
And the priests, with awe,
As such freaks they saw,
Said, 'The Devil must be in that little Jackdaw!'
The feast was over, the board was clear'd,
The flawns and the custards had all disappear'd,
And six little Singing-boys--dear little souls!
In nice clean faces, and nice white stoles,
Came, in order due,
Two by two,
Marching that grand refectory through!
A nice little boy held a golden ewer,
Emboss'd and fill'd with water, as pure
As any that flows between Rheims and Namur,
Which a nice little boy stood ready to catch
In a fine golden hand-basin made to match.
Two nice little boys, rather more grown,
Carried lavender-water, and eau de Cologne;
And a nice little boy had a nice cake of soap,
Worthy of washing the hands of the Pope.
One little boy more
A napkin bore,
Of the best white diaper, fringed with pink,
And a Cardinal's Hat mark'd in 'permanent ink.'
The great Lord Cardinal turns at the sight
Of these nice little boys dress'd all in white:
From his finger he draws
His costly turquoise;
And, not thinking at all about little Jackdaws,
Deposits it straight
By the side of his plate,
While the nice little boys on his Eminence wait;
Till, when nobody's dreaming of any such thing,
That little Jackdaw hops off with the ring!
There's a cry and a shout,
And a deuce of a rout,
And nobody seems to know what they're about,
But the Monks have their pockets all turn'd inside out.
The Friars are kneeling,
And hunting, and feeling
The carpet, the floor, and the walls, and the ceiling.
The Cardinal drew
Off each plum-colour'd shoe,
And left his red stockings exposed to the view;
He peeps, and he feels
In the toes and the heels;
They turn up the dishes,--they turn up the plates,--
They take up the poker and poke out the grates,
--They turn up the rugs,
They examine the mugs:--
But, no!--no such thing;--
They can't find THE RING!
And the Abbott declared that, 'when nobody twigg'd it,
Some rascal or other had popp'd in, and prigg'd it!'
The Cardinal rose with a dignified look,
He call'd for his candle, his bell, and his book!
In holy anger, and pious grief,
He solemnly cursed that rascally thief!
He cursed him at board, he cursed him in bed;
From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head;
He cursed him in sleeping, that every night
He should dream of the devil, and wake in a fright;
He cursed him in eating, he cursed him in drinking,
He cursed him in coughing, in sneezing, in winking;
He cursed him in sitting, in standing, in lying;
He cursed him in walking, in riding, in flying,
He cursed him in living, he cursed him in dying!--
Never was heard such a terrible curse!
But what gave rise
To no little surprise,
Nobody seem'd one penny the worse!
The day was gone,
The night came on,
The Monks and the Friars they search'd till dawn;
When the Sacristan saw,
On crumpled claw,
Come limping a poor little lame Jackdaw!
No longer gay,
As on yesterday;
His feathers all seem'd to be turn'd the wrong way;--
His pinions droop'd--he could hardly stand,--
His head was as bald as the palm of your hand;
His eye so dim,
So wasted each limb,
That, heedless of grammar, they all cried, 'THAT'S HIM!--
That's the scamp that has done this scandalous thing!
That's the thief that has got my Lord Cardinal's Ring!'
The poor little Jackdaw,
When the Monks he saw,
Feebly gave vent to the ghost of a caw;
And turn'd his bald head, as much as to say,
'Pray, be so good as to walk this way!'
Slower and slower
He limp'd on before,
Till they came to the back of the belfry door,
Where the first thing they saw,
Midst the sticks and the straw,
Was the Ring in the nest of that little Jackdaw!
Then the great Lord Cardinal call'd for his book,
And off that terrible curse he took;
The mute expression
Served in lieu of confession,
And, being thus coupled with full restitution,
The Jackdaw got plenary absolution!
--When those words were heard,
That poor little bird
Was so changed in a moment, 'twas really absurd.
He grew sleek, and fat;
In addition to that,
A fresh crop of feathers came thick as a mat!
His tail waggled more
Even than before;
But no longer it wagg'd with an impudent air,
No longer he perch'd on the Cardinal's chair.
He hopp'd now about
With a gait devout;
At Matins, at Vespers, he never was out;
And, so far from any more pilfering deeds,
He always seem'd telling the Confessor's beads.
If any one lied,--or if any one swore,--
Or slumber'd in pray'r-time and happen'd to snore,
That good Jackdaw
Would give a great 'Caw!'
As much as to say, 'Don't do so any more!'
While many remark'd, as his manners they saw,
That they 'never had known such a pious Jackdaw!'
He long lived the pride
Of that country side,
And at last in the odour of sanctity died;
When, as words were too faint
His merits to paint,
The Conclave determined to make him a Saint;
And on newly-made Saints and Popes, as you know,
It's the custom, at Rome, new names to bestow,
So they canonized him by the name of Jim Crow!
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Classic Poetry of "Jackaw of Rheims" by Richard Harris Barham
Are you a lover of classic poetry and the old English language? Then, you cannot afford to miss the "Jackaw of Rheims" by Richard Harris Barham. Titled "A Legend of St. Austin and the Child," this poem is a masterpiece of the Victorian era and a classic example of the power of storytelling through poetry.
The "Jackaw of Rheims" is a narrative poem that tells the story of a jackdaw, a type of bird, that stole a cardinal's ring and was punished for his misdeed. The poem is structured in stanzas of four lines, each with a rhyme scheme of ABAB. This structure gives the poem a musical quality and makes it easy to read and remember.
Barham's use of archaic language and imagery gives the poem a timeless quality that is still relevant today. The poem is full of allusions to religious and historical figures, such as St. Austin, the Archbishop of Rheims, and the Duke of Burgundy. These allusions add depth and richness to the poem and make it a joy to read and interpret.
Literary Analysis: Themes and Symbolism
One of the main themes of the "Jackaw of Rheims" is the idea of divine retribution. The jackdaw steals the cardinal's ring as a prank, but he is punished for his misdeed. The punishment is severe, and the jackdaw suffers greatly before he repents and is forgiven. This theme is relevant today, as it reminds us that our actions have consequences, and we must be careful not to harm others.
The poem also explores the idea of temptation and sin. The jackdaw is tempted by the shiny cardinal's ring and cannot resist the urge to take it. This temptation leads him down a dark path and causes him to suffer greatly. This theme is also relevant today, as we are constantly tempted by material possessions and must learn to resist our urges to avoid falling into sin.
Symbolism plays an important role in the "Jackaw of Rheims." The ring symbolizes power and authority, and the cardinal's wrath symbolizes the divine punishment for sin. The jackdaw himself can be seen as a symbol of humanity, as he is flawed and prone to sin. The poem's use of symbolism adds depth and complexity to the story and makes it a joy to analyze and interpret.
Interpretation: Moral Lessons and Historical Context
The "Jackaw of Rheims" is more than just a poem; it is a moral lesson that teaches us about the consequences of our actions. The poem reminds us that we must be careful not to harm others and that our actions have consequences. It also teaches us about the virtues of repentance and forgiveness, as the jackdaw is forgiven after he repents for his misdeed.
The poem is also relevant from a historical perspective. It was written in the Victorian era, a time when religion played an important role in society. The poem's use of religious imagery and allusions reflects the values and beliefs of the time, and it provides insight into the cultural and social context of the era.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the "Jackaw of Rheims" is a classic poem that is still relevant today. It explores important themes such as divine retribution, temptation, and sin, and it teaches us valuable moral lessons about the consequences of our actions. The poem's use of archaic language and imagery gives it a timeless quality, and its historical context provides insight into the values and beliefs of the Victorian era. If you haven't read the "Jackaw of Rheims" yet, then what are you waiting for? It's a classic that should not be missed!
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Poetry Jackaw of Rheims: A Classic Tale of Wit and Humor
If you are a fan of classic poetry, then you must have heard of the Poetry Jackaw of Rheims, written by Richard Harris Barham. This poem is a masterpiece of wit and humor, and it has been entertaining readers for over a century. In this article, we will take a detailed look at this classic poem and explore its themes, characters, and literary devices.
The Poetry Jackaw of Rheims is a narrative poem that tells the story of a jackdaw who becomes a bishop. The poem is set in Rheims, a city in France, and it begins with the jackdaw stealing a cardinal's ring. The jackdaw is caught by the cardinal, who punishes him by making him say the Lord's Prayer backwards. However, to everyone's surprise, the jackdaw recites the prayer perfectly, and the cardinal declares him a miracle.
The jackdaw's intelligence and wit soon become known throughout the city, and he is appointed as the bishop of Rheims. However, the jackdaw's newfound power and status do not change his mischievous nature, and he continues to play pranks on the people of Rheims. In the end, the jackdaw is caught stealing again, and he is stripped of his bishopric and forced to return to his life as a common bird.
One of the most striking aspects of the Poetry Jackaw of Rheims is its use of humor. The poem is full of puns, wordplay, and clever rhymes that keep the reader entertained from start to finish. For example, when the jackdaw is caught stealing the cardinal's ring, he says, "My lord, your ring - upon my word, I found it in my path." This line is a clever play on words, as the jackdaw is both admitting to stealing the ring and claiming that he found it by chance.
Another aspect of the poem that adds to its humor is the character of the jackdaw himself. The jackdaw is a mischievous and cunning bird who is always looking for ways to cause trouble. However, despite his misdeeds, the reader cannot help but root for him, as he is so charming and likable. This is especially true when the jackdaw recites the Lord's Prayer backwards, as it is a testament to his intelligence and wit.
The poem also explores themes of power and corruption. When the jackdaw becomes the bishop of Rheims, he is given a great deal of power and authority. However, he uses this power to play pranks on the people of Rheims, rather than to help them. This is a commentary on how power can corrupt even the most well-intentioned individuals.
In addition to its humor and themes, the Poetry Jackaw of Rheims is also notable for its use of literary devices. The poem is written in rhyming couplets, which gives it a sing-song quality that is easy to read and remember. The use of alliteration and assonance also adds to the poem's musicality, as well as its humor. For example, when the jackdaw is caught stealing, he says, "My lord, your ring - upon my word, I found it in my path." The repetition of the "r" sound in "ring" and "word" creates a pleasing sound that adds to the poem's humor.
Overall, the Poetry Jackaw of Rheims is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. Its humor, themes, and literary devices make it a joy to read, and its charming protagonist, the jackdaw, is a character that readers will not soon forget. Whether you are a fan of poetry or simply looking for a good laugh, the Poetry Jackaw of Rheims is a must-read.
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