Hymns and Tunes 1886 142
As when in silence vernal showers
1As when in silence vernal showers
Descend and cheer the fainting flowers,
So, in the secrecy of love,
Falls the sweet influence from above.
2That heavenly influence let me find
In holy silence of the mind;
While every grace maintains its bloom,
Diffusing widely its perfume.
3Nor let those blessings be confined
To me, but poured on all mankind,
Till earth's wild wastes in verdure rise,
And blooming Eden cheer our eyes.
Public Domain
The verse
- Meter
- 9.9.8.9
- Foot
- iambic (da-DUM) · 54% of beats fit
- Rhyme
- AABB
Scan every line
/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary
Verse 1
As when in silence vernal showers˘/˘/˘/˘/˘9A
Descend and cheer the fainting flowers,˘/˘/˘/˘/˘9A
So, in the secrecy of love,˘˘˘/˘˘˘/8B
Falls the sweet influence from above./˘//˘˘˘˘/9B
Verse 2
That heavenly influence let me find˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘/10A
In holy silence of the mind;˘/˘/˘˘˘/8A
While every grace maintains its bloom,//˘˘/˘/˘/9B
Diffusing widely its perfume.˘/˘/˘˘˘/8B
Verse 3
Nor let those blessings be confined˘/˘/˘˘˘/8A
To me, but poured on all mankind,˘˘˘/˘///8A
Till earth's wild wastes in verdure rise,////˘??/8B
And blooming Eden cheer our eyes.˘/˘/˘//˘/9B
Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.