In Utrumque Paratus Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAC DEDEFGF HBHBIJIJKLMLNLNNLOPO Q RSRRSTUTU V VIWLWLXUXUTJCJYZYZA2 B2A2B2 C2B BD2E2D2E2 F2G2F2H2E2I2E2E2I2GI 2GI2J2K2J2K2 L2M2 L2 I2N2I2I2N2 UO2UUO2C CP2Q2Q2Q2P2R2S2R2R2S 2

'Then hey for boot and horse ladA
And round the world awayB
Young blood will have its course ladA
And every dog his day ' C KingsleyC
-
There's a formula which the west country clownsD
Once used ere their blows fell thickE
At the fairs on the Devon and Cornwall downsD
In their bouts with the single stickE
You may read a moral not far amissF
If you care to moralizeG
In the crossing guard where the ash plants kissF
To the words 'God spare our eyes '-
-
No game was ever yet worth a rapH
For a rational man to playB
Into which no accident no mishapH
Could possibly find its wayB
If you hold the willow a shooter from WillsI
May transform you into a hopperJ
And the football meadow is rife with spillsI
If you feel disposed for a cropperJ
In a rattling gallop with hound and horseK
You may chance to reverse the medalL
On the sward with the saddle your loins acrossM
And your hunter's loins on the saddleL
In the stubbles you'll find it hard to frameN
A remonstrance firm yet civilL
When oft as 'our mutual friend' takes aimN
Long odds may be laid on the rising gameN
And against your gaiters levelL
There's danger even where fish are caughtO
To those who a wetting fearP
For what's worth having must ay be boughtO
And sport's like life and life's like sportQ
'It ain't all skittles and beer '-
-
The honey bag lies close to the stingR
The rose is fenced by the thornS
Shall we leave to others their gatheringR
And turn from clustering fruits that clingR
To the garden wall in scornS
Albeit those purple grapes hang highT
Like the fox in the ancient taleU
Let us pause and try ere we pass them byT
Though we like the fox may failU
-
All hurry is worse than useless thinkV
On the adage ' 'Tis pace that kills '-
Shun bad tobacco avoid strong drinkV
Abstain from Holloway's pillsI
Wear woollen socks they're the best you'll findW
Beware how you leave off flannelL
And whatever you do don't change your mindW
When once you have picked your panelL
With a bank of cloud in the south south eastX
Stand ready to shorten sailU
Fight shy of a corporation feastX
Don't trust to a martingaleU
Keep your powder dry and shut one eyeT
Not both when you touch your triggerJ
Don't stop with your head too frequentlyC
This advice ain't meant for a niggerJ
Look before you leap if you like but ifY
You mean leaping don't look longZ
Or the weakest place will soon grow stiffY
And the strongest doubly strongZ
As far as you can to every manA2
Let your aid be freely givenB2
And hit out straight 'tis your shortest planA2
When against the ropes you're drivenB2
-
Mere pluck though not in the least sublimeC2
Is wiser than blank dismayB
Since 'No sparrow can fall before its time '-
And we're valued higher than theyB
So hope for the best and leave the restD2
In charge of a stronger handE2
Like the honest boors in the far off westD2
With the formula terse and grandE2
-
They were men for the most part rough and rudeF2
Dull and illiterateG2
But they nursed no quarrel they cherished no feudF2
They were strangers to spite and hateH2
In a kindly spirit they took their standE2
That brothers and sons might learnI2
How a man should uphold the sports of his landE2
And strike his best with a strong right handE2
And take his strokes in returnI2
' 'Twas a barbarous practice ' the Quaker criesG
' 'Tis a thing of the past thank heaven'I2
Keep your thanks till the combative instinct diesG
With the taint of the olden leavenI2
Yes the times are changed for better or worseJ2
The prayer that no harm befallK2
Has given its place to a drunken curseJ2
And the manly game to a brawlK2
-
Our burdens are heavy our natures weakL2
Some pastime devoid of harmM2
May we look for 'Puritan elder speak '-
'Yea friend peradventure thou mayest seekL2
Recreation singing a psalm '-
If I did your visage so grim and sternI2
Would relax in a ghastly smileN2
For of music I never one note could learnI2
And my feeble minstrelsy would turnI2
Your chant to discord vileN2
-
Tho' the Philistine's mail could naught availU
Nor the spear like a weaver's beamO2
There are episodes yet in the Psalmist's taleU
To obliterate which his poems failU
Which his exploits fail to redeemO2
Can the Hittite's wrongs forgotten beC
Does HE warble 'Non nobis Domine '-
With his monarch in blissful concert freeC
From all malice to flesh inherentP2
Zeruiah's offspring who served so wellQ2
Yet between the horns of the altar fellQ2
Does HIS voice the 'Quid gloriaris' swellQ2
Or the 'Quare fremuerunt'P2
It may well be thus where DAVID singsR2
And Uriah joins in the chorusS2
But while earth to earthy matter clingsR2
Neither you nor the bravest of Judah's kingsR2
As a pattern can stand before usS2

Adam Lindsay Gordon



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