Part I: Visions In The Smoke Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCBCD EFEEFGHGH IJKJLMLM NONOPQPR STSTUTUT BBBVBBBBB DWDWXYXYZA2ZA2 B2C2 RBRB D2OD2ORBRB E2DE2DBF2BF2 BYBYG2YG2Y XBXBH2HH2H PYPYYC2YC2 I2HI2HJ2K2J2K2 L2YL2YYM2YM2 E2YE2YDHDN2 BBDBBBDWO2WO2P2Q2P2Q 2BR2DR2BRBRS2XS2XT2Y T2Y

Rest and be thankful On the vergeA
Of the tall cliff rugged and greyB
But whose granite base the breakers surgeA
And shiver their frothy sprayB
Outstretched I gaze on the eddying wreathC
That gathers and flits awayB
With the surf beneath and between my teethC
The stem of the 'ancient clay'D
-
With the anodyne cloud on my listless eyesE
With its spell on my dreamy brainF
As I watch the circling vapours riseE
From the brown bowl up to the sullen skiesE
My vision becomes more plainF
Till a dim kaleidoscope succeedsG
Through the smoke rack drifting and veeringH
Like ghostly riders on phantom steedsG
To a shadowy goal careeringH
-
In their own generation the wise may sneerI
They hold our sports in derisionJ
Perchance to sophist or sage or seerK
Were allotted a graver visionJ
Yet if man of all the Creator plann'dL
His noblest work is reckonedM
Of the works of His hand by sea or by landL
The horse may at least rank secondM
-
Did they quail those steeds of the squadrons lightN
Did they flinch from the battle's roarO
When they burst on the guns of the MuscoviteN
By the echoing Black Sea shoreO
On on to the cannon's mouth they strideP
With never a swerve nor a shyQ
Oh the minutes of yonder maddening rideP
Long years of pleasure outvieR
-
No slave but a comrade staunch in thisS
Is the horse for he takes his shareT
Not in peril alone but in feverish blissS
And in longing to do and dareT
Where bullets whistle and round shot whizU
Hoofs trample and blades flash bareT
God send me an ending as fair as hisU
Who died in his stirrups thereT
-
The wind has slumbered throughout the dayB
Now a fitful gust springs over the bayB
My wandering thoughts no longer strayB
I'll fix my overcoat buttonsV
Secure my old hat as best I mayB
And a shocking bad one it is by the wayB
Blow a denser cloud from my stunted clayB
And then friend Bell as the Frenchmen sayB
We'll 'go back again to our muttons'B
-
There's a lull in the tumult on yonder hillD
And the clamour has grown less loudW
Though the Babel of tongues is never stillD
With the presence of such a crowdW
The bell has rung With their riders upX
At the starting post they musterY
The racers stripp'd for the 'Melbourne Cup'X
All gloss and polish and lustreY
And the course is seen with its emerald sheenZ
By the bright spring tide renew'dA2
Like a ribbon of green stretched out betweenZ
The ranks of the multitudeA2
-
The flag is lowered 'They're off ' 'They come '-
The squadron is sweeping onB2
A sway in the crowd a murmuring humC2
'They're here ' 'They're past ' 'They're gone '-
They came with the rush of the southern surfR
On the bar of the storm girt bayB
And like muffled drums on the sounding turfR
Their hoof strokes echo awayB
-
The rose and black draws clear of the ruckD2
And the murmur swells to a roarO
As the brave old colours that never were struckD2
Are seen with the lead once moreO
Though the feathery ferns and grasses waveR
O'er the sod where Lantern sleepsB
Though the turf is green on Fisherman's graveR
The stable its prestige keepsB
-
Six lengths in front she scours alongE2
She's bringing the field to troubleD
She's tailing them off she's running strongE2
She shakes her head and pulls doubleD
Now Minstrel falters and Exile flagsB
The Barb finds the pace too hotF2
And Toryboy loiters and Playboy lagsB
And the bolt of Ben Bolt is shotF2
-
That she never may be caught this dayB
Is the worst that the public wish herY
She won't be caught she comes right awayB
Hurrah for Seagull and FisherY
See Strop falls back though his reins are slackG2
Sultana begins to tireY
And the top weight tells on the Sydney crackG2
And the pace on 'the Gippsland flyer'Y
-
The rowels as round the turn they sweepX
Just graze Tim Whiffler's flanksB
Like the hunted deer that flies through the sheepX
He strides through the beaten ranksB
Daughter of Omen prove your birthH2
The colt will take lots of chokingH
The hot breath steams at your saddle girthH2
From his scarlet nostril smokingH
-
The shouts of the Ring for a space subsideP
And slackens the bookmaker's roarY
Now Davis rally now Carter rideP
As man never rode beforeY
When Sparrowhawk's backers cease to cheerY
When Yattendon's friends are dumbC2
When hushed is the clamour for VolunteerY
Alone in the race they comeC2
-
They're neck and neck they're head and headI2
They're stroke for stroke in the runningH
The whalebone whistles the steel is redI2
No shirking as yet nor shunningH
One effort Seagull the blood you boastJ2
Should struggle when nerves are strainedK2
With a rush on the post by a neck at the mostJ2
The verdict for Tim is gainedK2
-
Tim Whiffler wins Is blood aloneL2
The sine qua non for a flyerY
The breed of his dam is a myth unknownL2
And we've doubts respecting his sireY
Yet few if any those proud names areY
On the pages of peerage or studM2
In whose 'scutcheon lurks no sinister barY
No taint of the base black bloodM2
-
Aye Shorthouse laugh laugh loud and longE2
For pedigree you're a stickerY
You may be right I may be wrongE2
Wiseacres both Let's liquorY
Our common descent we may each recallD
To a lady of old caught trippingH
The fair one in fig leaves who d d us allD
For a bite at a golden pippinN2
-
When first on this rocky ledge I layB
There was scarce a ripple in yonder bayB
The air was serenely stillD
Each column that sailed from my swarthy clayB
Hung loitering long ere it passed awayB
Though the skies wore a tinge of leaden greyB
And the atmosphere was chillD
But the red sun sank to his evening shroudW
Where the western billows are roll'dO2
Behind a curtain of sable cloudW
With a fringe of scarlet and goldO2
There's a misty glare in the yellow moonP2
And the drift is scudding fastQ2
There'll be storm and rattle and tempest soonP2
When the heavens are overcastQ2
The neutral tint of the sullen seaB
Is fleck'd with the snowy foamR2
And the distant gale sighs drearilieD
As the wanderer sighs for his homeR2
The white sea horses toss their manesB
On the bar of the southern reefR
And the breakers moan and by Jove it rainsB
I thought I should come to griefR
Though it can't well damage my shabby hatS2
Though my coat looks best when it's dampX
Since the shaking I got no matter where atS2
I've a mortal dread of the crampX
My matches are wet my pipe's put outT2
And the wind blows colder and strongerY
I'll be stiff and sore and sorry no doubtT2
If I lie here any longerY

Adam Lindsay Gordon



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