The Roll Of The Kettledrum; Or, The Lay Of The Last Charger Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Adam Lindsay Gordon

The Roll Of The Kettledrum; Or, The Lay Of The Last Charger Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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You have the Pyrrhic dance as yet	A
Where is the Pyrrhic phalanx gone	B
Of two such lessons why forget	A
The nobler and the manlier one Byron	C
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One line of swart profiles and bearded lips dressing	D
One ridge of bright helmets one crest of fair plumes	E
One streak of blue sword blades all bared for the fleshing	D
One row of red nostrils that scent battle fumes	E
	-
Forward the trumpets were sounding the charge	F
The roll of the kettledrum rapidly ran	G
That music like wild fire spreading at large	F
Madden'd the war horse as well as the man	G
	-
Forward still forward we thunder'd along	D
Steadily yet for our strength we were nursing	D
Tall Ewart our sergeant was humming a song	D
Lance corporal Black Will was blaspheming and cursing	D
	-
Open'd their volley of guns on our right	H
Puffs of grey smoke veiling gleams of red flame	I
Curling to leeward were seen on the height	H
Where the batteries were posted as onward we came	I
	-
Spreading before us their cavalry lay	J
Squadron on squadron troop upon troop	K
We were so few and so many were they	J
Eagles wait calmly the sparrow hawk's stoop	K
	-
Forward still forward steed answering steed	L
Cheerily neigh'd while the foam flakes were toss'd	M
From bridle to bridle the top of our speed	L
Was gain'd but the pride of our order was lost	M
	-
One was there leading by nearly a rood	N
Though we were racing he kept to the fore	O
Still as a rock in his stirrups he stood	P
High in the sunlight his sabre he bore	O
	-
Suddenly tottering backwards he crash'd	Q
Loudly his helm right in front of us rung	D
Iron hoofs thunder'd and naked steel flash'd	Q
Over him youngest where many were young	D
	-
Now we were close to them every horse striding	D
Madly St Luce pass'd with never a groan	R
Sadly my master look'd round he was riding	D
On the boy's right with a line of his own	R
	-
Thrusting his hand in his breast or breast pocket	S
While from his wrist the sword swung by a chain	T
Swiftly he drew out some trinket or locket	U
Kiss'd it I think and replaced it again	V
	-
Burst while his fingers reclosed on the haft	W
Jarring concussion and earth shaking din	X
Horse 'counter'd horse and I reel'd but he laugh'd	W
Down went his man cloven clean to the chin	X
	-
Wedged in the midst of that struggling mass	Y
After the first shock where each his foe singled	Z
Little was seen save a dazzle like glass	Y
In the sun with grey smoke and black dust intermingled	Z
	-
Here and there redden'd a pistol shot flashing	D
Through the red sparkle of steel upon steel	A2
Redder the spark seem'd and louder the clashing	D
Struck from the helm by the iron shod heel	A2
	-
Over fallen riders like wither'd leaves strewing	D
Uplands in autumn we sunder'd their ranks	B2
Steeds rearing and plunging men hacking and hewing	D
Fierce grinding of sword blades sharp goading of flanks	B2
	-
Short was the crisis of conflict soon over	C2
Being too good I suppose to last long	D
Through them we cut as the scythe cuts the clover	C2
Batter'd and stain'd we emerg'd from their throng	D
	-
Some of our saddles were emptied of course	D2
To heaven or elsewhere Black Will had been carried	L
Ned Sullivan mounted Will's riderless horse	D2
His mare being hurt while ten seconds we tarried	L
	-
And then we re formed and went at them once more	O
And ere they had rightly closed up the old track	D
We broke through the lane we had open'd before	O
And as we went forward e'en so we came back	D
	-
Our numbers were few and our loss far from small	E2
They could fight and besides they were twenty to one	C
We were clear of them all when we heard the recall	E2
And thus we returned but my tale is not done	C
	-
For the hand of my rider felt strange on my bit	L
He breathed once or twice like one partially choked	L
And sway'd in his seat then I knew he was hit	L
He must have bled fast for my withers were soak'd	L
	-
And scarcely an inch of my housing was dry	F2
I slacken'd my speed yet I never quite stopp'd	L
Ere he patted my neck said Old fellow good bye	F2
And dropp'd off me gently and lay where he dropp'd	L
	-
Ah me after all they may call us dumb creatures	G2
I tried hard to neigh but the sobs took my breath	H2
Yet I guess'd gazing down at those still quiet features	G2
He was never more happy in life than in death	H2
	-
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Two years back at Aldershot Elrington mentioned	L
My name to our colonel one field day He said	L
'Count' 'Steeltrap' and 'Challenger' ought to be pension'd	L
Count died the same week and now Steeltrap is dead	L
	-
That morning our colonel was riding Theresa	I2
The filly by Teddington out of Mistake	D
His girls pretty Alice and fair haired Louisa	I2
Were there on the ponies he purchased from Blake	D
	-
I remember he pointed me out to his daughters	G2
Said he In this troop I may fairly take pride	L
But I've none left like him in my officers' quarters	G2
Whose life blood the mane of old 'Challenger' dyed	L
	-
Where are they the war steeds who shared in our glory	J2
The Lanercost colt and the Acrobat mare	K2
And the Irish division Kate Kearney and Rory	J2
And rushing Roscommon and eager Kildare	J2
	-
And Freeny a favourite once with my master	J2
And Warlock a sluggard but honest and true	J2
And Tancred as honest as Warlock but faster	J2
And Blacklock and Birdlime and Molly Carew	J2
	-
All vanish'd what wonder twelve summers have pass'd	L
Since then and my comrade lies buried this day	L
Old Steeltrap the kicker and now I'm the last	L
Of the chargers who shared in that glorious fray	L
	-
	-
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Come Harlequin keep your nose out of my manger	J2
You'll get your allowance my boy and no more	J2
Snort Silvertail snort when you've seen as much danger	J2
As I have you won't mind the rats in the straw	J2
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Our gallant old colonel came limping and halting	D
The day before yesterday into my stall	E2
Oh light to the saddle I've once seen him vaulting	D
In full marching order steel broadsword and all	E2
	-
And now his left leg than his right is made shorter	J2
Three inches he stoops and his chest is unsound	L
He spoke to me gently and patted my quarter	J2
I laid my ears back and look'd playfully round	L
	-
For that word kindly meant that caress kindly given	C
I thank'd him though dumb but my cheerfulness fled	L
More sadness I drew from the face of the living	D
Than years back I did from the face of the dead	L
	-
For the dead face upturn'd tranquil joyous and fearless	L2
Look'd straight from green sod to blue fathomless sky	F2
With a smile but the living face gloomy and tearless	L2
And haggard and harass'd look'd down with a sigh	F2
	-
Did he think on the first time he kiss'd Lady Mary	J2
On the morning he wing'd Horace Greville the beau	M2
On the winner he steer'd in the grand military	J2
On the charge that he headed twelve long years ago	M2
	-
Did he think on each fresh year of fresh grief the herald	L
On lids that are sunken and locks that are grey	L
On Alice who bolted with Brian Fitzgerald	L
On Rupert his first born dishonour'd by play	L
	-
On Louey his darling who sleeps 'neath the cypress	L2
That shades her and one whose last breath gave her life	N2
I saw those strong fingers hard over each eye press	L2
Oh the dead rest in peace when the quick toil in strife	N2
	-
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Scoff man egotistical proud unobservant	L
Since I with man's grief dare to sympathise thus	L2
Why scoff fellow creature I am fellow servant	L
Of God can man fathom God's dealings with us	L2
	-
The wide gulf that parts us may yet be no wider	J2
Than that which parts you from some being more blest	L
And there may be more links 'twixt the horse and his rider	J2
Than ever your shallow philosophy guess'd	L
	-
You are proud of your power and vain of your courage	O2
And your blood Anglo Saxon or Norman or Celt	L
Though your gifts you extol and our gifts you disparage	P2
Your perils your pleasures your sorrows we've felt	L
	-
We too sprung from mares of the prophet of Mecca	I2
And nursed on the pride that was born with the milk	D
And filtered through Crucifix Beeswing Rebecca	I2
We love sheen of scarlet and shimmer of silk	D
	-
We too sprung from loins of the Ishmaelite stallions	L2
We glory in daring that dies or prevails	L2
From 'counter of squadrons and crash of battalions	L2
To rending of blackthorns and rattle of rails	L2
	-
In all strife where courage is tested and power	J2
From the meet on the hill side the horn blast the find	L
The burst the long gallop that seems to devour	J2
The champaign all obstacles flinging behind	L
	-
To the cheer and the clarion the war music blended	L
With war cry the furious dash at the foe	M2
The terrible shock the recoil and the splendid	L
Bare sword flashing blue rising red from the blow	M2
	-
I've borne one through perils where many have seen us	L2
No tyrant a kind friend a patient instructor	J2
And I've felt some strange element flashing between us	L2
Till the saddle seem'd turn'd to a lightning conductor	J2
	-
Did he see could he feel through the faintness the numbness	L2
While linger'd the spirit half loosed from the clay	L
Dumb eyes seeking his in their piteous dumbness	L2
Dumb quivering nostrils too stricken to neigh	M2
	-
And what then the colours reversed the drums muffled	L
The black nodding plumes the dead march and the pall	Q2
The stern faces soldier like silent unruffled	L
The slow sacred music that floats over all	E2
	-
Cross carbine and boar spear hang bugle and banner	J2
Spur sabre and snaffle and helm Is it well	R2
Vain 'scutcheon false trophies of Mars and Diana	I2
Can the dead laurel sprout with the live immortelle	R2
	-
It may be we follow and though we inherit	L
Our strength for a season our pride for a span	G
Say vanity are they vexation of spirit	L
Not so since they serve for a time horse and man	G
	-
They serve for a time and they make life worth living	D
In spite of life's troubles 'tis vain to despond	L
Oh man We at least we enjoy with thanksgiving	D
God's gifts on this earth though we look not beyond	L
	-
You sin and you suffer and we too find sorrow	M2
Perchance through your sin yet it soon will be o'er	J2
We labour to day and we slumber to morrow	M2
Strong horse and bold rider and who knoweth more	J2
	-
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In our barrack square shouted Drill sergeant M'Cluskie	D
The roll of the kettledrum rapidly ran	G
The colonel wheel'd short speaking once dry and husky	D
Would to God I had died with your master old man	G