The Roll Of The Kettledrum Poem Rhyme Scheme

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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
	-
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 emerged 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 '	-
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
	-
	-
	-
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 '	-
'Count' died the same week and now 'Steeltrap' is dead	L
	-
That morning our colonel was riding 'Theresa '	-
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 '	-
	-
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 '	-
And rushing 'Roscommon ' and eager 'Kildare '	-
	-
And 'Freeny ' a favourite once with my master	C2
And 'Warlock ' a sluggard but honest and true	L2
And 'Tancred ' as honest as 'Warlock ' but faster	C2
And 'Blacklock ' and 'Birdlime ' and 'Molly Carew'	C2
	-
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
	-
	-
	-
Come 'Harlequin ' keep your nose out of my manger	C2
You'll get your allowance my boy and no more	C2
Snort 'Silvertail ' snort when you've seen as much danger	C2
As I have you won't mind the rats in the straw	C2
	-
	-
	-
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	C2
Three inches he stoops and his chest is unsound	L
He spoke to me gently and patted my quarter	C2
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	M2
Look'd straight from green sod to blue fathomless sky	D
With a smile but the living face gloomy and tearless	M2
And haggard and harass'd look'd down with a sigh	D
	-
Did he think on the first time he kiss'd Lady Mary	C2
On the morning he wing'd Horace Greville the beau	N2
On the winner he steer'd in the grand military	C2
On the charge that he headed twelve long years ago	N2
	-
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'	E2
	-
On Louey his darling who sleeps 'neath the cypress	M2
That shades her and one whose last breath gave her life	O2
I saw those strong fingers hard over each eye press	M2
Oh the dead rest in peace when the quick toil in strife	O2
	-
	-
	-
Scoff man egotistical proud unobservant	L
Since I with man's grief dare to sympathize thus	M2
Why scoff fellow creature I am fellow servant	L
Of God can man fathom God's dealings with us	M2
	-
The wide gulf that parts us may yet be no wider	C2
Than that which parts you from some being more blest	L
And there may be more links 'twixt the horse and his rider	C2
Than ever your shallow philosophy guess'd	L
	-
You are proud of your power and vain of your courage	P2
And your blood Anglo Saxon o	N2

Adam Lindsay Gordon

The Roll Of The Kettledrum Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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