What Grandfather Said Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AB CDCD EFEF GHG IGIG JKJK GLGL MNMN OPOP QRQR GSGS TUTU VGVG WWWW QWQW XGXG YQYG QGQG ZGZG GGGG| An epistle from a narrow minded old gentleman to a young artist of | A |
| superior intellect and intense realism | B |
| - | |
| - | |
| Your thoughts are for the poor and weak | C |
| Ah no the picturesque's your passion | D |
| Your tongue is always in your cheek | C |
| At poverty that's not in fashion | D |
| - | |
| You like a ploughman's rugged face | E |
| Or painted eyes in Piccadilly | F |
| But bowler hats are commonplace | E |
| And thread bare tradesmen simply silly | F |
| - | |
| The clerk that sings 'God save the King ' | - |
| And still believes his Tory paper | G |
| You hate the an mic fool I thought | H |
| You loved the weak Was that all vapour | G |
| - | |
| Ah when you sneer dear democrat | I |
| At such a shiny trousered Tory | G |
| Because he doffs his poor old hat | I |
| To what he thinks his country's glory | G |
| - | |
| To you it's just a coloured rag | J |
| You hate the 'patriots' that bawl so | K |
| Well my Ulysses there's a flag | J |
| That lifts men in Republics also | K |
| - | |
| No doubt his thoughts are cruder far | G |
| And where those linen folds are shaking | L |
| Perhaps he sees a kind of star | G |
| Because his eyes are tired and aching | L |
| - | |
| Banal enough Banal as truth | M |
| But I'm not thinking of his banners | N |
| I'm thinking of his pinched white youth | M |
| And your disgusting 'new art' manners | N |
| - | |
| His meek submission stirs your hate | O |
| Better my lad if you're so fervent | P |
| Turn your cold steel against the State | O |
| Instead of sneering at the servant | P |
| - | |
| He does his job He draws his pay | Q |
| You sneer and dine with those that pay him | R |
| And then you write a snobbish play | Q |
| For democrats in which you play him | R |
| - | |
| Ah yes you like simplicity | G |
| That sucks its cheeks to make the dimple | S |
| But this domestic bourgeoisie | G |
| You hate because it's all too simple | S |
| - | |
| You hate the hearth the wife the child | T |
| You hate the heavens that bend above them | U |
| Your simple folk must all run wild | T |
| Like jungle beasts before you love them | U |
| - | |
| You own a house in Cheyne Walk | V |
| You say it costs three thousand fully | G |
| Where subtle snobs can talk and talk | V |
| And play the intellectual bully | G |
| - | |
| Yes I say 'snobs ' Are names alone | W |
| Free from all change Your word 'Victorian' | W |
| Could bite and sting in ninety one | W |
| But now it's deader than the saurian | W |
| - | |
| You think I live in yesterday | Q |
| Because I think your way the wrong one | W |
| But I have hewed and ploughed my way | Q |
| And unlike yours it's been a long one | W |
| - | |
| I let Victoria toll her bell | X |
| And went with Strindberg for a ride sir | G |
| I've fought through your own day as well | X |
| And come out on the other side sir | G |
| - | |
| The further side the morning side | Y |
| I read free verse the Psalms on Sunday | Q |
| But I've decided you'll decide | Y |
| That there is room for song on Monday | G |
| - | |
| I've seen the new snob on his way | Q |
| The intellectual snob I mean sir | G |
| The artist snob in book and play | Q |
| Kicking his mother round the scene sir | G |
| - | |
| I've heard the Tories talk like fools | Z |
| And the rich fool that apes the Tory | G |
| I've seen the shopmen break your rules | Z |
| And die like Christ in Christ's own glory | G |
| - | |
| But as for you that liberal sneer | G |
| Reminds me of the poor old Kaiser | G |
| He was a 'socialist ' my dear | G |
| Well I'm your grandson You'll grow wiser | G |
Alfred Noyes
(1)
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