The Ride Of Rody Burke Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABB CCDD AAEE FFGG HHEE IIBB AAGG JJKK LLEE MMLL NNOO EEPP QQRR AAEE CCJJ LLEE

The heat haze veiled the distant hills the white clouds floated highA
Drifting in slow content across the blue Australian skyA
And down in Clancy s paddock there were mirth and laughter gayB
Where the She Oak Jockey Club were met upon St Patrick s dayB
-
There were carts and cars and buggies ranged beneath the spreading treesC
Where country folk for miles around were clustered thick as beesC
Watching the prancing horses pass with keen appraising eyesD
All out to win the Squatters Cup the hundred guinea prizeD
-
Jim Daintry on The Digger rose hopes for his mount were highA
A gallant roan with swinging pace game head and fiery eyeA
And Jim s horse was the favourite the betting there was keenE
But some were backing Rody Burke upon Dark RosaleenE
-
A thing of velvet fire and steel a little dark brown mareF
With dainty legs and shoulders slant lean head and high bred airF
But knowing backers simply scoffed her chances of the raceG
She ll never see his heels when once The Digger sets the paceG
-
Twas just before the starting time that Rody reached the courseH
And little Nora Shanahan watched for the dark brown horseH
And sighed to mark the rider s face was white as if with painE
Could Rody after all her prayers be going wild againE
-
How could she know that very morn as Rody cross the yardI
The old white draught horse lumbering by had lashed out good and hardI
The broken ribs the searing pain that caught his breath awayB
Ah Naught but Irish pluck and grit brought Rody there that dayB
-
As he and Jim rose side by side each cast a wistful eyeA
Where little Nora Shanahan looked on aloof and shyA
And each man thrilled at sight of her the simple girlish graceG
The little kind brown hands of her the apple blossom faceG
-
Rivals were they in sport and love and yet good friends withalJ
Whose true Australian mateship held no feeling mean or smallJ
And Nora long her maiden heart had done an angels workK
With tears and prayers to save the soul of reckless Rody BurkeK
-
Jim Daintry manly straight and true had spreading acres wideL
And any girl in she Oak might be proud to be his brideL
But who shall read a woman s heart or pierce its hidden screenE
Sweet Nora s hopes were on the track with Rod and RosaleenE
-
They re off A rush of flying hoofs a blur of colours brightM
Tim Clancy s Skylark in the lead The Digger well in sightM
Dark Rosaleen leads the bunch behind nor falters in her strideL
While Rody bears with sobbing breath the torture in his sideL
-
And nearer nearer still she draws light as the summer windN
She s with The Digger neck and neck the Skylark s left behindN
Jim Daintry had his whale bone out before they reached the creekO
But Rosaleen s dark shining coat showed neither spot nor streakO
-
And Rody whispered homely words his tortured lips betweenE
Hang to it now for Nora s sake ah Stick it RosaleenE
And as a swallow skimming low swift as a streak of flameP
She passed The Digger s mighty stride as down the straight they cameP
-
And flew between the winning posts a half a length beforeQ
As Rosaleen ' 'Dark Rosaleen rose in a mighty roarQ
For thews and muscle training e en are little more than dustR
When weighed against the spirit s fire that wins because it mustR
-
But Rody all unconscious lay nor heard the cheering cryA
With Jim s strong arms around him clasped all thought of self put byA
And Nora trembling joined the group that gazed upon the sceneE
And raise her quivering girlish lips and kissed Dark RosaleenE
-
A night of moonlight dew drenched flowers and bending whispering treesC
The music from the township ball came faintly on the breezeC
As Rody bandaged here gazed at Nora s eyes of blueJ
Telling the old old story o er to one who found it newJ
-
And far across the moonlit plain The Digger s mighty strideL
Carried the aching heart of one who nursed his grief and prideL
Ah the dear griefs of headstrong youth half pleasure and half painE
The gallant hot young broken hearts so quick to heal againE

Alice Guerin Crist



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