An Alibi Poem Rhyme Scheme

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A famous journalist who long	A
Had told the great unheaded throng	A
Whate'er they thought by day or night	B
Was true as Holy Writ and right	B
Was caught in well on second thought	C
It is enough that he was caught	D
And being thrown in jail became	E
The fuel of a public flame	E
	-
' Vox populi vox Dei ' said	F
The jailer Inxling bent his head	F
Without remark that motto good	G
In bold faced type had always stood	G
Above the columns where his pen	H
Had rioted in praise of men	H
And all they said provided he	I
Was sure they mostly did agree	I
Meanwhile a sharp and bitter strife	J
To take or save the culprit's life	J
Or liberty which I suppose	K
Was much the same to him arose	K
Outside The journal that his pen	H
Adorned denounced his crime but then	H
Its editor in secret tried	L
To have the indictment set aside	L
The opposition papers swore	M
His father was a rogue before	M
And all his wife's relations were	N
Like him and similar to her	N
They begged their readers to subscribe	O
A dollar each to make a bribe	O
That any Judge would feel was large	P
Enough to prove the gravest charge	P
Unless it might be the defense	Q
Put up superior evidence	R
The law's traditional delay	S
Was all too short the trial day	S
Dawned red and menacing The Judge	T
Sat on the Bench and wouldn't budge	T
And all the motions counsel made	U
Could not move him and there he stayed	U
'The case must now proceed ' he said	F
'While I am just in heart and head	F
It happens as indeed it ought	C
Both sides with equal sums have bought	D
My favor I can try the cause	V
Impartially ' Prolonged applause	W
	-
The prisoner was now arraigned	X
And said that he was greatly pained	X
To be suspected he whose pen	H
Had charged so many other men	H
With crimes and misdemeanors 'Why '	-
He said a tear in either eye	Y
'If men who live by crying out	Z
'Stop thief ' are not themselves from doubt	Z
Of their integrity exempt	A2
Let all forego the vain attempt	A2
To make a reputation Sir	N
I'm innocent and I demur '	-
Whereat a thousand voices cried	L
Amain he manifestly lied	L
Vox populi as loudly roared	B2
As bull by picadores gored	B2
In his own coin receiving pay	S
To make a Spanish holiday	S
	-
The jury twelve good men and true	C2
Were then sworn in to see it through	C2
And each made solemn oath that he	I
As any babe unborn was free	I
From prejudice opinion thought	C
Respectability brains aught	C
That could disqualify and some	D2
Explained that they were deaf and dumb	D2
A better twelve his Honor said	C
Was rare except among the dead	C
The witnesses were called and sworn	E2
The tales they told made angels mourn	E2
And the Good Book they'd kissed became	E
Red with the consciousness of shame	E
	-
Whenever one of them approached	C
The truth 'That witness wasn't coached	C
Your Honor ' cried the lawyers both	F2
'Strike out his testimony ' quoth	F2
The learned judge 'This Court denies	G2
Its ear to stories which surprise	G2
I hold that witnesses exempt	C
From coaching all are in contempt '	-
Both Prosecution and Defense	Q
Applauded the judicial sense	Q
And the spectators all averred	C
Such wisdom they had never heard	C
'Twas plain the prisoner would be	I
Found guilty in the first degree	I
Meanwhile that wight's pale cheek confessed	C
The nameless terrors in his breast	C
He felt remorseful too because	W
He wasn't half they said he was	V
'If I'd been such a rogue ' he mused	C
On opportunities unused	C
'I might have easily become	D2
As wealthy as Methusalum '	-
This journalist adorned alas	H2
The middle not the Bible class	H2
	-
With equal skill the lawyers' pleas	I2
Attested their divided fees	I2
Each gave the other one the lie	Y
Then helped him frame a sharp reply	Y
	-
Good Lord it was a bitter fight	C
And lasted all the day and night	C
When once or oftener the roar	M
Had silenced the judicial snore	M
The speaker suffered for the sport	C
By fining for contempt of court	C
Twelve jurors' noses good and true	C2
Unceasing sang the trial through	C2
And even vox populi was spent	C
In rattles through a nasal vent	C
Clerk bailiff constables and all	J2
Heard Morpheus sound the trumpet call	J2
To arms his arms and all fell in	K2
Save counsel for the Man of Sin	K2
That thaumaturgist stood and swayed	C
The wand their faculties obeyed	C
That magic wand which like a flame	E
Leapt wavered quivered and became	E
A wonder worker known among	L2
The ignoble vulgar as a Tongue	L2
	-
How long O Lord how long my verse	M2
Runs on for better or for worse	M2
In meter which o'ermasters me	I
Octosyllabically free	I
A meter which the poets say	S
No power of restraint can stay	S
A hard mouthed meter suited well	N2
To him who having naught to tell	N2
Must hold attention as a trout	C
Is held by paying out and out	C
The slender line which else would break	O2
Should one attempt the fish to take	O2
Thus tavern guides who've naught to show	P2
But some adjacent curio	P2
By devious trails their patrons lead	C
And make them think 't is far indeed	C
Where was I	Y
	-
While the lawyer talked	C
The rogue took up his feet and walked	C
While all about him roaring slept	C
Into the street he calmly stepped	C
In very truth the man who thought	C
The people's voice from heaven had caught	C
God's inspiration took a change	Q2
Of venue it was passing strange	Q2
Straight to his editor he went	C
And that ingenious person sent	C
A Negro to impersonate	C
The fugitive In adequate	C
Disguise he took his vacant place	R2
And buried in his arms his face	R2
When all was done the lawyer stopped	C
And silence like a bombshell dropped	C
Upon the Court judge jury all	J2
Within that venerable hall	J2
Except the deaf and dumb indeed	C
And one or two whom death had freed	C
Awoke and tried to look as though	P2
Slumber was all they did not know	P2
	-
And now that tireless lawyer man	S2
Took breath and then again began	S2
'Your Honor if you did attend	C
To what I've urged my learned friend	C
Nodded concurrence to support	C
The motion I have made this court	C
May soon adjourn With your assent	C
I've shown abundant precedent	C
For introducing now though late	C
New evidence to exculpate	C
My client So if you'll allow	T2
I'll prove an alibi ' 'What how '	-
Stammered the judge 'Well yes I can't	C
Deny your showing and I grant	C
The motion Do I understand	C
You undertake to prove good land	C
That when the crime you mean to show	P2
Your client wasn't there ' 'O no	P2
I cannot quite do that I find	C
My alibi's another kind	C
Of alibi I'll make it clear	U2
Your Honor that he isn't here '	-
The Darky here upreared his head	C
Tranquillity affrighted fled	C
And consternation reigned instead	C

Ambrose Bierce

An Alibi Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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