The Birth Of The Rail Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BCDE FG H FIJKLMNOPQRSF T AUAVWPXYZA2B2C2D2E2F 2G2HW W H2WI2WCJ2WWK2AL2WM2N 2WWYO2P2B2 W Q2WR2P H S2PWWT2 U2O2WOW W PV2 W WC2L2W2X2 H SY2Z2A3HY2B3C3WD3WWE 3 W A W A F3 A PG3H3 OOWWWWWI3I3O W WJ3WK3 HW H3 WHWHV2L3 W V2V2

DRAMATIS PERSONAEA
-
LELAND THE KID a Road AgentB
COWBOY CHARLEY Same Line of BusinessC
HAPPY HUNTY Ditto in All RespectsD
SOOTYMUG a DevilE
-
Scene the Dutch Flat Stage Road at P M on a NightF
ofG
-
-
COWBOY CHARLEYH
-
My boss I fear she is delayed to nightF
Already it is past the hour and yetI
My ears have reached no sound of wheels no noteJ
Melodious of long luxurious oathsK
Betokens the traditional disputeL
Unsettled from the dawn of time betweenM
The driver and off wheeler no clear chantN
Nor carol of Wells Fargo's messengerO
Unbosoming his soul upon the airP
his prowess to the tender footQ
And how at divers times in sundry waysR
He strewed the roadside with our carcassesS
Clearly the stage will not come by to nightF
-
LELAND THE KIDT
-
I now remember that but yesterdayA
I saw three ugly looking fellows startU
From Colfax with a gun apiece and theyA
Did seem on business of importance bentV
Furtively casting all their eyes aboutW
And covering their tracks with all the careP
That business men do use I think perhapsX
They were Directors of that rival lineY
The great Pacific Mail If so they haveZ
Indubitably taken in that coachA2
And we are overreached Three times beforeB2
This thing has happened and if once againC2
These outside operators dare to cutD2
Our rates of profit I shall quit the roadE2
And take my money out of this concernF2
When robbery no longer pays expenseG2
It loses then its chiefest charm for meH
And I prefer to cheat you hear me shoutW
-
HAPPY HUNTYW
-
My chief you do but echo back my thoughtsH2
This competition is the death of tradeW
'Tis plain unless we wish to go to workI2
Some other business we must early findW
What shall it be The field of usefulnessC
Is yearly narrowing with the advanceJ2
Of wealth and population on this coastW
There's little left that any man can doW
Without some other fellow stepping inK2
And doing it as well If one essayA
To pick a pocket he is sure to feelL2
With what disgust I need not say to youW
Another hand inserted in the sameM2
You crack a crib at dead of night and loN2
As you explore the dining room for plateW
You find in session there a graceless bandW
Stuffing their coats with spoons their skins with wineY
And so it goes Why even undertakeO2
To salt a mine and you will find it richP2
With noble specimens placed there beforeB2
-
LELAND THE KIDW
-
And yet this line of immigration hasQ2
Advantages superior to aughtW
That elsewhere offers all these passengersR2
If punched with careP
-
COWBOY CHARLEYH
-
Significant remarkS2
It opens up a prospect wide and fairP
Suggesting to the thoughtful mind my mindW
A scheme that is the boss lay out InsteadW
Of stopping passengers let's carry themT2
Instead of crying out 'Throw up your hands '-
Let's say 'Walk up and buy a ticket ' WhyU2
Should we unwieldy goods and bullion takeO2
Watches and all such trifles when we mightW
Far better charge their value three times o'erO
For carrying them to marketW
-
LELAND THE KIDW
-
Put it thereP
Old sonV2
-
HAPPY HUNTYW
-
You take the cake my dear We'll buildW
A mighty railroad through this pass and thenC2
The stage folk will come up to us and squealL2
And say 'It is bad medicine for bothW2
What will you give or take ' And then we'll sellX2
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COWBOY CHARLEYH
-
Enlarge your notions little one this isS
No petty slouching opposition schemeY2
To be bought off like honest men and foolsZ2
Mine eye prophetic pierces through the mistsA3
That cloud the future and I seem to seeH
A well devised and executed schemeY2
Of wholesale robbery within the lawB3
Made by ourselves great permanent sublimeC3
And strong to grapple with the public throatW
Shaking the stuffing from the public purseD3
The tears from bankrupt merchants' eyes the bloodW
From widows' famished carcasses the breadW
From orphans' mouthsE3
-
HAPPY HUNTYW
-
HoorayA
-
LELAND THE KIDW
-
HoorayA
-
ALLF3
-
HoorayA
-
They tear the masks from their faces and discharging theirP
shotguns throw them into the chapparal Then they join handsG3
dance and sing the following songH3
-
Ah blessed to measureO
The glittering treasureO
Ah blessed to heap up the goldW
UntoldW
That flows in a wideW
And deepening tideW
Rolled rolled rolledW
From multifold sourcesI3
Converging its coursesI3
Upon ourO
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LELAND THE KIDW
-
Just wait a bit my pards I thought I heardW
A sneaking grizzly cracking the dry twigsJ3
Such an intrusion might deprive the StateW
Of all the good that we intend it HaK3
-
Enter Sootymug He saunters carelessly in and gracefullyH
leans his back against a redwoodW
-
SOOTYMUGH3
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My boys I thought I heardW
Some careless revelryH
As if your minds were stirredW
By some new devilryH
I too am in that line Indeed the missionV2
On which I comeL3
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HAPPY HUNTYW
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Here's more damned competitionV2
CurtainV2

Ambrose Bierce



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