The Legatee Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABC D E FFGG HHDD I JJ KK DIn fair San Francisco a good man did dwell | A |
And he wrote out a will for he didn't feel well | A |
Said he 'It is proper when making a gift | B |
To stimulate virtue by comforting thrift ' | C |
- | |
So he left all his property legal and straight | D |
To 'the cursedest rascal in all of the State ' | - |
But the name he refused to insert for said he | E |
'Let each man consider himself legatee ' | - |
- | |
In due course of time that philanthropist died | F |
And all San Francisco and Oakland beside | F |
Save only the lawyers came each with his claim | G |
The lawyers preferring to manage the same | G |
- | |
The cases were tried in Department Thirteen | H |
Judge Murphy presided sedate and serene | H |
But couldn't quite specify legal and straight | D |
The cursedest rascal in all of the State | D |
- | |
And so he remarked to them little and big | I |
To claimants 'You skip ' and to lawyers 'You dig ' | - |
They tumbled tumultuous out of his court | J |
And left him victorious holding the fort | J |
- | |
'Twas then that he said 'It is plain to my mind | K |
This property's ownerless how can I find | K |
The cursedest rascal in all of the State ' | - |
So he took it himself which was legal and straight | D |
Ambrose Bierce
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