Shakespeare On The Turf Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBB C CDC CBEF CGBC H BI BJ B KJKKJ B CLBBC B A B C MBCC B CBC JNCOPCQBBRSC A B B BOH JKJ R C HBN SCC BCT SH B BCCH BBSCENE I | A |
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SCENE The saddling paddock at a racecourse | B |
Citizens Battlers Toffs Trainers Flappers Satyrs Bookmakers and Turf Experts | B |
Enter Shortinbras a Trainer and two Punters | B |
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FIRST PUNTER Good Shortinbras what thinkest thou of the Fav'rite | C |
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SHORTINBRAS aside This poltroon would not venture a ducat | C |
on David to beat a dead donkey a dull and muddy mettled rascal | D |
To Punter Aye marry Sir I think well of the Favourite | C |
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PUNTER And yet I have a billiard marker's word | C |
That in this race to day they back Golumpus | B |
And when they bet they tell me they will knock | E |
The Favourite for a string of German Sausage | F |
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SHORTINBRAS Aye marry they would tell thee I've no doubt | C |
It is the way of owners that they tell | G |
To billiard markers and the men on trams | B |
Just when they mean to bet Go back it back it | C |
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Tries to shuffle off but Punter detains him | H |
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PUNTER Nay good Shortinbras what thinkest thou of Golumpus | B |
Was it not dead last week | I |
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SHORTINBRAS Marry sir I think well of Golumpus | B |
'Tis safer to speak well of the dead betimes they rise again | J |
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Sings | B |
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They pulled him barefaced in the mile | K |
Hey Nonny Nonny | J |
The Stipes were watching them all the while | K |
And the losers swear but the winners smile | K |
Hey Nonny Nonny | J |
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Exit Shortinbras | B |
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SECOND RUNTER A scurvy knave What meant he by his prate | C |
Of Fav'rite and outsider and the like | L |
Forsooth he told us nothing Follow him close | B |
Give him good watch I pray you till we see | B |
Just what he does his dough on Follow fast | C |
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Exeunt Punters | B |
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SCENE II | A |
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The same Bookmakers call 'Seven to Four on the Field ' | - |
'Three to One Bar One ' 'Ten to One Golumpus ' | - |
Enter Two Heads | B |
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FIRST HEAD How goes the battle Did thou catch the last | C |
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SECOND HEAD Aye marry did I and the one before | M |
But this has got me beat The Favourite drifts | B |
And not a single wager has been laid | C |
About Golumpus Thinkest thou that both are dead | C |
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Re enter Punters | B |
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PUNTER Good morrow Gentlemen I have it cold | C |
Straight from the owner that Golumpus goes | B |
Eyes out to win today | C |
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FIRST HEAD Prate not to me of owners Hast thou seen | J |
The good red gold Go in The Jockey's Punter | N |
Has he put up the stuff or does he wait | C |
To get a better price Owner say'st thou | O |
The owner does the paying and the talk | P |
Hears the tale afterwards when it gets beat | C |
And sucks it in as hungry babes suck milk | Q |
Look you how ride the books in motor cars | B |
While owners go on foot or ride in trams | B |
Crushed with the vulgar herd and doomed to hear | R |
From mouths of striplings that their horse was stiff | S |
When they themselves are broke from backing it | C |
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SCENE III | A |
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Enter an Owner and a Jockey | B |
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OWNER 'Tis a good horse A passing good horse | B |
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JOCKEY I rose him yesternoon it seemed to me | B |
That in good truth a fairly speedy cow | O |
Might well outrun him | H |
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OWNER Thou froward varlet must I say again | J |
That on the Woop Woop course he ran a mile | K |
In less than forty with his irons on | J |
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JOCKEY Then thou should'st bring the Woop Woop course down here | R |
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OWNER Thou pestilential scurvy Knave Go to | C |
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Strikes him | H |
Alarms and excursions The race is run and Shortinbras enters | B |
leading in the winner | N |
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FIRST PUNTER And thou hast trained the winner thou thyself | S |
Thou complicated liar Didst not say | C |
To back Golumpus or the Favourite | C |
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SHORTINBRAS Get work For all I ever had of thee | B |
My children were unfed my wife unclothed | C |
And I myself condemned to menial toil | T |
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PUNTER The man who keeps a winner to himself | S |
Deserves but death Kills him | H |
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Enter defeated Owner and Jockey | B |
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OWNER Thou whoreson Knave thou went into a trance | B |
Soon as the barrier lifted and knew naught | C |
Of what occurred until they neared the post | C |
Kills him | H |
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Curtain falls on ensemble of punters bookmakers | B |
heads and surviving jockeys and trainers | B |
Banjo Paterson
(1)
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