The Bushfire - An Allegory Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDBEFGFHF IJKJLJ MNONPN QRSRNR TQUQVQ WXYZA2X B2C2QC2D2C2 E2NNNNN F2YG2YAY NNH2NB2N FI2J2I2HI2 C2K2L2K2GK2 RM2N2M2G2M2 O2P2L2P2Q2Q2 GQ2B2Q2QQ2 YQ2Q2Q2R2Q2 NQ2Q2Q2S2Q2 Q2Q2T2Q2QQ2 VQ2B2Q2ZQ2 VU2Q2V2Q2V2 W2G2X2G2Q2G2Q2G2 H2 Q2NQ2NGN Y2Q2NQ2Q2Q2 NQ2GQ2W2Q2

'Twas on the famous Empire runA
Whose sun does never setB
Whose grass and water so they sayC
Have never failed them yetB
They carry many million sheepD
Through seasons dry and wetB
They call the homestead Albion HouseE
And then along with thatF
There's Welshman's Gully Scotchman's HillG
And Paddymelon FlatF
And all these places are renownedH
For making jumbacks fatF
-
And the out paddocks holy frostI
There wouldn't be no senseJ
For me to try and tell you halfK
They really are immenseJ
A man might ride for days and weeksL
And never strike a fenceJ
-
But still for years they never hadM
Been known a sheep to loseN
Old Billy Gladstone managed itO
And you can bet your shoesN
He'd scores of supers under himP
And droves of jackaroosN
-
Old Billy had an eagle eyeQ
And kept his wits aboutR
If any chaps got trespassingS
He quickly cleared 'em outR
And coves that used to work a crossN
They hated him no doubtR
-
But still he managed it in styleT
Until the times got dryQ
And Billy gave the supers wordU
To see and mind their eyeQ
If any paddocks gets a fireV
I'll know the reason whyQ
-
Now on this point old Bill was sureW
Because for many a yearX
Whenever times got dry at allY
As sure as you are hereZ
The Paddymelon Flat got burntA2
Which Bill thought rather queerX
-
He sent his smartest supers thereB2
To try and keep things rightC2
No use The grass was always dryQ
They'd go to sleep at nightC2
And when they woke they'd go and findD2
The whole concern alightC2
-
One morning it was very hotE2
The sun rose in a hazeN
Old Bill was cutting down some treesN
One of his little waysN
A black boy came hot foot to sayN
The Flat was in a blazeN
-
Old Bill he swears a fearful oathF2
And lets the tommy fallY
Says he 'll take this business upG2
And fix it once for allY
If this goes on the cursed runA
Will send us to the wallY
-
So he withdrew his trespass suitsN
He'd one with Dutchy's bossN
In prosecutions criminalH2
He entered nolle prosN
But these were neither here nor thereB2
They always meant a lossN
-
And off to Paddymelon FlatF
He started double quickI2
Drayloads of men with lots of grogJ2
Lest heat should make them sickI2
And all the strangers came aroundH
To see him do the trickI2
-
And there the fire was flaming brightC2
For miles and miles it spreadK2
And many a sheep and horse and cowL2
Were numbered with the deadK2
The super came to meet Old BillG
And this is what he saidK2
-
No use to try to beat it outR
'Twill dry you up like toastM2
I've done as much as man can doN2
Although I never boastM2
I think you'd better chuck it upG2
And let the jumbucks roastM2
-
Then Bill said just two words You're sackedO2
And pitches off his coatP2
And wrenches down a blue gum boughL2
And clears his manly throatP2
And into it like threshing wheatQ2
Right sturdily he smoteQ2
-
And beat the blazing grass untilG
His shirt was dripping wetQ2
And all the people watched him thereB2
To see what luck he'd getQ2
Gosh don't he make the cinders flyQ
And Golly don't he sweatQ2
-
But though they worked like Trojans allY
The fire still went aheadQ2
So far as you could see aroundQ2
The very skies were redQ2
Sometimes the flames would start afreshR2
Just where they thought it deadQ2
-
His men too quarreled 'mongst themselvesN
And some coves gave it bestQ2
And some said Light a fire in frontQ2
And burn from east to westQ2
But Bill he still kept sloggin' inS2
And never took no restQ2
-
Then through the crowd a cornstalk kidQ2
Come ridin' to the spotQ2
Says he to Bill Now take a spellT2
You're lookin' very 'otQ2
And if you'll only listen whyQ
I'll tell you what is whatQ2
-
These coves as set your grass on fireV
There ain't no mortal doubtQ2
I've seen 'em ridin' here and thereB2
And pokin' round aboutQ2
It ain't no use your workin' hereZ
Until you finds them outQ2
-
See yonder where you beat the fireV
It's blazin' up againU2
And fires are starting right and leftQ2
On Tipperary PlainV2
Beating them out is useless quiteQ2
Unless Heaven sends the rainV2
-
Then Bill he turns upon the boyW2
Oh hold your tongue you pupG2
But a cinder blew across the creekX2
While Bill stopped for a supG2
And fired the Albion paddocks tooQ2
It was a bitter cupG2
Old Bill's heart was broke at lastQ2
He had to chuck it upG2
-
-
MoralH2
-
The run is England's Empire greatQ2
The fire is the distressN
That burns the stock they representQ2
Prosperity you'll guessN
And the blue gum bough is the Home Rule BillG
That's making such a messN
-
And Ireland green of course I meanY2
By Paddymelon FlatQ2
All men can see the fire of courseN
Spreads on at such a batQ2
But who are setting it alightQ2
I cannot tell you thatQ2
-
But this I think all men will seeN
And hold it very trueQ2
Don't quarrel with effects untilG
The cause is brought to viewQ2
What is the cause That cornstalk boyW2
He seemed to think he knewQ2

Banjo Paterson



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