Josephus Riley Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABCCB DDBEEB FFGHIB JJBKKB LLBMMB NNBOOB GGOPPB OOQGGB OOOEEB MMOBRB OOBOOB SSOGGB TTOOOT NNTOOT

The rum was rich and rareA
There were wagers in the airA
The atmosphere was rosy and the tongues were wagging freeB
But one was in the revelC
Whose occiput was levelC
Plain Josephus Riley from the North CountreeB
-
The conversation's flowD
Was not devoid of blowD
And neither was it wanting in the plain colloquial DB
With a most ingenuous smileE
This here is not my styleE
Said plain Josephus Riley from the North CountreeB
-
And I wouldn't be averseF
To emptying my purseF
And laying some small wager with the present companeeG
To cut the matter shortH
Foot racing is my forteI
Said plain Josephus Riley from the North CountreeB
-
I think it's on the cardsJ
That I can run three hundred yardsJ
The match to be decided where you gentlemen agreeB
Against your fleetest horseK
The race would prove a sourceK
Of pleasure said Josephus from the North CountreeB
-
To equalise the taskL
This little start I askL
The rider ere he follows must imbibe a cup of teaB
A simple breakfast cupM
He will have to swallow upM
That's me Josephus Riley from the North CountreeB
-
Then a knowing 'un looked wiseN
Begged to apologiseN
But might he ask what temp'rature the liquid was to beB
Would it come from out the potO
Milkless steaming boiling hotO
Oh not at all said Riley from the North CountreeB
-
Allow me to explainG
I do observe with painG
This jocular reflection on my native honesteeO
My bump of truth is hugeP
I'd scorn a subterfugeP
Said plain Josephus Riley from the North CountreeB
-
Before the parties startO
I'll take the Judge apartO
To prove by tasting whether I have tampered withQ
And I beg to state againG
Your suspicions give me painG
Said plain Josephus Riley from the North CountreeB
-
Then they were all satisfiedO
That the match was boneefiedO
The bond was signed and Riley went to preparate the teaO
But his slow ambiguous smileE
Would have seemed to token guileE
In any man but Riley from the North CountreeB
-
He brought the fatal cupM
By its saucer covered upM
The Judge examined its contents with awful graviteeO
Then read the papers o'erB
But could not find a flawR
Wade in Josephus Riley from the North CountreeB
-
Then the wagerer just bowedO
And passing through the crowdO
He handed up the beverage unto the wagereeB
And off across the flatO
Springing gaily pit a patO
Went plain Josephus Riley from the North CountreeB
-
But behind him what a yellS
Of execration fellS
From lips that lent themselves to shapes of great profaniteeO
For the people of that townG
Were done a lovely brownG
By plain Josephus Riley from the North CountreeB
-
And here's the reason whyT
The tea was simply DRYT
You might eat it but to drink it was impossibiliteeO
But curious to stateO
Men did not appreciateO
This hum'rous innovation from the North CountreeT
-
You'll understand of courseN
That wager was a sourceN
Of very little profit to the hapless wagereeT
And dating from that dayO
I much regret to sayO
Men look askance at Riley from the North CountreeT

Barcroft Boake



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