The Demon Snow-shoes Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCDD EEAAFF GGHHAA IIJJKK LLMMNN OPQQAA RRSSTT UUVVUU MMUUGG UUAAUU UUUUWW GGXXYY UUZZA2A2 UUUUUU SSMMUU MMB2B2LL UUUUKK UUUUUU UUMMAA UUXXKC2 B2B2MMUU| A Legend of Kiandra | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| The snow lies deep on hill and dale | B |
| In rocky gulch and grassy vale | B |
| The tiny trickling tumbling falls | C |
| Are frozen 'twixt their rocky walls | C |
| That grey and brown look silent down | D |
| Upon Kiandra's shrouded town | D |
| - | |
| The Eucumbene itself lies dead | E |
| Fast frozen in its narrow bed | E |
| And distant sounds ring out quite near | A |
| The crystal air is froze so clear | A |
| While to and fro the people go | F |
| In silent swiftness o'er the snow | F |
| - | |
| And like a mighty gallows frame | G |
| The derrick in the New Chum claim | G |
| Hangs over where despite the cold | H |
| Strong miners seek the hidden gold | H |
| And stiff and blue half frozen through | A |
| The fickle dame of Fortune woo | A |
| - | |
| Far out along a snow capped range | I |
| There rose a sound which echoed strange | I |
| Where snow emburthen'd branches hang | J |
| And flashing icicles there rang | J |
| A gay refrain as towards the plain | K |
| Sped swiftly downward Carl the Dane | K |
| - | |
| His long lithe snow shoes sped along | L |
| In easy rhythm to his song | L |
| Now slowly circling round the hill | M |
| Now speeding downward with a will | M |
| The crystals crash and blaze and flash | N |
| As o'er the frozen crust they dash | N |
| - | |
| Among the hills the first he shone | O |
| Of all who buckled snow shoe on | P |
| For though the mountain lads were fleet | Q |
| But one bold rival dare compete | Q |
| To veer and steer devoid of fear | A |
| Beside this strong limbed mountaineer | A |
| - | |
| 'Twas Davy Eccleston who dared | R |
| To cast the challenge If Carl cared | R |
| On shoes to try their mutual pace | S |
| Then let him enter for the race | S |
| Which might be run by anyone | T |
| A would be champion Carl said Done | T |
| - | |
| But not alone in point of speed | U |
| They sought to gain an equal meed | U |
| For in the narrow lists of love | V |
| Dave Eccleston had cast the glove | V |
| Though both had prayed the blushing maid | U |
| As yet no preference betrayed | U |
| - | |
| But played them off as women will | M |
| One 'gainst the other one until | M |
| A day when she was sorely pressed | U |
| To loving neither youth confessed | U |
| But did exclaim the wily dame | G |
| Who wins this race I'll bear his name | G |
| - | |
| These words were running through Carl's head | U |
| As o'er the frozen crust he sped | U |
| But suddenly became aware | A |
| That not alone he travelled there | A |
| He sudden spied with swinging stride | U |
| A stranger speeding by his side | U |
| - | |
| The breezes o'er each shoulder toss'd | U |
| His beard bediamonded with frost | U |
| His eyes flashed strangely bushy browed | U |
| His breath hung round him like a shroud | U |
| He never spoke nor silence broke | W |
| But by the Dane sped stroke for stroke | W |
| - | |
| Old man I neither know your name | G |
| Nor what you are nor whence you came | G |
| But this if I but had your shoes | X |
| This championship I ne'er could lose | X |
| To call them mine those shoes divine | Y |
| I'll gladly pay should you incline | Y |
| - | |
| The stranger merely bowed his head | U |
| The shoes are yours he gruffly said | U |
| I change with you though at a loss | Z |
| And in return I ask that cross | Z |
| Which while she sung your mother hung | A2 |
| Around your neck when you were young | A2 |
| - | |
| Carl hesitated when he heard | U |
| The price but not for long demurred | U |
| And gave the cross the shoes were laced | U |
| Upon his feet in trembling haste | U |
| So long and light smooth polished bright | U |
| His heart beat gladly at the sight | U |
| - | |
| Now on the morning of the race | S |
| Expectancy on every face | S |
| They come the programme to fulfil | M |
| Upon the slope of Township Hill | M |
| With silent feet the people meet | U |
| While youths and maidens laughing greet | U |
| - | |
| High piled the flashing snowdrifts lie | M |
| And laugh to scorn the sun's dull eye | M |
| That glistening feebly seems to say | B2 |
| When Summer comes you'll melt away | B2 |
| You'll change your song when I grow strong | L |
| I think so though I may be wrong | L |
| - | |
| The pistol flashed and off they went | U |
| Like lightning on the steep descent | U |
| Resistlessly down swooping swift | U |
| O'er the smooth face of polished drift | U |
| The racers strain with might and main | K |
| But in the lead flies Carl the Dane | K |
| - | |
| Behind him Davy did his best | U |
| With hopeless eye and lip compressed | U |
| Beat by a snow shoe length at most | U |
| They flash and pass the winning post | U |
| The maiden said I'll gladly wed | U |
| The youth who in this race has led | U |
| - | |
| But where was he still speeding fast | U |
| Over the frozen stream he pass'd | U |
| They watched his flying form until | M |
| They lost it over Sawyer's Hill | M |
| Nor saw it more the people swore | A |
| The like they'd never seen before | A |
| - | |
| The way he scaled that steep ascent | U |
| Was quite against all precedent | U |
| While others said he could but choose | X |
| To do it on those demon shoes | X |
| They talked in vain for Carl the Dane | K |
| Was never seen in flesh again | C2 |
| - | |
| But now the lonely diggers say | B2 |
| That sometimes at the close of day | B2 |
| They see a misty wraith flash by | M |
| With the faint echo of a cry | M |
| It may be true perhaps they do | U |
| I doubt it much but what say you | U |
Barcroft Boake
(1)
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