Babs Malone Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABAAB CCDCCD EEFGGD HDDIID JJKLLK EEMLL LLLLL LLLLLL LLDCCD HHLLLL LLADDA HHLLLL HHNLN LLLL L HHKDDK LLOCC LLAHHA HHPQQP HHDLLD LLLLLL HHLLLL HHRLLRBabs Malone Now the squatters and the cockies | A |
Shearers trainers and their jockeys | A |
Had gathered them together for a meeting on the flat | B |
They had mustered all their forces | A |
Owners brought their fastest horses | A |
Monaro bred I couldn't give them greater praise than that | B |
- | |
'Twas a lovely day in Summer | C |
What the blacksmith called a hummer | C |
The swelling ears of wheat and oats had lost their tender green | D |
And breezes made them shiver | C |
Trending westward to the river | C |
The river of the golden sands the moaning Eucumbene | D |
- | |
If you cared to take the trouble | E |
You could watch the misty double | E |
The shadow of the flying clouds that skimmed the Boogong's brow | F |
Throwing light and shade incessant | G |
On the Bull Peaks' ragged crescent | G |
Upon whose gloomy forehead lay a patch of winter's snow | D |
- | |
Idly watching for the starting | H |
Of the race that he had part in | D |
Old Gaylad stood and champed his bit his weight about nine stone | D |
His owner stood beside him | I |
Who was also going to ride him | I |
A shearer from Gegederick whose name was Ned Malone | D |
- | |
But Gaylad felt disgusted | J |
For his joints were fairly rusted | J |
He longed to feel the pressure of the jockey on his back | K |
And he felt that for a pin he'd | L |
Join his mates who loudly whinnied | L |
For him to go and meet them at the post upon the track | K |
- | |
From among the waiting cattle | E |
Came the sound of childish prattle | E |
And the wife brought up their babe to kiss his father for good luck | M |
Said Malone When I am seated | L |
On old Gaylad and am treated | L |
With fairish play I'll bet we never finish in the ruck ' | - |
But the babe was not contented | L |
Though his pinafore was scented | L |
With oranges and sticky from his lollies for he cried | L |
This gallant little laddy | L |
As he toddled to his daddy | L |
And raised his arms imploringly Pease dad div Babs a wide ' | - |
- | |
Then the father how he chuckled | L |
For the pride of it and buckled | L |
The surcingle and placed the babe astride the racing pad | L |
He did it though he oughtn't | L |
And by pure good luck he shortened | L |
The stirrups and adjusted them to suit the tiny lad | L |
- | |
Who was seemingly delighted | L |
Not a little bit affrighted | L |
He sat and twined a chubby hand among the horse's mane | D |
His whip was in the other | C |
But all suddenly the mother | C |
Shrieked Take him off ' and then the field came thund'ring down the plain | D |
- | |
'Twas the Handicap was coming | H |
And the music of their drumming | H |
Beat dull upon the turf that in its summer coat was dressed | L |
The racehorse reared and started | L |
Then the flimsy bridle parted | L |
And Gaylad bearing featherweight was striding with the rest | L |
- | |
That scene cannot be painted | L |
How the poor young mother fainted | L |
How the father drove his spurs into the nearest saddle horse | A |
What to do he had no notion | D |
For you'd easier turn the ocean | D |
Than stop the Handicap that then was half way round the course | A |
- | |
On the bookies at their yelling | H |
On the cheap jacks at their selling | H |
On the crowd there fell a silence as the squadron passed the stand | L |
Gayest colours flashing brightly | L |
And the baby clinging tightly | L |
A wisp of Gaylad's mane still twisted in his little hand | L |
- | |
Not a thought had he of falling | H |
Though his little legs were galling | H |
And the wind blew out his curls behind him in a golden stream | N |
Though the motion made him dizzy Yet his baby brain was busy | L |
For hadn't he at length attained the substance of his dream | N |
- | |
He was now a jockey really | L |
And he saw his duty clearly | L |
To do his best to win and justify his father's pride | L |
So he clicked his tongue to Gaylad | L |
Whispering softly Get away lad ' | - |
The old horse cocked an ear and put six inches on his stride | L |
- | |
Then the jockeys who were tailing | H |
Saw a big bay horse come sailing | H |
Through the midst of them with nothing but a baby on his back | K |
And this startling apparition | D |
Coolly took up its position | D |
With a view of making running on the inside of the track | K |
- | |
Oh Gaylad was a beauty | L |
For he knew and did his duty | L |
Though his reins were flying loosely strange to say he never fell | O |
But held himself together | C |
For his weight was but a feather | C |
Bob Murphy when he saw him murmured something like Oh hell ' | - |
- | |
But Gaylad passed the filly | L |
Passed Jack Costigan on Chili | L |
Cut down the coward Wakatip and challenged Guelder Rose | A |
Here it was he showed his cunning | H |
Let the mare make all the running | H |
They turned into the straight at stride for stride and nose for nose | A |
- | |
But Babs was just beginning | H |
To have fears about his winning | H |
In fact to tell the truth my hero felt inclined to cry | P |
For the Rose was still in blossom | Q |
And two lengths behind her Possum | Q |
And gallant little Sterling slow but sure were drawing nigh | P |
- | |
Yes Babsie's heart was failing | H |
For he felt old Gaylad ailing | H |
Another fifty yards to go he felt his chance was gone | D |
Could he do it much he doubted | L |
Then the crowd oh how they shouted | L |
For Babs had never dropped his whip and now he laid it on | D |
- | |
Down the straight the leaders thundered | L |
While the people cheered and wondered | L |
For ne'er before had any seen the equal of that sight | L |
And never will they maybe | L |
See a flaxen headed baby | L |
Flog racehorse to the winning post with all his tiny might | L |
- | |
But Gaylad's strength is waning | H |
Gone in fact beyond regaining | H |
Poor Babs is flogging hopelessly as pale as any ghost | L |
But he looks so brave and pretty | L |
That the Rose's jock takes pity | L |
And pulling back a trifle lets the baby pass the post | L |
- | |
What cheering and tin kettling | H |
Had they after at the settling | H |
And how they fought to see who'd hold the baby on his lap | R |
As President Montgomery | L |
With a brimming glass of Pommery | L |
Proposed the health of Babs Malone who'd won the Handicap | R |
Barcroft Henry Thomas Boake
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