On The Range Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCBCBDBDBEFEDFGHI HJIKLKLMNIMN KOKOPQRPQSDSDTUTUKSK NS VWVWXYZXYA2CA2C NB2NB2C2D2C2D2E2F2BE 2BA2BA2BKG2KG2 ZIH2BIBC2I2BI2DBJ2K2 J2K2L2LL2LIM2IM2 ACACIIN2IC2N2IO2IO2Q P2QD2P2Q2LQ2L NR2NR2IIII

On Nungar the mists of the morning hung lowA
The beetle browed hills brooded silent and blackB
Not yet warmed to life by the sun's loving glowA
As through the tall tussocks rode young Charlie MacB
What cared he for mists at the dawning of dayC
What cared he that over the valley stern JackB
The Monarch of frost held his pitiless swayC
A bold mountaineer born and bred was young MacB
A galloping son of a galloping sireD
Stiffest fence roughest ground never took him abackB
With his father's cool judgement his dash and his fireD
The pick of Manaro rode young Charlie MacB
And the pick of the stable the mare he bestrodeE
Arab grey built to stay lithe of limb deep of chestF
She seemed to be happy to bear such a loadE
As she tossed the soft forelock that curled on herD
crestF
They crossed Nungar Creek where its span is butG
shortH
At its head where together spring two mountain rillsI
When a mob of wild horses sprang up with a snortH
By thunder quoth Mac there's the Lord ofJ
the HillsI
Decoyed from her paddock a Murray bred mareK
Had fled to the hills with a warrigal bandL
A pretty bay foal had been born to her thereK
Whose veins held the very best blood in the landL
The Lord of the Hills as the bold mountain menM
Whose courage and skill he was wont to defyN
Had named him they yarded him once but sinceI
thenM
He held to the saying Once bitten twice shyN
-
-
-
The scrubber thus suddenly roused from his lairK
Struck straight for the timber with fear in his heartO
As Charlie rose up in his stirrups the mareK
Sprang forward no need to tell Empress to startO
She laid to the chase just as soon as she feltP
Her rider's skill d touch light yet firm on the reinQ
Stride for stride lengthened wide for the greenR
timber beltP
The fastest half mile ever done on the plainQ
They reached the low sallee before he could wheelS
The warrigal mob up they dashed with a stirD
Of low branches and undergrowth Charlie could feelS
His mare catch her breath on the side of the spurD
That steeply slopes up till it meets the bald coneT
'Twas here on the range that the trouble beganU
For a slip on the sidling a loose rolling stoneT
And the chase would be done but the bay in the vanU
And the little grey mare were a sure footed pairK
He looked once around as she crept to his heelS
And the swish that he gave his long tale in the airK
Seemed to say Here's a foeman well worthy myN
steelS
-
-
-
They raced to within half a mile of the bluffV
That drops to the river the squadron strung outW
I wonder quoth Mac has the bay had enoughV
But he was not left very much longer in doubtW
For the Lord of the Hills struck a spur for the flatX
And followed it leaving his mob mares and allY
While Empress brave heart she could climb like aZ
catX
Down the stony descent raced with never a fallY
Once down on the level 'twas galloping groundA2
For a while Charlie thought he might yard the big bayC
At his uncle's out station but no He wheeled roundA2
And down the sharp dip to the Gulf made his wayC
-
-
-
Betwixt those twin portals that towering highN
And backwardly sloping in watchfulness liftB2
Their smooth grassy summits to the far skyN
The course of the clear Murrumbidgee runs swiftB2
No time then to seek where the crossing might beC2
It was in at the one side and out where you couldD2
But fear never dwelt in the hearts of those threeC2
Who emerged from the shade of the low muzzle woodD2
Once more did the Lord of the Hills strike a lineE2
Up the side of the range and once more he lookedF2
backB
So close were they now he could see the sun shineE2
In the bold grey eyes flashing of young Charlie MacB
He saw little Empress stretched out like a houndA2
On the trail of its quarry the pick of the packB
With ne'er tiring stride and his heart gave a boundA2
As he saw the lithe stockwhip of young Charlie MacB
Showing snaky and black on the neck of the mareK
In three hanging coils with a turn round the wristG2
And he heartily wished himself back in his lairK
'Mid the tall tussocks beaded with chill morning mistG2
-
-
-
Then he fancied the straight mountain ashes theZ
gumsI
And the wattles all mocked him and whisperedH2
You lackB
The speed to avert cruel capture that comesI
To the warrigal fancied by young Charlie MacB
For he'll yard you and rope you and then you'll beC2
stuckI2
In the crush while his saddle is girthed to your backB
Then out in the open and there you may buckI2
Till you break your bold heart but you'll neverD
throw MacB
The Lord of the Hills at the thought felt the sweatJ2
Break over the smooth summer gloss of his hideK2
He spurted his utmost to leave her but yetJ2
The Empress crept up to him stride upon strideK2
No need to say Charlie was riding her nowL2
Yet still for all that he had something in handL
With here a sharp stoop to avoid a low boughL2
Or quick rise and fall as a tree trunk they spannedL
In his terror the brumby struck down the rough fallsI
T wards Yiack with fierce disregard for his neckM2
Tis useless he finds for the mare overhaulsI
Him slowly no timber could keep her in checkM2
-
-
-
There's a narrow beat pathway that winds to and froA
Down the deeps of the gully half hid from the dayC
There's a turn in the track where the hop bushes growA
And hide the grey granite that crosses the wayC
While sharp swerves the path round the boulder'sI
broad baseI
And now the last scene in the drama is playedN2
As the Lord of the Hills with the mare in full chaseI
Swept t wards it but ere his long stride could beC2
stayedN2
With a gathered momentum that gave not a chanceI
Of escape and a shuddering sickening shockO2
He struck on the granite that barred his advanceI
And sobbed out his life a the foot of the rockO2
While Charlie pulled off with a twitch of the reinQ
And an answering spring from his surefooted mountP2
One might say unscathed though a crimsoning stainQ
Marked the graze of the granite but that wouldD2
ne'er countP2
With Charlie who speedily sprang to the earthQ2
To ease the mare's burden his deft fingered handL
Unslackened her surcingle loosened tight girthQ2
And cleansed with a tussock the spurs' ruddy brandL
-
-
-
There he lay by the rock drooping head glazing eyeN
Strong limbs stilled for ever no more would he fearR2
The tread of a horseman no more would he flyN
Through the hills with his harem in rapid careerR2
The pick of the Mountain Mob bays greys or roansI
He proved by his death that the pace 'tis that killsI
And a sun shrunken hide o'er a few whitened bonesI
Marks the last resting place of the Lord of the HillsI

Barcroft Henry Thomas Boake



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