The Old Major Explains Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCDD EE F GGAH IJAA KKLL MMAA NNOA| Re Union Army Of The Potomac Th May | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| Well you see the fact is Colonel I don't know as I can come | B |
| For the farm is not half planted and there's work to do at home | C |
| And my leg is getting troublesome it laid me up last fall | D |
| And the doctors they have cut and hacked and never found the ball | D |
| - | |
| And then for an old man like me it's not exactly right | E |
| This kind o' playing soldier with no enemy in sight | E |
| The Union that was well enough way up to ' | - |
| But this Re Union maybe now it's mixed with politics | F |
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| No Well you understand it best but then you see my lad | G |
| I'm deacon now and some might think that the example's bad | G |
| And week from next is Conference You said the twelfth of May | A |
| Why that's the day we broke their line at Spottsylvan i a | H |
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| Hot work eh Colonel wasn't it Ye mind that narrow front | I |
| They called it the Death Angle Well well my lad we won't | J |
| Fight that old battle over now I only meant to say | A |
| I really can't engage to come upon the twelfth of May | A |
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| How's Thompson What will he be there Well now I want to know | K |
| The first man in the rebel works they called him Swearing Joe | K |
| A wild young fellow sir I fear the rascal was but then | L |
| Well short of heaven there wa'n't a place he dursn't lead his men | L |
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| And Dick you say is coming too And Billy ah it's true | M |
| We buried him at Gettysburg I mind the spot do you | M |
| A little field below the hill it must be green this May | A |
| Perhaps that's why the fields about bring him to me to day | A |
| - | |
| Well well excuse me Colonel but there are some things that drop | N |
| The tail board out one's feelings and the only way's to stop | N |
| So they want to see the old man ah the rascals do they eh | O |
| Well I've business down in Boston about the twelfth of May | A |
Bret Harte
(1)
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