What The Engines Said Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCBB DDEEEEE FFGGHHHH IIJJKLEEMEMM NNOONNPPQRSS TUVVWWKK BBXY| Opening Of The Pacific Railroad | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| What was it the Engines said | B |
| Pilots touching head to head | B |
| Facing on the single track | C |
| Half a world behind each back | C |
| This is what the Engines said | B |
| Unreported and unread | B |
| - | |
| With a prefatory screech | D |
| In a florid Western speech | D |
| Said the Engine from the WEST | E |
| I am from Sierra's crest | E |
| And if altitude's a test | E |
| Why I reckon it's confessed | E |
| That I've done my level best | E |
| - | |
| Said the Engine from the EAST | F |
| They who work best talk the least | F |
| S'pose you whistle down your brakes | G |
| What you've done is no great shakes | G |
| Pretty fair but let our meeting | H |
| Be a different kind of greeting | H |
| Let these folks with champagne stuffing | H |
| Not their Engines do the PUFFING | H |
| - | |
| Listen Where Atlantic beats | I |
| Shores of snow and summer heats | I |
| Where the Indian autumn skies | J |
| Paint the woods with wampum dyes | J |
| I have chased the flying sun | K |
| Seeing all he looked upon | L |
| Blessing all that he has blessed | E |
| Nursing in my iron breast | E |
| All his vivifying heat | M |
| All his clouds about my crest | E |
| And before my flying feet | M |
| Every shadow must retreat | M |
| - | |
| Said the Western Engine Phew | N |
| And a long low whistle blew | N |
| Come now really that's the oddest | O |
| Talk for one so very modest | O |
| You brag of your East YOU do | N |
| Why I bring the East to YOU | N |
| All the Orient all Cathay | P |
| Find through me the shortest way | P |
| And the sun you follow here | Q |
| Rises in my hemisphere | R |
| Really if one must be rude | S |
| Length my friend ain't longitude | S |
| - | |
| Said the Union Don't reflect or | T |
| I'll run over some Director | U |
| Said the Central I'm Pacific | V |
| But when riled I'm quite terrific | V |
| Yet to day we shall not quarrel | W |
| Just to show these folks this moral | W |
| How two Engines in their vision | K |
| Once have met without collision | K |
| - | |
| That is what the Engines said | B |
| Unreported and unread | B |
| Spoken slightly through the nose | X |
| With a whistle at the close | Y |
Bret Harte
(1)
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