The House That Jack Built Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNLOPLQR L LSTLULLVKWXLYTLZWA2B 2MLLC2LUD2LLLE2LLF2G 2H2G2TI2MLJ2T LK2LL2E2LA2M2N2UO2 P2A2QL2Q2LG2R2S2TRT2 LU2TV2T2LGLW2LUX2O2 Y2K2LLTLZ2TY LLV2K2TLQQLLLLLLK2TA 3 LG2B3K2C3ZLLLLLD3G2E 3F3CO2CO2LLLR2O2A2LG 3NH3H2I3K2J3K2R2QLXM K3TO2K2LL3M3C2LI3 TLN3LK2O3LLP3QLLD3RQ 3R3S3O2K2LLLLK2T3LLL LLF2 U3QRLQLJ2V3QI3K2TTLL W3O2TLLX3T DI3Y3K2LO2X3D2LZ3K2O 2A4LA2LB4LA2LLK2ML MC4D4K2E4I3TO2 O2R2K2I3TRF4 G4K2LLZ2LR2 H4LI4J4I3K4LU3O2J4LL L K2K3LLL2J4TK2K2L4LTN 2RI3TLM4O3LN4O2Z3O4I 3P4Q4R4S4K3S3LLT4U4L LL4TO2C2O2 V4O2K2I3K2O2W4I3L4S4 TX4 K2K2DLY4Z4TTK2K2TN2T O2N2I3LTG2TI3 I3LLLK2TI3 LL4TLTK2LLLLLLLX3K2L I LLLI3L K2LI3TLK2I3LLZ2T TE2I3LI3 LLK2LLI3I3I3G2LLL

Why don't they come to me to find the cause	A
Of Elenor Murray's death The house is first	B
That is the world and Jack is God you know	C
The malt is linen purple wine and food	D
The rats that get the malt are nobles lords	E
Those who had feudal dues and hunting rights	F
And privileges first nights all the rest	G
The cats are your Voltaires Rousseaus the dogs	H
Your jailers Louis Fredericks and such	I
And O you blessed cow you common people	J
Whom maidens all forlorn attend and milk	K
Here is your Elenor Murray who gives hands	L
Brain heart and spirit to the task of milking	M
And straining milk that other lips may drink	N
Revive and flourish wedding if she weds	L
The tattered man in church which is your priest	O
Shaven and shorn and wakened with the sun	P
By the cock theology that keeps the house	L
Well timed and ruled for honor unto Jack	Q
Who must have order rising on the hour	R
And ceremony for his house	L
	-
If rats	L
Had never lived or left the malt alone	S
This girl had lived Let's trace the story down	T
We went to France to fight we go to France	L
To get the origin of Elenor's death	U
It's say the malt of France	L
And Europe too is over run by rats	L
The nobles and the clergy own the land	V
Exact the taxes drink the luscious milk	K
Of the crumpled horns But cats come slinking by	W
Called Diderot Voltaire Rousseau Now look	X
Cat Diderot goes after war and taxes	L
The slave trade privilege the merchant stomach	Y
In England too there is a sly grimalkin	T
Who poisons rats with most malicious thoughts	L
And bears the name of Adam Adam Smith	Z
By Jack named Adam just to signify	W
His sinful nature But the cat Voltaire	A2
Says Adam never fell that man is good	B2
An honest merchant better than a king	M
And shaven priests are worse than parasites	L
He rubs his glossy coat against the legs	L
Of Quakers loving natures loathes the trade	C2
Of war and runs with velvet feet across	L
The whole of Europe scaring rats to death	U
The cat Rousseau is instinct like a cat	D2
And purrs that man born free is still in chains	L
Here in this house that Jack built Consequence	L
There is such squeaking running of the rats	L
The cats in North America wake up	E2
And drive the English rats out then the dogs	L
Grow cautious of the cats poor simple Louis	L
Convokes a French assembly to preserve	F2
The malt against the rats and give the cow	G2
Whose milk is growing blue and thin some malt	H2
And all at once rats cats and dogs the cow	G2
The shaven priest the maiden all forlorn	T
The tattered man the cock are in a hubbub	I2
Of squeaking caterwauling barking lowing	M
With cock a doodles curses prayers and shrieks	L
Ascending from the melee In a word	J2
You have a revolution	T
	-
All at once	L
A mastiff dog appears and barks Be still	K2
And in a way in France's room in the house	L
Brings order for a time He grabs the fabric	L2
Of the Holy Roman Empire tears it up	E2
Sends for the shaven priest from Rome and bites	L
His shrunken calves trots off to Jena where	A2
He whips the Prussian dogs but wakes them too	M2
To breed and multiply grow strong to fight	N2
All other dogs in Jack's house bite to death	U
The maidens all forlorn like Elenor Murray	O2
	-
This mastiff otherwise Napoleon called	P2
Is downed at last by dogs from everywhere	A2
They're rid of him but still the house of Jack	Q
Is better than it was the rats are thick	L2
But cats grow more abundant malt is served	Q2
More generously to the cow The Prussian dogs	L
Discover malt's the thing also the cow	G2
Must have her malt or else the milk gives out	R2
But all the while the Prussian dogs grow strong	S2
Well taught and angered by Napoleon	T
And some of them would set the house in order	R
After the manner of America	T2
But many wish to fight get larger rooms	L
Then set the whole in order At Sadowa	U2
They whip the Austrian dogs and once again	T
A mastiff comes a Bismarck builds a suite	V2
From north to south and forces Austria	T2
To huddle in the kitchen use the outhouse	L
Where Huns and Magyars Bulgars and the rest	G
Keep Babel under Jack who split their tongues	L
To make them hate each other and suspect	W2
Not understanding what the other says	L
This very Babel was the cause of death	U
Of Elenor Murray if I chose to stop	X2
And go no further with the story	O2
	-
Next	Y2
Our mastiff Bismarck thinks of Luneville	K2
And would avenge it grabs the throat of France	L
And downs her at Versailles growls and carries	L
An emperor of Germany to the throne	T
Then pants and wags his tail and little dreams	L
A dachshund in an early day to come	Z2
Will drive him from the kennel and the bone	T
He loves to crunch and suck	Y
	-
This dachshund is	L
In one foot crippled rabies from his sires	L
Lies dormant in him in a day of heat	V2
Froth from his mouth will break his eyes will roll	K2
Like buttons made of pearl with glints of green	T
Already he feels envy of the dogs	L
Who wear brass collars bay the moon of Jack	Q
And roam at will about the house of Jack	Q
The English plainer said This envy takes	L
The form of zeal for country so he trots	L
About the house gets secrets for reforms	L
For Germany would have his lesser dogs	L
All merchants traders sleek and prosperous	L
Achieve a noble breed to rule the house	L
And so he puts his rooms in order while	K2
The other dogs look on with much concern	T
And growing fear	A3
	-
The business of the house	L
In every room is over malt the cow	G2
Must be well fed for milk And if you have	B3
No feudal dues outlandish taxes still	K2
The game of old goes on has only changed	C3
Its dominant form Grimalkin Adam Smith	Z
Spied all the rats and all the tricks of rats	L
Saw in his day the rats crawl hawser ropes	L
And get on ships embark for Indias	L
And get the malt and now the merchant ships	L
For China bound for Africa for the Isles	L
Of farthest seas take rats who slip aboard	D3
And eat their fill before the patient cow	G2
Milked daily as before can lick her tongue	E3
Against a mouthful of the precious stuff	F3
You have your eastern question and your Congo	C
France wants Morocco gives to Germany	O2
Possessions in the Congo for Morocco	C
The dogs jump into China even we	O2
Take part and put the Boxers down lay hands	L
Upon the Philippines and Egypt falls	L
To England all are building battle ships	L
The dachshund barking he is crowded out	R2
Encircled as he says builds up the army	O2
And patriot cocks are crowing everywhere	A2
Until the house of Jack with snarls and growls	L
The fuff fuff fuff of cats seems on the eve	G3
Of pandemonium The Germans think	N
The Slavs want Europe and the Slavs are sure	H3
The Germans want it and it's all for malt	H2
Meantime the Balkan Babel leads to war	I3
The Slavic peoples do not like the rule	K2
Of Austro Hungary but the latter found	J3
No way except to rule the Slavs and rule	K2
Southeastern Europe being crowded out	R2
By mastiff Bismarck And again there's Jack	Q
Who made confusion of the Balkan tongues	L
And so the house awaits events that look	X
As if Jack willed them anyway a thing	M
That may be put on Jack It comes at last	K3
All have been armed for malt A crazy man	T
Has armed himself and shoots a king to be	O2
The Archduke Francis on the Serbian soil	K2
Then Austria moves on Serbia Russia moves	L
To succor Serbia France is pledged to help	L3
The Russians but our dachshund has a bond	M3
With Austria and rushes to her aid	C2
Then England must protect the channel yes	L
France must be saved and here you have your war	I3
	-
And now for Elenor Murray Top of brain	T
Where ideals float like clouds we owed to France	L
A debt but had we paid it if the dog	N3
The dachshund mad at last had left our ships	L
To freedom of the seas Say what you will	K2
This England is the smartest thing in time	O3
Can never fall be conquered while she keeps	L
That mind of hers those eyes that see all things	L
Spies or no spies knows every secret hatched	P3
In every corner of the house of Jack	Q
And with one language spoken by more souls	L
Than any tongue leads minds by written words	L
Writes treaties compacts which forstall the sword	D3
And makes it futile when it's drawn against her	R
You cuff your enemy at school or make	Q3
A naso digital gesture coming home	R3
You fear your enemy so walk beside	S3
The gentle teacher if your enemy	O2
Throws clods at you he hits the teacher Well	K2
'Twas wise to hide munitions back of skirts	L
And frocks of little children most unwise	L
For Dachshund William to destroy the skirts	L
And frocks to sink munitions since the wearers	L
Happened to be Americans William fell	K2
Jumping about his room and spilled the clock	T3
Raked off the mantel broke his billikens	L
His images of Jack by doing this	L
For seeing this we rise ten million youths	L
Take guns for war and many Elenor Murrays	L
Swept out of placid places by the ripples	L
Cross seas to serve	F2
	-
This girl was French in part	U3
In spirit was American Look back	Q
Do you not see Voltaire lay hold of her	R
Hands out of tombs and spirits from the skies	L
Lead her to Europe Trace the causes back	Q
To Adam or the dwellers of the lakes	L
It is enough to see the souls that stirred	J2
The Revolution of the French which drove	V3
The ancient evils from the house of Jack	Q
It is enough to hope that from this war	I3
The vestiges of feudal wrongs shall lie	K2
In Jack's great dust pan swept therein and thrown	T
In garbage cans by maidens all forlorn	T
The Fates we'll call them now lame goddesses	L
Hags halt far sighted seeing distant things	L
Near things but poorly this is much to hope	W3
But if we get a freedom that is free	O2
For Elenor Murrays maidens all forlorn	T
And tattered men and so prevent the wars	L
Already budding in this pact of peace	L
This war is good and Elenor Murray's life	X3
Not waste but gain	T
	-
Now for a final mood	D
As it were second sight I open the door	I3
Walk from the house of Jack look at the roof	Y3
The chimneys over them see depths of blue	K2
Jack's house becomes a little ark that sails	L
Tosses and bobbles in an infinite sea	O2
And all events of evil war and strife	X3
The pain and folly test of this and that	D2
The groping from one thing to something else	L
Old systems turned to new old eras dead	Z3
New eras rising these are ripples all	K2
Moving from some place in the eternal sea	O2
Where Jack is throwing stones these ripples lap	A4
Against the house of Jack or toss it so	L
The occupants go reeling here and there	A2
Laugh scowl grow sick tread on each other's toes	L
While all the time the sea is most concerned	B4
With tides and currents little with the house	L
Ignore this Elenor Murray or Voltaire	A2
Who living and who dying reproduce	L
Ripples upon the pools of time and place	L
That knew them and so on where neither eye	K2
Nor mind can trace the ripples vanishing	M
In ether realms of spirit what you choose	L
	-
	-
	-
Now on a day when Merival was talking	M
More evidence at the inquest he is brought	C4
The card of Mary Black associate	D4
Of Elenor Murray in the hospital	K2
Of France and asks the coroner to hear	E4
What Elenor Murray suffered in the war	I3
And Merival consents and has her sworn	T
She testifies as follows to the jury	O2
	-
Poor girl she had an end She seems to me	O2
A torch stuck in a bank of clay snuffed out	R2
Her warmth and splendor wasted Never girl	K2
Had such an ordeal and a fate before	I3
She was the lucky one at first and then	T
Evils and enemies flocked down upon her	R
And beat her to the earth	F4
	-
But when we sailed	G4
You never saw so radiant a soul	K2
While most of us were troubled for you know	L
Some were in gloom had quarreled with their beaux	L
Who did not say farewell And there were some	Z2
Who talked for weeks ahead of seeing beaux	L
And having dinners with them who missed out	R2
	-
We were a tearful a deserted lot	H4
And some were apprehensive well you know	L
But Elenor she had a beau devoted	I4
Who sent her off with messages and love	J4
And comforts for her service in the war	I3
And so her face was lighted she was gay	K4
And said to us How wonderful it is	L
To serve to nurse to play our little part	U3
For country for democracy And to me	O2
She said My heart is brimming over with love	J4
Now I can work and nurse now use my hands	L
To soothe and heal which burn to finger tips	L
With flame for service	L
	-
Oh she had the will	K2
The courage resolution but at last	K3
They broke her down And this is how it was	L
Her love for someone gave her zeal and grace	L
For watching working caring for the sick	L2
Her heart was in the cause too but this love	J4
Gave beauty passion to it All her men	T
Stretched out to kiss her hands It may be true	K2
The wounded soldier is a grateful soul	K2
But in her case they felt a warmer flame	L4
A greater tenderness So she won her spurs	L
And honors was beloved she had a brain	T
A fine intelligence Then at the height	N2
Of her success she disobeyed a doctor	R
He was a pigmy Elenor knew more	I3
Than he did but you know the discipline	T
War looses all the hatreds meanest traits	L
Together with the noblest so she crumpled	M4
Was disciplined for this About this time	O3
A letter to the head nurse came there was	L
A Miriam Fay who by some wretched fate	N4
Was always after Elenor it was she	O2
Who wrote the letter and the letter said	Z3
To keep a watch on Elenor lest she snag	O4
Some officer or soldier Elenor	I3
Who had no caution venturesome and brave	P4
Wrote letters more than frank to one she loved	Q4
Whose tenor leaked out through the censorship	R4
Her lover sent her telegrams all opened	S4
And read first by the head nurse So at last	K3
Too much was known and Elenor was eyed	S3
And whispers ran around Those ugly girls	L
Who never had a man were wagging tongues	L
And still her service was so radiant	T4
So generous and skillful she survived	U4
Helped by the officers the leading doctors	L
Who liked her and defended her perhaps	L
In hopes of winning her you know the game	L4
It was through them she went to Nice but when	T
She came back to her duty all was ready	O2
To catch her and destroy her envy played	C2
Its part as you can see	O2
	-
Our unit broke	V4
And some of us were sent to Germany	O2
And some of us to other places all	K2
Went with some chum associate But Elenor	I3
Who was cut off from every one she knew	K2
And shipped out like an animal to be	O2
With strangers nurses doctors wholly strange	W4
The head nurse passed the word along to watch her	I3
And thus it was her spirit once aflame	L4
For service and for country fed and brightened	S4
By love for someone thus was left to burn	T
In darkness and in filth	X4
	-
The hospital	K2
Was cold the rain poured and the mud was frightful	K2
Poor Elenor was writing me the food	D
Was hardly fit to eat To make it worse	L
They put her on night duty for a month	Y4
Smallpox broke out and they were quarantined	Z4
A nurse she chose to be her friend was stricken	T
With smallpox died and left her all alone	T
One rainy morning she heard guns and knew	K2
A soldier had been stood against the wall	K2
He was a boy from Texas driven mad
By horror and by drink had killed a Frenchman	T
She had the case of crazy men at night	N2
And one of them got loose and knocked her down	T
And would have killed her had an orderly	O2
Not come in time And she was cold at night	N2
Sat bundled up so much she scarce could walk
There in that ward on duty Everywhere	I3
They thwarted her and crossed her she was nagged
Brow beaten driven hunted and besought
For favors for the word was well around
She was the kind who could be captured false	L
The girl was good whatever she had done	T
All this she suffered and her lover now	G2
Had cast her off it seems had ceased to write
Had gone back to America even then	T
They did not wholly break her	I3
	-
But I ask
What soldier or what nurse retained his faith
The splendor of his flame I wish to God
They'd pass a law and make it death to write
Or speak of war as glory or as good
What good can come of hatred greed and murder	I3
War licenses these passions legalizes	L
All infamies They talk of cruelties	L
We shot the German captives and I nursed
A boy who shot a German with two others	L
Rushed on the fallen fellow ran him through	K2
Through eyes and throat with bayonets The world
Is better is it And if Indians scalped
Our women for the British and if Sherman	T
Cut through the south with sword and flame to day
Such terrors should not be we are improved
Yes hate and lust have changed and maniac rage
And rum has lost its potency to fire	I3
A nerve that sickens at the bloody work
Where men are butchered as you shoot and slash
An animal for food
	-
Well now suppose	L
The preachers who preach Jesus meek and mild
But fulminate for slaughter when the game	L4
Of money turns its thumbs down if your statesmen	T
With hardened arteries and hardened hearts	L
Who make a cult of patriotism gain	T
Their offices and livelihood thereby	K2
Your emperors and kings and chancellors	L
Who glorify themselves and win sometimes	L
Lands for their people and your editors	L
Who whip the mob to fury bellies fat
Grown cynical and rich who cannot lose	L
No matter what we suffer if we nurses	L
And soldiers fail your patriotic shouters	L
Of murder and of madness von Bernhardis	L
Treitschkes making pawns of human life	X3
To shape a destiny they can't control	K2
Your bankers and your merchants all the gang
Who shout for war and pay the orators	L
Arrange the music if I say this crowd
Finds us the nurses and the soldiers cold
Our fire of youth and faith beyond command
Too wise to be enlisted or enslaved
What will they do who shout for war so much	I
	-
And haven't we the nurses and the soldiers	L
Written some million stories for the eyes	L
Of boys and girls to read these fifty years	L
And if they read and understand no war	I3
Can come again They can't have war without
The spirit of your Elenor Murrays no	L
	-
	-
	-
So Mary Black went on and Merival	K2
Gave liberty to her to talk her mind
The jury smiled or looked intense for words	L
So graphic of the horrors of the war	I3
Then David Barrow asked Who is the man	T
That used to write to Elenor went away
And Mary Black replied We do not know	L
I do not know a girl who ever knew	K2
I only know that Elenor wept and grieved
And did her duty like a little soldier	I3
It was some man who came to France because	L
The word went round he had gone back and left
The service or the service there in France	L
Had left Some said he'd gone to England some	Z2
America He must have been an American	T
Or rather in America when she sailed
Because she went off happy In New York
Saw much of him before we sailed
	-
And then	T
The Reverend Maiworm juryman spoke up	E2
This Mary Black had left the witness chair	I3
And asked if Gregory Wenner went to France	L
The coroner thought not but would inquire	I3
	-
	-
	-
Jane Fisher was a friend of Elenor Murray's	L
And held the secret of a pack of letters	L
Which Elenor Murray left And on a day
She talks with Susan Hamilton a friend
Jane Fisher has composed a letter to	K2
A lawyer in New York who has the letters	L
At least it seems so and to get the letters	L
And so fulfill the trust which Elenor	I3
Had left to Jane Meantime the coroner	I3
Had heard somehow about the letters or	I3
That Jane knows something she is anxious now	G2
And in a flurry does not wish to go	L
Down to LeRoy and tell her story So	L
She talks with Susan Hamilton like this	L

Edgar Lee Masters

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