The Fossicker Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DEDE FGFH IJIJ KLKL MNMN OPOP QPQP FQQ| A straight old fossicker was Lanky Mann | A |
| Who clung to that in spite of friends' advising | B |
| A grim and grizzled worshipper of 'pan ' | C |
| All other arts and industries despising | B |
| - | |
| Bare boned and hard with thin long hair and beard | D |
| With horny hands that gripped like iron pliers | E |
| A clear quick eye a heart that nothing feared | D |
| A soul full simple in its few desires | E |
| - | |
| No hot impatient amateur was Jo | F |
| Sweating to turn the slides up every minute | G |
| He knew beforehand how his stuff would go | F |
| Could tell by instinct almost what was in it | H |
| - | |
| I've known him stand for hours and rock and rock | I |
| A swinging now the shovel now the ladle | J |
| So sphinx like that at Time he seemed to mock | I |
| Resolved to run creation through his cradle | J |
| - | |
| No sun shafts pricked him through his seasoned hide | K |
| Nor cold nor damp could bend his form heroic | L |
| Bare breasted Jo the elements defied | K |
| And met all fortunes like a hoary Stoic | L |
| - | |
| Where there were tailings tips and mangled fields | M |
| And sluggish sloven creeks meandering slowly | N |
| Where puddlers old and sluice sites promised yields | M |
| There Lanky might be found contented wholly | N |
| - | |
| Even though they'd worked the field as Chinkies do | O |
| Had 'bulled' each shaft and scraped out every gutter | P |
| Burnt every stick and put the ashes through | O |
| Yet Jo contrived to knock out bread and butter | P |
| - | |
| And something for a dead broke mate such men | Q |
| As he have little love for filthy lucre | P |
| His luxury was a whisky now and then | Q |
| And now and then a friendly game of euchre | P |
| - | |
| They tell me he is dead 'On top That's so | F |
| Died at the handle mate which is accordin' | Q |
| As he should die and if you're good you'll know | Q |
| Jo pannin' prospects in the River Jordan ' | - |
Edward Dyson
(1)
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