The Letters Of The Dead Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABAABC CDCCDD EBEEBB FGHHGG IBIIBB JKJJKK LMLLMM N NNBB OPOOPP FQFFQQ RCRRCC STSSTTA letter came from Dick to day | A |
A greeting glad he sends to me | B |
He tells of one more bloody fray | A |
Of how with bomb and rifle they | A |
Have put their mark for all to see | B |
Across rock ribbed Gallipoli | C |
- | |
How are you doing Hope all's well | C |
I in great nick and like the work | D |
Though there may be a brimstone smell | C |
And other pungent hints of Hell | C |
Not Satan's self can make us shirk | D |
Our task of hitting up the Turk | D |
- | |
You bet old Slacks is not half bad | E |
He knows his business in a scrim | B |
He gets cold steel or we are glad | E |
To stop him with a bullet lad | E |
Or sling a bomb his hair to trim | B |
But straight we throw no mud at him | B |
- | |
He fights and falls and comes again | F |
And knocks our charging lines about | G |
He's game at heart and tough in grain | H |
And canters through the leaded rain | H |
Chock full of mettle not a doubt | G |
'T will do us proud to put him out | G |
- | |
But that's our job to see it through | I |
We've made our minds up come what may | B |
This noon we had our work to do | I |
The shells were dropping two by two | I |
We fairly felt their bullets play | B |
Among our hair for half a day | B |
- | |
One clipped my ear a red hot kiss | J |
Another beggar chipped my shin | K |
They pass you with a vicious hiss | J |
That makes you duck but hit or miss | J |
It isn't in the Sultan's skin | K |
To shift Australia's cheerful grin | K |
- | |
My oath old man though we were prone | L |
We didn't take it lying down | M |
I got a dozen on my own | L |
All dread of killing now is flown | L |
It is the game and hard and brown | M |
We're wading in for freedom's crown | M |
- | |
Big guns are booming as I write | N |
A lad is singing 'Dolly Grey ' | - |
The shells are skipping in the night | N |
And square and all I feeling right | N |
For whisper Ned the fellows say | B |
I did a ripping thing to day | B |
- | |
Soon homeward tramping with the band | O |
All notched a bit and with the prize | P |
Of glory for our native land | O |
I'll see my little sweetheart stand | O |
And smile her smile so sweet and wise | P |
With proud tears shining in her eyes | P |
- | |
Geewhiz What price your humble when | F |
Triumphant from the last attack | Q |
We face a Melbourne crowd again | F |
Tough happy battle proven men | F |
And while the cheer stormed heavens crack | Q |
I bring the tattered colors back | Q |
- | |
A mist is o'er the written line | R |
Whence martial ardor seems to flow | C |
A dull ache holds this heart of mine | R |
Poor boy he had a vision fine | R |
But grave dust clouds the royal glow | C |
He died in action weeks ago | C |
- | |
He was my friend I may not weep | S |
My soul goes out to Him who bled | T |
I pray for Christ's compassion deep | S |
On mothers lovers all who keep | S |
The woeful vigil having read | T |
The joyous letters of the dead | T |
Edward Dyson
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