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