Bedfordshire Ballad. - Ii Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B CCDD EFGH IIBB JJKK LLAA MMAA FFBB CCKK NNAA OOPP QQRR JJSS TTUU PPVV WWXX YYZZ A2A2OO B2B2PP C2C2AA YYAA D2 D2D2E2E2 F2F2AA KKG2G2 D2 S

ONE GLASS OF BEERA
-
Ne quid nimisB
-
-
Tom Smith was the son of a Bedfordshire manC
The Smiths we all know are a numerous clanC
He was happy and healthy and handsome and strongD
And could sing on occasion a capital songD
-
His father had once been a labourer poorE
But had always contrived to keep want from the doorF
And by work and by thrift had enough in his pocketG
To rent a small farm from his landlord and stock itH
-
He died Tom succeeded the ladies all saidI
It was high time he went to the Church to be wedI
And Sarah and Clara and Fanny and BessB
Confessed if he offer'd perhaps they'd say YesB
-
But Tom fixed his eyes on the Miller's young daughterJ
And was only awaiting the right time to court herJ
So one day as he saw her walk out from the millK
He set off in pursuit with a very good willK
-
Now Tom I must tell you had one little faultL
He was rather too fond of a mixture of maltL
In fact if my meaning is not very clearA
I'm afraid he was rather too partial to BeerA
-
Says Tom to himself as he followed the maidM
I should like just a glass for I'm rather afraidM
No doubt at such times men are nervous and queerA
So he stopped at the Public for one glass of BeerA
-
He had his one glass and then two or three moreF
And when he set out from the Public house doorF
He saw a sad sight and he saw it with groansB
Mary Anne on the arm of Theophilus JonesB
-
Yes Theophilus Jones was a steady young manC
Who enjoyed but was never too fond of his canC
And while Smith in the public was stopping to swillK
Jones had woo'd and had won the fair maid of the millK
-
Tom homeward returned like a runaway pupN
When the lash of the whipper in touches him upN
And he sighed to himself It's most painfully clearA
That I've lost a good wife for a bad glass of BeerA
-
-
-
At length he was married to Emily BrownO
A tidier girl there was none in the townO
The church bells were ringing the village was gayP
As Tom met his bride in her bridal arrayP
-
For a twelvemonth or more things went on pretty straightQ
Tom went early to work and was never home lateQ
But after that time a sad change it would seemR
Came over the spirit of Emily's dreamR
-
The Rector missed Tom from his place in the choirJ
In the evening his wife sat alone by the fireJ
When her husband came home he was never too earlyS
And his manner was dull and at times even surlyS
-
He was late in the autumn in sowing his wheatT
His bullocks and sheep had disease of the feetT
His sows had small litters his taters went badU
And he took just a glass when he felt rather sadU
-
The Rector's good lady was passing one dayP
And looked in her usual visit to payP
How dy'e do Mrs Smith Is the baby quite wellV
Have you got any eggs or young chickens to sellV
-
But Emily Smith couldn't answer a wordW
At length her reply indistinctly was heardW
I'm all of a mullock it's no use denyingX
And with that the poor woman she burst out a cryingX
-
Then after a time with her apron she driedY
The tears from her eyes and more calmly repliedY
I don't mind confessing the truth ma'am to youZ
For I've found in you always a comforter trueZ
-
Things are going to ruin the land's full o' twitchA2
There's no one to clean out a drain or a ditchA2
The gates are all broken the fences all downO
And the state of our farm is the talk of the townO
-
We've lost a young horse and another's gone lameB2
Our hay's not worth carting the wheat's much the sameB2
Our pigs and our cattle are always astrayP
Our milk's good for nothing our hens never layP
-
Tom ain't a bad husband as husbands do goC2
That ain't saying much as I daresay you knowC2
But there's one thing that puts him and me out o' gearA
He's always a craving for one glass of BeerA
-
He never gets drunk but he's always half fuddledY
He wastes all his time and his wits are all muddledY
We've notice to quit for next Michaelmas yearA
All owing to Tom and his one glass of BeerA
-
-
MORALD2
-
My friends I believe we shall none of us quarrelD2
If I try from this story to draw out a moralD2
Tom Smith I am told has now taken the pledgeE2
Let us hope he will keep the right side of the hedgeE2
-
But because men like Tom find it hard to refrainF2
It's hard that we temperate folk should abstainF2
Tea and coffee no doubt are most excellent cheerA
But a hard working man likes his one glass of BeerA
-
What with 'chining and hoeing and ploughing and drillK
A glass of good beer will not make a man illK
But one glass like poison you never must touchG2
It's the glass which is commonly called one too muchG2
-
-
MuddleD2
-
Machining i e threshing by machineryS

Edward Woodley Bowling



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Bedfordshire Ballad. - Ii poem by Edward Woodley Bowling


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 2 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets