Sister's Cake Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCC DDEEFF GGHHCC IIJJKK LLIIMM HHJJCC NNDDOO PPQQHH PPRRCCI'd not complain of Sister Jane for she was good and kind | A |
Combining with rare comeliness distinctive gifts of mind | A |
Nay I'll admit it were most fit that worn by social cares | B |
She'd crave a change from parlor life to that below the stairs | B |
And that eschewing needlework and music she should take | C |
Herself to the substantial art of manufacturing cake | C |
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At breakfast then it would befall that Sister Jane would say | D |
Mother if you have got the things I'll make some cake to day | D |
Poor mother'd cast a timid glance at father like as not | E |
For father hinted sister's cooking cost a frightful lot | E |
But neither she nor he presumed to signify dissent | F |
Accepting it for gospel truth that what she wanted went | F |
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No matter what the rest of 'em might chance to have in hand | G |
The whole machinery of the house came to a sudden stand | G |
The pots were hustled off the stove the fire built up anew | H |
With every damper set just so to heat the oven through | H |
The kitchen table was relieved of everything to make | C |
That ample space which Jane required when she compounded cake | C |
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And oh the bustling here and there the flying to and fro | I |
The click of forks that whipped the eggs to lather white as snow | I |
And what a wealth of sugar melted swiftly out of sight | J |
And butter Mother said such waste would ruin father quite | J |
But Sister Jane preserved a mien no pleading could confound | K |
As she utilized the raisins and the citron by the pound | K |
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Oh hours of chaos tumult heat vexatious din and whirl | L |
Of deep humiliation for the sullen hired girl | L |
Of grief for mother hating to see things wasted so | I |
And of fortune for that little boy who pined to taste that dough | I |
It looked so sweet and yellow sure to taste it were no sin | M |
But oh how sister scolded if he stuck his finger in | M |
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The chances were as ten to one before the job was through | H |
That sister'd think of something else she'd great deal rather do | H |
So then she'd softly steal away as Arabs in the night | J |
Leaving the girl and ma to finish up as best they might | J |
These tactics artful Sister Jane enabled her to take | C |
Or shift the credit or the blame of that too treacherous cake | C |
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And yet unhappy is the man who has no Sister Jane | N |
For he who has no sister seems to me to live in vain | N |
I never had a sister may be that is why today | D |
I'm wizened and dyspeptic instead of blithe and gay | D |
A boy who's only forty should be full of romp and mirth | O |
But I because I'm sisterless am the oldest man on earth | O |
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Had I a little sister oh how happy I should be | P |
I'd never let her cast her eyes on any chap but me | P |
I'd love her and I'd cherish her for better and for worse | Q |
I'd buy her gowns and bonnets and sing her praise in verse | Q |
And yes what's more and vastly more I tell you what I'd do | H |
I'd let her make her wondrous cake and I would eat it too | H |
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I have a high opinion of the sisters as you see | P |
Another fellow's sister is so very dear to me | P |
I love to work anear her when she's making over frocks | R |
When she patches little trousers or darns prosaic socks | R |
But I draw the line at one thing yes I don my hat and take | C |
A three hours' walk when she is moved to try her hand at cake | C |
Eugene Field
(1)
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