The Borough. Letter V: The Election Poem Rhyme Scheme

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 3 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

Wonderful Women
by Umaru Kanneh Boima
Freedom To Scratch In Peace
by Olute Aete
Happy New Year
by Felix Menda
Human Beings
by Dana Graslie
Lust
by Wisdom Greatness
An Isolated Tree's Song
by Sayeed Abubakar
A Strange Boy
by Sayeed Abubakar
O Soil
by Sayeed Abubakar
No War, No War-monger
by Sayeed Abubakar
Night's Town
by Sayeed Abubakar

Popular Poets

1. Emily Dickinson(2414 poems)
2. Madison Julius Cawein(1231 poems)
3. Ella Wheeler Wilcox(1136 poems)
4. William Wordsworth(1016 poems)
5. Robert Burns(986 poems)
6. Edgar Albert Guest(945 poems)
7. Thomas Moore(849 poems)
8. Robert Service(831 poems)

YES our Election's past and we've been free	A
Somewhat as madmen without keepers be	A
And such desire of Freedom has been shown	B
That both the parties wish'd her all their own	B
All our free smiths and cobblers in the town	C
Were loth to lay such pleasant freedom down	C
To put the bludgeon and cockade aside	D
And let us pass unhurt and undefied	D
True you might then your party's sign produce	E
And so escape with only half th' abuse	E
With half the danger as you walk'd along	F
With rage and threat'ning but from half the throng	F
This you might do and not your fortune mend	D
For where you lost a foe you gain'd a friend	D
And to distress you vex you and expose	G
Election friends are worse than any foes	G
The party curse is with the canvass past	D
But party friendship for jour grief will last	D
Friends of all kinds the civil and the rude	D
Who humbly wish or boldly dare t'intrude	D
These beg or take a liberty to come	H
Friends should be free and make your house their home	I
They know that warmly you their cause espouse	J
And come to make their boastings and their bows	J
You scorn their manners you their words mistrust	D
But you must hear them and they know you must	D
One plainly sees a friendship firm and true	K
Between the noble candidate and you	K
So humbly begs and states at large the case	L
'You'll think of Bobby and the little place '	M
Stifling his shame by drink a wretch will come	H
And prate your wife and daughter from the room	N
In pain you hear him and at heart despise	O
Yet with heroic mind your pangs disguise	O
And still in patience to the sot attend	D
To show what man can bear to serve a friend	D
One enters hungry not to be denied	D
And takes his place and jokes 'We're of a side '	M
Yet worse the proser who upon the strength	P
Of his one vote has tales of three hours' length	P
This sorry rogue you bear yet with surprise	O
Start at his oaths and sicken at his lies	O
Then comes there one and tells in friendly way	Q
What the opponents in their anger say	Q
All that through life has vex'd you all abuse	E
Will this kind friend in pure regard produce	E
And having through your own offences run	R
Adds as appendage what your friends have done	R
Has any female cousin made a trip	S
To Gretna Green or more vexatious slip	S
Has your wife's brother or your uncle's son	R
Done aught amiss or is he thought t'have done	R
Is there of all your kindred some who lack	T
Vision direct or have a gibbous back	T
From your unlucky name may quips and puns	U
Be made by these upbraiding Goths and Huns	U
To some great public character have you	K
Assigned the fame to worth and talents due	K
Proud of your praise In this in any case	U
Where the brute spirit may affix disgrace	U
These friends will smiling bring it and the while	V
You silent sit and practise for a smile	V
Vain of their power and of their value sure	W
They nearly guess the tortures you endure	W
Nor spare one pang for they perceive your heart	D
Goes with the cause you'd die before you'd start	D
Do what they may they're sure you'll not offend	D
Men who have pledged their honours to your friend	D
Those friends indeed who start as in a race	U
May love the sport and laugh at this disgrace	U
They have in view the glory and the prize	U
Nor heed the dirty steps by which they rise	U
But we their poor associates lose the fame	X
Though more than partners in the toil and shame	X
Were this the whole and did the time produce	U
But shame and toil but riot and abuse	U
We might be then from serious griefs exempt	D
And view the whole with pity and contempt	D
Alas but here the vilest passions rule	Y
It is Seduction's is Temptation's school	Y
Where vices mingle in the oddest ways	U
The grossest slander and the dirtiest praise	U
Flattery enough to make the vainest sick	Z
And clumsy stratagem and scoundrel trick	Z
Nay more your anger and contempt to cause	U
These while they fish for profit claim applause	U
Bribed bought and bound they banish shame and fear	A2
Tell you they're staunch and have a soul sincere	A2
Then talk of honour and if doubt's express'd	D
Show where it lies and smite upon the breast	D
Among these worthies some at first declare	B2
For whom they vote he then has most to spare	B2
Others hang off when coming to the post	D
Is spurring time and then he'll spare the most	D
While some demurring wait and find at last	D
The bidding languish and the market past	D
These will affect all bribery to condemn	C2
And be it Satan laughs he laughs at them	C2
Some too are pious One desired the Lord	D
To teach him where 'to drop his little word	D
To lend his vote where it will profit best	D
Promotion came not from the east or west	D
But as their freedom had promoted some	H
He should be glad to know which way 'twould come	H
It was a naughty world and where to sell	D2
His precious charge was more than he could tell '	M
'But you succeeded ' True at mighty cost	D
And our good friend I fear will think he's lost	D
Inns horses chaises dinners balls and notes	U
What fill'd their purses and what drench'd their throats	U
The private pension and indulgent lease	U
Have all been granted to these friends who fleece	U
Friends who will hang like burs upon his coat	D
And boundless judge the value of a vote	D
And though the terrors of the time be pass'd	D
There still remain the scatterings of the blast	D
The boughs are parted that entwined before	E2
And ancient harmony exists no more	E2
The gusts of wrath our peaceful seats deform	F2
And sadly flows the sighing of the storm	F2
Those who have gain'd are sorry for the gloom	N
But they who lost unwilling peace should come	H
There open envy here suppress'd delight	D
Yet live till time shall better thoughts excite	D
And so prepare us by a six years' truce	U
Again for riot insult and abuse	U
Our worthy Mayor on the victorious part	D
Cries out for peace and cries with all his heart	D
He civil creature ever does his best	D
To banish wrath from every voter's breast	D
'For where ' says he with reason strong and plain	G2
'Where is the profit what will anger gain '	M
His short stout person he is wont to brace	U
In good brown broad cloth edg'd with two inch lace	U
When in his seat and still the coat seems new	K
Preserved by common use of seaman's blue	K
He was a fisher from his earliest day	Q
And placed his nets within the Borough's bay	Q
Where by his skates his herrings and his soles	U
He lived nor dream'd of Corporation Doles	U
But toiling saved and saving never ceased	D
Till he had box'd up twelvescore pounds at least	D
He knew not money's power but judged it best	D
Safe in his trunk to let his treasure rest	D
Yet to a friend complain'd 'Sad charge to keep	H2
So many pounds and then I cannot sleep '	M
'Then put it out ' replied the friend 'What give	I2
My money up why then I could not live '	M
'Nay but for interest place it in his hands	U
Who'll give you mortgage on his house or lands '	M
'Oh but ' said Daniel 'that's a dangerous plan	J2
He may be robb'd like any other man '	M
'Still he is bound and you may be at rest	D
More safe the money than within your chest	D
And you'll receive from all deductions clear	A2
Five pounds for every hundred every year '	M
'What good in that ' quoth Daniel 'for 'tis plain	G2
If part I take there can but part remain '	M
'What you my friend so skill'd in gainful things	U
Have you to learn what Interest money brings '	M
'Not so ' said Daniel 'perfectly I know	K2
He's the most interest who has most to show '	M
'True and he'll show the more the more he lends	U
Thus he his weight and consequence extends	U
For they who borrow must restore each sum	H
And pay for use What Daniel art thou dumb '	M
For much amazed was that good man 'Indeed '	M
Said he with gladd'ning eye 'will money breed	D
How have I lived I grieve with all my heart	D
For my late knowledge in this precious art	D
Five pounds for every hundred will he give	I2
And then the hundred I begin to live '	M
So he began and other means he found	D
As he went on to multiply a pound	D
Though blind so long to Interest all allow	L2
That no man better understands it now	L2
Him in our Body Corporate we chose	U
And once among us he abov	I2

George Crabbe

The Borough. Letter V: The Election Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Write your comment about The Borough. Letter V: The Election poem by George Crabbe

Recent Interactions*

New Poems

Popular Poets