Grandfather Bridgeman Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C A DDEFGG A HHIIJJ KKLLMM GHNNHH OPQQRR S LLHH TTHHLL L UVVC L W LLT L XXYZLL L L HHXX L LL HX XXXXA2A2 A B2B2XX C2C2LLXX D2 L LL E2D2F2F2XX L LLLA2I | A |
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'Heigh boys ' cried Grandfather Bridgeman 'it's time before dinner to day ' | - |
He lifted the crumpled letter and thumped a surprising 'Hurrah ' | - |
Up jumped all the echoing young ones but John with the starch in his throat | B |
Said 'Father before we make noises let's see the contents of the note ' | - |
The old man glared at him harshly and twinkling made answer 'Too bad | C |
John Bridgeman I'm always the whisky and you are the water my lad ' | - |
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II | A |
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But soon it was known thro' the house and the house ran over for joy | D |
That news good news great marvels had come from the soldier boy | D |
Young Tom the luckless scapegrace offshoot of Methodist John | E |
His grandfather's evening tale whom the old man hailed as his son | F |
And the old man's shout of pride was a shout of his victory too | G |
For he called his affection a method the neighbours' opinions he knew | G |
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III | A |
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Meantime from the morning table removing the stout breakfast cheer | H |
The drink of the three generations the milk the tea and the beer | H |
Alone in its generous reading of pints stood the Grandfather's jug | I |
The women for sight of the missive came pressing to coax and to hug | I |
He scattered them quick with a buss and a smack thereupon he began | J |
Diversions with John's little Sarah on Sunday the naughty old man | J |
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IV | - |
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Then messengers sped to the maltster the auctioneer miller and all | K |
The seven sons of the farmer who housed in the range of his call | K |
Likewise the married daughters three plentiful ladies prime cooks | L |
Who bowed to him while they condemned in meek hope to stand high in his books | L |
'John's wife is a fool at a pudding ' they said and the light carts up hill | M |
Went merrily flouting the Sabbath for puddings well made mend a will | M |
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V | - |
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The day was a van bird of summer the robin still piped but the blue | G |
As a warm and dreamy palace with voices of larks ringing thro' | H |
Looked down as if wistfully eyeing the blossoms that fell from its lap | N |
A day to sweeten the juices a day to quicken the sap | N |
All round the shadowy orchard sloped meadows in gold and the dear | H |
Shy violets breathed their hearts out the maiden breath of the year | H |
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VI | - |
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Full time there was before dinner to bring fifteen of his blood | O |
To sit at the old man's table they found that the dinner was good | P |
But who was she by the lilacs and pouring laburnums concealed | Q |
When under the blossoming apple the chair of the Grandfather wheeled | Q |
She heard one little child crying 'Dear brave Cousin Tom ' as it leapt | R |
Then murmured she 'Let me spare them ' and passed round the walnuts and wept | R |
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VII | - |
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Yet not from sight had she slipped ere feminine eyes could detect | S |
The figure of Mary Charlworth 'It's just what we all might expect ' | - |
Was uttered and 'Didn't I tell you ' Of Mary the rumour resounds | L |
That she is now her own mistress and mistress of five thousand pounds | L |
'Twas she they say who cruelly sent young Tom to the war | H |
Miss Mary we thank you now If you knew what we're thanking you for | H |
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VIII | - |
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But 'Have her in let her hear it ' called Grandfather Bridgeman elate | T |
While Mary's black gloved fingers hung trembling with flight on the gate | T |
Despite the women's remonstrance two little ones lighter than deer | H |
Were loosed and Mary imprisoned her whole face white as a tear | H |
Came forward with culprit footsteps Her punishment was to commence | L |
The pity in her pale visage they read in a different sense | L |
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IX | L |
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'You perhaps may remember a fellow Miss Charlworth a sort of black sheep ' | - |
The old man turned his tongue to ironical utterance deep | U |
'He came of a Methodist dad so it wasn't his fault if he kicked | V |
He earned a sad reputation but Methodists are mortal strict | V |
His name was Tom and dash me but Bridgeman I think you might add | C |
Whatever he was bear in mind that he came of a Methodist dad ' | - |
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X | L |
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This prelude dismally lengthened till Mary starting exclaimed | W |
'A letter Sir from your grandson ' 'Tom Bridgeman that rascal is named ' | - |
The old man answered and further the words that sent Tom to the ranks | L |
Repeated as words of a person to whom they all owed mighty thanks | L |
But Mary never blushed with her eyes on the letter she sate | T |
And twice interrupting him faltered 'The date may I ask Sir the date ' | - |
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XI | L |
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'Why that's what I never look at in a letter ' the farmer replied | X |
'Facts first and now I'll be parson ' The Bridgeman women descried | X |
A quiver on Mary's eyebrows One turned and while shifting her comb | Y |
Said low to a sister 'I'm certain she knows more than we about Tom | Z |
She wants him now he's a hero ' The same resuming her place | L |
Begged Mary to check them the moment she found it a tedious case | L |
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XII | L |
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Then as a mastiff swallows the snarling noises of cats | L |
The voice of the farmer opened ''Three cheers and off with your hats ' | - |
That's Tom 'We've beaten them Daddy and tough work it was to be sure | H |
A regular stand up combat eight hours smelling powder and gore | H |
I entered it Serjeant Major ' and now he commands a salute | X |
And carries the flag of old England Heigh see him lift foes on his foot | X |
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XIII | L |
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' An officer ay Miss Charlworth he is or he is so to be | L |
You'll own war isn't such humbug and Glory means something you see | L |
'But don't say a word ' he continues 'against the brave French any more ' | - |
That stopt me we'll now march together I couldn't read further before | H |
That 'brave French' I couldn't stomach He can't see their cunning to get | X |
Us Britons to fight their battles while best half the winnings they net ' | - |
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XIV | - |
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The old man sneered and read forward It was of that desperate fight | X |
The Muscovite stole thro' the mist wreaths that wrapped the chill Inkermann height | X |
Where stood our silent outposts old England was in them that day | X |
O sharp worked his ruddy wrinkles as if to the breath of the fray | X |
They moved He sat bareheaded his long hair over him slow | A2 |
Swung white as the silky bog flowers in purple heath hollows that grow | A2 |
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XV | - |
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And louder at Tom's first person acute and in thunder the 'I' | A |
Invaded the ear with a whinny of triumph that seem'd to defy | - |
The hosts of the world All heated what wonder he little could brook | B2 |
To catch the sight of Mary's demure puritanical look | B2 |
And still as he led the onslaught his treacherous side shots he sent | X |
At her who was fighting a battle as fierce and who sat there unbent | X |
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XVI | - |
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''We stood in line and like hedgehogs the Russians rolled under us thick | C2 |
They frightened me there ' He's no coward for when Miss they came at the quick | C2 |
The sight he swears was a breakfast 'My stomach felt tight in a glimpse | L |
I saw you snoring at home with the dear cuddled up little imps | L |
And then like the winter brickfields at midnight hot fire lengthened out | X |
Our fellows were just leashed bloodhounds no heart of the lot faced about | X |
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XVII | - |
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''And only that grumbler Bob Harris remarked that we stood one to ten | D2 |
'Ye fool ' says Mick Grady 'just tell 'em they know to compliment men ' | - |
And I sang out your old words 'If the opposite side isn't God's | L |
Heigh after you've counted a dozen the pluckiest lads have the odds ' | - |
Ping ping flew the enemies' pepper the Colonel roared Forward and we | L |
Went at them 'Twas first like a blanket and then a long plunge in the sea | L |
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XVIII | - |
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''Well now about me and the Frenchman it happened I can't tell you how | E2 |
And Grandfather hear if you love me and put aside prejudice now' | D2 |
He never says 'Grandfather' Tom don't save it's a serious thing | F2 |
'Well there were some pits for the rifles just dug on our French leaning wing | F2 |
And backwards and forwards and backwards we went and at last I was vexed | X |
And swore I would never surrender a foot when the Russians charged next | X |
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XIX | L |
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''I know that life's worth keeping ' Ay so it is lad so it is | L |
'But my life belongs to a woman ' Does that mean Her Majesty Miss | L |
'These Russians came lumping and grinning they're fierce at it though they are blocks | L |
Our fellows wer | A2 |
George Meredith
(1)
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