Our Jack Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST BUVWXYGZA2B2C2D2E2F2 G2H2I2J2C K2L2BWM2N2O2P2Q2R2AS 2VLT2U2V2 W2X2IY2R2JZ2A3B3C3R2 D3E3JF3G3H3M2I3J3K3L 3M3J3N3O3A2F3Twelve years ago our Jack was lost All night | A |
Twelve years ago the Spirit of the Storm | B |
Sobbed round our camp A wind of northern hills | C |
That hold a cold companionship with clouds | D |
Came down and wrestled like a giant with | E |
The iron featured woods and fall and ford | F |
The night our Jack was lost sent forth a cry | G |
Of baffled waters where the Murray sucked | H |
The rain replenished torrents at his source | I |
And gathered strength and started for the sea | J |
We took our Jack from Melbourne just two weeks | K |
Before this day twelve years ago He left | L |
A home where Love upon the threshold paused | M |
And wept across the shoulder of the lad | N |
And blest us when we said we d take good care | O |
To keep the idol of the house from harm | P |
We were a band of three We started thence | Q |
To look for watered lands and pastures new | R |
With faces set towards the down beyond | S |
Where cool Monaro s topmost mountain breaks | T |
The wings of many a seaward going storm | B |
And shapes them into wreaths of subtle fire | U |
We were I say a band of three in all | V |
With brother Tom for leader Bright eyed Jack | W |
Who thought himself as big a man as Tom | X |
Was self elected second in command | Y |
And I was cook and groom A week slipt by | G |
Brimful of life of health and happiness | Z |
For though our progress northward had been slow | A2 |
Because the country on the track was rough | B2 |
No one amongst us let his spirits flag | C2 |
Moreover being young and at the stage | D2 |
When all things novel wear a fine romance | E2 |
We found in ridge and glen and wood and rock | F2 |
And waterfall and everything that dwells | G2 |
Outside with nature pleasure of that kind | H2 |
Which only lives for those whose hearts are tired | I2 |
Of noisy cities and are fain to feel | J2 |
The peace and power of the mighty hills | C |
- | |
The second week we crossed the upper fork | K2 |
Where Murray meets a river from the east | L2 |
And there one evening dark with coming storm | B |
We camped a furlong from the bank Our Jack | W |
The little man that used to sing and shout | M2 |
And start the merry echoes of the cliffs | N2 |
And gravely help me to put up the tent | O2 |
And try a thousand tricks and offices | P2 |
That made me scold and laugh by turns the pet | Q2 |
Of sisters and the youngest hope of one | R2 |
Who grew years older in a single night | A |
Our Jack I say strayed off into the dusk | S2 |
Lured by the noises of a waterfall | V |
And though we hunted shouting right and left | L |
The whole night long through wind and rain and searched | T2 |
For five days afterwards we never saw | U2 |
The lad again | V2 |
- | |
I turned to Tom and said | W2 |
That wild fifth evening Which of us has heart | X2 |
Enough to put the saddle on our swiftest horse | I |
And post away to Melbourne there to meet | Y2 |
And tell his mother we have lost her son | R2 |
Or which of us can bear to stand and see | J |
The white affliction of a faded face | Z2 |
Made old by you and me O Tom my boy | A3 |
Her heart will break Tom moaned but did not speak | B3 |
A word He saddled horse and galloped off | C3 |
O Jack Jack Jack When bright haired Benjamin | R2 |
Was sent to Egypt with his father s sons | D3 |
Those rough half brothers took more care of him | E3 |
Than we of you But shall we never see | J |
Your happy face my brave lad any more | F3 |
Nor hear you whistling in the fields at eve | G3 |
Nor catch you up to mischief with your knife | H3 |
Amongst the apple trees Nor find you out | M2 |
A truant playing on the road to school | I3 |
Nor meet you boy in any other guise | J3 |
You used to take Is this worn cap I hold | K3 |
The only thing you ve left us of yourself | L3 |
Are we to sit from night to night deceived | M3 |
Through rainy seasons by presentiments | J3 |
That make us start at shadows on the pane | N3 |
And fancy that we hear you in the dark | O3 |
And wonder that your step has grown so slow | A2 |
And listen for your hand upon the door | F3 |
Henry Kendall
(1)
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