Johnson's Wonder Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCC DDEECC FFGGCC HHIICC JJKKCC LLMMCC NNOOCC PPQQ CCI'd been right round by overlands to see the world and life | A |
And on the boat at Plymouth I met Johnson and his wife | A |
He was a man who knew the world and wore the know all smile | B |
His wife a silly pussy cat the soft obedient style | B |
His constant source of comfort was his life was all serene | C |
His ceaseless source of wonder was that men could be so green | C |
- | |
There were two women of the world whom Johnson knew by sight | D |
The one as fair as Southern dawn the other dark as night | D |
They played each other off you see as many sisters do | E |
They travelled with their uncle dear their manager a Jew | E |
To us the make up and the game was plainly to be seen | C |
And Johnson wondered how on earth most men could be so green | C |
- | |
At Naples as at Genoa too they left no room for doubt | F |
They took down the chief officer and cleared the captain out | F |
We saw it as outsiders do those seamen looked so mad | G |
'Twas managed so that neither knew the other had been had | G |
Such games are known to all who sail for gain or change of scene | C |
And Johnson wondered how in air such men could be so green | C |
- | |
You know Port Said by Suez Lane and no doubt you're aware | H |
What sort of carnivals are held ashore on Sunday there | H |
And Uncle being far from well and voting ports a bore | I |
The doctor and a Johnnie took the lovely pair ashore | I |
They had a glorious donkey ride you know which pair I mean | C |
And Johnson wondered how the deuce an ass could be so green | C |
- | |
There was a third class passenger who acted like an earl | J |
Spent something over thirty pounds upon a Southern girl | J |
They'd met aboard and soon the news went round from mouth to mouth | K |
They were engaged to marry when they reached the Sunny South | K |
She chucked him at Fremantle and she didn't think it mean | C |
And Johnson wondered how in life a boy could be so green | C |
- | |
There was another married pair whom Johnson did despise | L |
She carried on most scand'lously before her husband's eyes | L |
He fetched and carried all day long as to the manner born | M |
And plain to all on board but him was her conceited scorn | M |
And Johnson bossed his wife to show the difference between | C |
Some husbands wondering 'owinel a man could be so green | C |
- | |
Now Mrs Johnson through it all was anything but slack | N |
I'd seen her sleepy meaning smile behind her husband's back | N |
I'd heard the whispered covered sneer the stress on him and he | O |
She spread her charms for all men from the captain down to me | O |
She used her drooping eyes on all while Johnson smoked serene | C |
And chuckled secretly because the world was very green | C |
- | |
He got a wire from Adelaide on business understand | P |
And left his wife to follow round and journeyed overland | P |
That very night while musing in a quiet spot on deck | Q |
I caught her with her arms about a first class Johnnie's neck | Q |
- | |
The Johnsons live at Manly now their lives are all serene | C |
And Johnson still is wondering how the world can be so green | C |
Henry Lawson
(1)
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