Johnson's Wonder Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCC DDEECC FFGGCC HHIICC JJKKCC LLMMCC NNOOCC PPQQ CC| I'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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