Pigeon Toes Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABAACDCEFEFGHGH AIJIAAAA KLMLNEKE OPAPAEAE JEAEAGAG QRKRSTST AMAMAASA AUAUVAVA AWAXAAAA WYEYZUZU A2B2C2B2 AD2AD2 EE2ER

A dusty clearing in the scrubsA
Of barren western landsA
Where out of sight or sign of hopeB
The wretched school house standsA
A roof that glares at glaring daysA
A bare unshaded wallC
A fence that guards no blade of greenD
A dust storm over allC
The books and slates are packed awayE
The maps are rolled and tiedF
And for an hour I breathe and layE
My ghastly mask asideF
I linger here to save my headG
From voices shrill and thinH
That rasp for ever in the shedG
The home I m boarding inH
-
The heat and dirt and wretchednessA
With which their lives beganI
Bush mother nagging day and nightJ
And sullen brooding manI
The minds that harp on single stringsA
And never bright by chanceA
The rasping voice of paltry thingsA
The hopeless ignoranceA
-
I had ideals when I came hereK
A noble purpose hadL
But all that they can understandM
Is axe to grind or madL
I brood at times till comes a fearN
That sets my brain awhirlE
I fight a strong man s battle hereK
And I am but a girlE
-
I hated paltriness and deemedO
A breach of faith a crimeP
I listen now to scandal s voiceA
In sewing lesson timeP
There is a thought that haunts me soA
And gathers strength each dayE
Shall I as narrow minded growA
As mean of soul as theyE
-
The feuds that rise from paltry spiteJ
Or from no cause at allE
The brooding dark suspicious mindsA
I suffer for it allE
They do not dream the Teacher knowsA
What brutal thoughts are saidG
The children call me Pigeon ToesA
Green Eyes and Carrot HeadG
-
On phantom seas of endless changeQ
My thoughts to madness roamR
The only thing that keeps me hereK
The thoughts of those at homeR
The hearts that love and cling to meS
That I love best on earthT
My mother left in povertyS
My brother blind from birthT
-
On burning West Australian fieldsA
In that great dreadful landM
Where all day long the heat waves flowA
O er the seas of glowing sandM
My elder brother toils and breaksA
That great true heart of hisA
To rescue us from povertyS
To rescue me from thisA
-
And one is with him where he goesA
My brother s mate and mineU
He never called me Pigeon ToesA
He said my eyes were fineU
And his face comes before me nowV
And hope and courage riseA
The lines of life the troubled browV
Firm mouth and kind grey eyesA
-
I preach content and gentlenessA
And mock example giveW
They little think the Teacher hatesA
And loathes the life they liveX
I told the infants fairy talesA
But half an hour sinceA
They little dream how Pigeon ToesA
Prays for a fairy PrinceA
-
I have one prayer and God forgiveW
A selfish prayer and wildY
I kneel down by the infants stoolE
For I am but a childY
And pray as I ve prayed times untoldZ
That Heaven will set a signU
To guide my brother to the goldZ
For mother s sake and mineU
-
A dust cloud on the lonely roadA2
And I am here aloneB2
I lock the door till it be pastC2
For I have nervous grownB2
-
God spare me disappointment s blowA
He stops beside the gateD2
A voice thrill feeling that I knowA
My brother No His mateD2
-
His eyes a proud triumphant smileE
His arms outstretched and ComeE2
For Jack and I have made our pileE
And I m here to take you homeR

Henry Lawson



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