The Crucifixion Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFEGE HIJIKLML NOPOQRSR TUVUWXYX TIVIZA2B2A2 C2D2E2D2E2F2E2V RG2VG2H2I2J2I2 TK2E2K2I2KE2K KE2A2E2E2E2E2E2 KE2E2E2PL2M2L2 E2E2KE2N2KE2KThey sunk a post into the ground | A |
Where their leaders bade them stop | B |
It was a man's height and they spiked | C |
A crosspiece to the top | B |
They bound it well with thongs of hide | D |
To make it firm and good | E |
Then roughly with His back to this | F |
Their enemy they stood | E |
They held His hands upon the piece | G |
And they spiked them to the wood | E |
- | |
They mocked Him then the while He rocked | H |
In agony His head | I |
With things that He had never done | J |
And He had never said | I |
With that which He had never been | K |
And in His face they spat | L |
They placed a plank beside the post | M |
And they spiked His feet to that | L |
- | |
They pelted Him but not with stones | N |
Lest He should die too soon | O |
They stayed to mock His agony | P |
All through the blazing noon | O |
They did not pelt with stones lest they | Q |
Might kill Him unaware | R |
But with foul things that lay about | S |
The filthy hovels there | R |
- | |
And this was how they murdered Him | T |
They killed Him in his youth | U |
Because He had been good to men | V |
Because He told the truth | U |
Because they did not understand | W |
The things He felt and knew | X |
He only said the world old words | Y |
They know not what they do | X |
- | |
The flaunting harlots taunted Him | T |
He only bowed His head | I |
And prayed for public women then | V |
While Save Thyself they said | I |
They went with soldiers to the camp | Z |
And the rest went by and bye | A2 |
When they were weary of the sport | B2 |
And they left Him there to die | A2 |
- | |
He lingered yet for He was strong | C2 |
But He shut His blighted eyes | D2 |
And shuddered oft for round Him swarmed | E2 |
The loathsome desert flies | D2 |
His throat was parched His temples throbbed | E2 |
And when He drooped the pain | F2 |
That shot from all His wounds tenfold | E2 |
Would draw Him up again | V |
- | |
Two thieves were nailed beside Him there | R |
They raved their wounds they tore | G2 |
And though they both were stronger men | V |
They seemed to suffer more | G2 |
And while with agony great beads | H2 |
Of sweat stood on His brow | I2 |
He'd comfort them in words like these | J2 |
'Twill soon be ended now | I2 |
- | |
His friends had all deserted Him | T |
They fled in deadly fear | K2 |
As friends desert a friend to day | E2 |
Afraid of jibe and sneer | K2 |
The same poor human nature now | I2 |
As it has ever been | K |
Small credit to be crucified | E2 |
Beside a Nazarene | K |
- | |
But when the people in the town | K |
And the drunken soldiers slept | E2 |
From some mean huts that stood hard by | A2 |
Three wretched women crept | E2 |
Like thieves across the stony ground | E2 |
They came with stealthy tread | E2 |
And they had water in a gourd | E2 |
But they found that He was dead | E2 |
- | |
They brought some still more wretched men | K |
And O their hearts were good | E2 |
In terror and with pains they wrenched | E2 |
The strong spikes from the wood | E2 |
They washed His body hurriedly | P |
For they had lives to save | L2 |
And they bore it off and hid it well | M2 |
Where none might find his grave | L2 |
- | |
His name is known where'er the foot | E2 |
Of Christian man has trod | E2 |
They worship in cathedrals now | K |
They call Him Son of God | E2 |
They ask for aid in His dear name | N2 |
When they suffer care and pain | K |
And if He came on earth to day | E2 |
They'd murder Him again | K |
Henry Lawson
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