Poet Henry Lawson

Henry Lawson

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The Iron Wedding Rings Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABB CCDD EEFG HHII JJBB KKLL MMNN OOPP JJAA QQRR SSPP AATT

In these days of peace and money free to all the CommonwealA
There are ancient dames in Buckland wearing wedding rings of steelA
Wedding rings of steel and iron worn on wrinkled hands and oldB
And the wearers would not give them not for youth nor wealth untoldB
-
In the days of black oppression when the best abandoned hopeC
And all Buckland crouched in terror of the prison and the ropeC
Many fair young wives in Buckland prayed beside their lonely bedsD
For the absent ones who knew not where to lay their outlawed headsD
-
But a whisper went through Buckland to the rebels only knownE
That the man across the border had a chance to hold his ownE
There were men that came in darkness quiet grim and travel wornF
And by twos and threes the young men stole away to join KinghornG
-
Slipping powder horns and muskets from beneath the floors and thatchH
There were boys who kissed their mothers ere they softly dropped the latchH
There were hunters' wives in backwoods who sat strangely still and whiteI
Till the dawn because their men folk went a hunting in the nightI
-
But the rebels needed money and so through the Buckland hillsJ
Came again by night the gloomy men of monosyllablesJ
And the ladies gave their jewels to be smuggled out and soldB
And the homely wives of Buckland gave their wedding rings of goldB
-
And a Buckland smith in secret and in danger in his shedK
Made them rings of baser metals from the best he had to leadK
To be gilt and worn to market or to meetings where they prayedL
Lest the spies should get an inkling and the husbands be betrayedL
-
Then a silence fell on Buckland there was peace throughout the landM
And a loyalty that puzzled all the captains in commandM
There was too much Law and Order for the men who weren't blindN
And the greatest of the king's men wasn't easy in his mindN
-
They were hunting rebels certes and the troops were understoodO
To be searching for a stronghold like a needle in a woodO
But whene'er the king was prayed for in the meeting houses thenP
It was strange with how much unction ancient sinners cried Ah menP
-
Till at last when all was quiet through the gloomy Buckland hillsJ
Once again there came those furtive men of monosyllablesJ
And their message was Take warning what the morrow may revealA
Death and Freedom may be married with a wedding ring of steelA
-
In the morning from the marshes rose the night mist cold and dampQ
From the shipping in the harbour and the sleeping royal campQ
From the lanes and from the by streets and the high streets of the townR
And above the hills of Buckland where the rebel guns looked downR
-
And the first one sent a message to the camp to fight or yieldS
And the wintry sun looked redly on a bloody battlefieldS
Till the man from 'cross the border marched through Buckland once againP
With a charter for the people and ten thousand fighting menP
-
There are ancient dames in Buckland with old secrets to revealA
Wearing wedding rings of iron wearing wedding rings of steelA
And their tears drop on the metal when their thoughts are far awayT
In the past where their young husbands died on Buckland field that dayT

Henry Lawson



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