The Jolly Dead March Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCDDDDDEFEF CGCGHIHJ CKCKDKDK CLCLMNMNC KOKOPCPCCC KQKQPKPK CKCKDKDK DDDDEFEFIf I ever be worthy or famous | A |
Which I m sadly beginning to doubt | B |
When the angel whose place tis to name us | A |
Shall say to my spirit Pass out | B |
I wish for no sniv lling about me | C |
My work was the work of the land | D |
But I hope that my country will shout me | C |
The price of a decent brass band | D |
Thump thump of the drum and Ta ra rit | D |
Thump thump and the music it s grand | D |
If only in dreams or in spirit | D |
To ride or march after the band | D |
And myself and my mourners go straying | E |
And strolling and drifting along | F |
With a band in the front of us playing | E |
The tune of an old battle song | F |
- | |
I ask for no turn out to bear me | C |
I ask not for railings or slabs | G |
And spare me my country oh spare me | C |
The hearse and the long string of cabs | G |
I ask not the baton or starts of | H |
The bore with the musical ear | I |
But the music that s blown from the hearts of | H |
The men who work hard and drink beer | J |
- | |
And let em strike up Annie Laurie | C |
And let them burst out with Lang Syne | K |
Twin voices of sadness and glory | C |
That have ever been likings of mine | K |
And give the French war hymn deep throated | D |
The Watch of the Germans between | K |
And let the last mile be devoted | D |
To Britannia and Wearing the Green | K |
- | |
And if in the end more s the pity | C |
There is fame more than money to spare | L |
There s a van man I know in the city | C |
Who ll convey me right side up with care | L |
True sons of Australia and noble | M |
Have gone from the long dusty way | N |
While the sole mourner fought down his trouble | M |
With his pipe on the shaft of the dray | N |
But let them strike up Annie Laurie c | C |
- | |
And my spirit will join the procession | K |
Will pause if it may on the brink | O |
Nor feel the least shade of depression | K |
When the mourners drop out for a drink | O |
It may be a hot day in December | P |
Or a cold day in June it may be | C |
And the drink will but help them remember | P |
The good points the world missed in me | C |
And help em to love Annie Laurie | C |
And help em to raise Auld Lang Syne c | C |
- | |
Unhook the West Port for an orphan | K |
An old digger chorus revive | Q |
If you don t hear a whoop from the coffin | K |
I am not being buried alive | Q |
But I ll go with a spirit less bitter | P |
Than mine own on the earth may have been | K |
And perhaps to save trouble Saint Peter | P |
Will pass me two comrades between | K |
- | |
And let them strike up Annie Laurie | C |
And let em burst out with Lang Syne | K |
Twin voices of sadness and glory | C |
That have ever been likings of mine | K |
Let them swell the French war hymn deep throated | D |
And I ll not buck at God Save the Queen | K |
But let the last mile be devoted | D |
To Britannia and Wearing the Green | K |
- | |
Thump thump of the drums we inherit | D |
War drums of my dreams Oh it s grand | D |
If only in fancy or spirit | D |
To ride or march after a band | D |
And we the World Battlers go straying | E |
And loving and laughing along | F |
With Hope in the lead of us playing | E |
The tune of a life battle song | F |
Henry Lawson
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