The Man Who Raised Charlestown Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABB CDEE FGHH IIJJ KKLL MMNN AAOO PPQQ RRHH SSHH JJHH PPOO TTHH UUVW XXII JJYY ZZA2A2 LB2C2C2 HHD2D2 E2E2F2F2

They were hanging men in Buckland who would not cheer King GeorgeA
The parson from his pulpit and the blacksmith from his forgeA
They were hanging men and brothers and the stoutest heart was downB
When a quiet man from Buckland rode at dusk to raise CharlestownB
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Not a young man in his glory filled with patriotic fireC
Not an orator or soldier or a known man in his shireD
He was just the Unexpected one of Danger's VolunteersE
At a time for which he'd waited all unheard of many yearsE
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And Charlestown met in council the quiet man to hearF
The town was large and wealthy but the folks were filled with fearG
The fear of death and plunder and none to lead had theyH
And Self fought Patriotism as will always be the wayH
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The man turned to the people and he spoke in anger thenI
And crooked his finger here and there to those he marked as menI
And many gathered round him to see what they could doJ
For men know men in danger as they know the cowards tooJ
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He chose his men and captains and sent them here and thereK
The arms and ammunition were gathered in the squareK
While peaceful folk were praying or croaking every oneL
He was working with his blacksmiths at the carriage of a gunL
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While the Council sat on Sunday and the church bells rang their pealM
The quiet man was mending a broken waggon wheelM
While they passed their resolutions on his doings and the likesN
From a pile his men brought to him he was choosing poles for pikesN
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They were hanging men in Buckland who would not cheer King GeorgeA
They were making pikes in Charlestown at every blacksmith's forgeA
While the Council sat in session and the same old song they sangO
They heard the horsemen gallop out and the blacksmiths' hammers clangO
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And a thrill went through the city ere the drums began to rollP
And the coward found his courage and the drunkard found his soulP
So a thrill went through the city that would go through all the landQ
For the quiet man from Buckland held men's hearts in his right handQ
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And he caught a Charlestown poet there are many tell the taleR
And he took him by the collar when he'd filled him up with aleR
Now then write a song for Charlestown that shall lift her on her wayH
For she's marching out to Buckland and to Death at break o' dayH
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And he set the silenced women tearing sheet and shift and shirtS
To make bandages and roll them for the men that would get hurtS
And he called out his musicians and he told them what to playH
For I want my men excited when they march at break o' dayH
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And he set the women cooking with a wood and water crewJ
For I want no empty stomachs for the work we have to doJ
Then he said to his new soldiers Eat your fill while yet you mayH
'Tis a heavy road to Buckland that we'll march at break o' dayH
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And a shout went through the city when the drums began to rollP
And the coward was a brave man and the beggar had a soulP
And the drunken Charlestown poet cared no more if he should hangO
For his song of Charlestown's Coming was the song the soldiers sangO
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And they cursed the King of England and they shouted in their gleeT
And they swore to drive the British and their friends into the seaT
But when they'd quite finished swearing said their leader Let us prayH
For we march to Death and Freedom and it's nearly dawn of dayH
-
There were marching feet at daybreak and close upon their heelsU
Came the scuffling tread of horses and the heavy crunch of wheelsU
So they took the road to Buckland with their scout out to take heedV
And a quiet man of fifty on a grey horse in the leadW
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There was silence in the city there was silence as of nightX
Women in the ghostly daylight kneeling praying deathly whiteX
As their mothers knelt before them as their daughters knelt since thenI
And as ours shall in the future kneel and pray for fighting menI
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For their men had gone to battle as our sons and grandsons tooJ
Must go out for Life and Freedom as all nations have to doJ
And the Charlestown women waited for the sounds that came too soonY
Though they listened almost breathless till the early afternoonY
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Then they heard the tones of danger for their husbands sweethearts sonsZ
And they stopped their ears in terror crying Oh my God The gunsZ
Then they strained their ears to listen through the church bells' startled chimeA2
Far along the road to Buckland Charlestown's guns were marking timeA2
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They advance They halt Retreating They come back The guns are doneL
But the calmer spirits listening said Our guns are going onB2
And the friend and foe in Buckland felt two different kinds of thrillsC2
When they heard the Charlestown cannon talking on the Buckland hillsC2
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And the quiet man of Buckland sent a message in that dayH
And he gave the British soldiers just two hours to march awayH
And they hang men there no longer there is peace on land and waveD2
On the sunny hills of Buckland there is many a quiet graveD2
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There is peace upon the land and there is friendship on the wavesE2
On the sunny hills of Buckland there are rows of quiet gravesE2
And an ancient man in Buckland may be seen in sunny hoursF2
Pottering round about his garden and his kitchen stuff and flowersF2

Henry Lawson



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About The Man Who Raised Charlestown

The Man Who Raised Charlestown is a poem by Henry Lawson. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.



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