The Vagabond Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEDE FGFGHBHB BIBIJKJK LMLMBNBO PQPQRORO STSTUVUV JBJBWXWX YZYZA2BGB QB2QB2C2D2C2D2 E2F2E2F2G2H2G2H2 JC2JC2C2I2C2J2 C2K2C2K2 JL2JL2C2M2C2M2 AI2AI2KBKB

White handkerchiefs wave from the short black pierA
As we glide to the grand old seaB
But the song of my heart is for none to hearC
If one of them waves for meB
A roving roaming life is mineD
Ever by field or floodE
For not far back in my father's lineD
Was a dash of the Gipsy bloodE
-
Flax and tussock and fernF
Gum and mulga and sandG
Reef and palm but my fancies turnF
Ever away from landG
Strange wild cities in ancient stateH
Range and river and treeB
Snow and ice But my star of fateH
Is ever across the seaB
-
A god like ride on a thundering seaB
When all but the stars are blindI
A desperate race from EternityB
With a gale and a half behindI
A jovial spree in the cabin at nightJ
A song on the rolling deckK
A lark ashore with the ships in sightJ
Till a wreck goes down with a wreckK
-
A smoke and a yarn on the deck by dayL
When life is a waking dreamM
And care and trouble so far awayL
That out of your life they seemM
A roving spirit in sympathyB
Who has travelled the whole world o'erN
My heart forgets in a week at seaB
The trouble of years on shoreO
-
A rolling stone 'tis a saw for slavesP
Philosophy false as oldQ
Wear out or break 'neath the feet of knavesP
Or rot in your bed of mouldQ
But I'D rather trust to the darkest skiesR
And the wildest seas that roarO
Or die where the stars of Nations riseR
In the stormy clouds of warO
-
Cleave to your country home and friendsS
Die in a sordid strifeT
You can count your friends on your finger endsS
In the critical hours of lifeT
Sacrifice all for the family's sakeU
Bow to their selfish ruleV
Slave till your big soft heart they breakU
The heart of the family foolV
-
Domestic quarrels and family spiteJ
And your Native Land may beB
Controlled by custom but come what mightJ
The rest of the world for meB
I'd sail with money or sail withoutW
If your love be forced from homeX
And you dare enough and your heart be stoutW
The world is your own to roamX
-
I've never a love that can sting my prideY
Nor a friend to prove untrueZ
For I leave my love ere the turning tideY
And my friends are all too newZ
The curse of the Powers on a peace like oursA2
With its greed and its treacheryB
A stranger's hand and a stranger landG
And the rest of the world for meB
-
But why be bitter The world is coldQ
To one with a frozen heartB2
New friends are often so like the oldQ
They seem of the past a partB2
As a better part of the past appearsC2
When enemies parted longD2
Are come together in kinder yearsC2
With their better nature strongD2
-
I had a friend ere my first ship sailedE2
A friend that I never deservedF2
For the selfish strain in my blood prevailedE2
As soon as my turn was servedF2
And the memory haunts my heart with shameG2
Or rather the pride that's thereH2
In different guises but soul the sameG2
I meet him everywhereH2
-
I had a chum When the times were tightJ
We starved in Australian scrubsC2
We froze together in parks at nightJ
And laughed together in pubsC2
And I often hear a laugh like hisC2
From a sense of humour keenI2
And catch a glimpse in a passing phizC2
Of his broad good humoured grinJ2
-
And I had a love 'twas a love to prizeC2
But I never went back againK2
I have seen the light of her kind brown eyesC2
In many a face since thenK2
-
-
-
The sailors say 'twill be rough to nightJ
As they fasten the hatches downL2
The south is black and the bar is whiteJ
And the drifting smoke is brownL2
The gold has gone from the western hazeC2
The sea birds circle and swarmM2
But we shall have plenty of sunny daysC2
And little enough of stormM2
-
The hill is hiding the short black pierA
As the last white signal's seenI2
The points run in and the houses veerA
And the great bluff stands betweenI2
So darkness swallows each far white speckK
On many a wharf and quayB
The night comes down on a restless deckK
Grim cliffs and The Open SeaB

Henry Lawson



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about The Vagabond poem by Henry Lawson


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 28 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets