Mr. What's-his-name Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABB CCDD EEFF AAGG HHII JJKK LLMM AANN LLEE OOPP QJRR HHSS TTUU MME CCAA

They called him Mr What's his nameA
From where he was or why he cameA
Or when or what he found to doB
Nobody in the city knewB
-
He lived it seemed shut up aloneC
In a low hovel of his ownC
There cooked his meals and made his bedD
Careless of all his neighbors saidD
-
His neighbors too said many thingsE
Expressive of grave wonderingsE
Since none of them had ever beenF
Within his doors or peered thereinF
-
In fact grown watchful they becameA
Assured that Mr What's his nameA
Was up to something wrong indeedG
Small doubt of it we all agreedG
-
At night were heard strange noises thereH
When honest people everywhereH
Had long retired and his lightI
Was often seen to burn all nightI
-
He left his house but seldom thenJ
Would always hurry back againJ
As though he feared some stranger's knockK
Finding him gone might burst the lockK
-
Beside he carried every dayL
At the one hour he went awayL
A basket with the contents hidM
Beneath its woven willow lidM
-
And so we grew to greatly blameA
This wary Mr What's his nameA
And look on him with such distrustN
His actions seemed to sanction justN
-
But when he died he died one dayL
Dropped in the street while on his wayL
To that old wretched hut of hisE
You'll think it strange perhaps it isE
-
But when we lifted him and pastO
The threshold of his home at lastO
No man of all the crowd but steppedP
With reverence Aye quailed and weptP
-
What was it Just a shriek of painQ
I pray to never hear againJ
A withered woman old and bowedR
That fell and crawled and cried aloudR
-
And kissed the dead man's matted hairH
Lifted his face and kissed him thereH
Called to him as she clutched his handS
In words no one could understandS
-
Insane Yes Well we searching foundT
An unsigned letter in a roundT
Free hand within the dead man's breastU
'Look to my mother I'm at restU
-
You'll find my money safely hidM
Under the lining of the lidM
Of my work basket It is hersE
And God will bless her ministers '-
-
And some day though he died unknownC
If through the City by the ThroneC
I walk all cleansed of earthly shameA
I'll ask for Mr What's his nameA

James Whitcomb Riley



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Ms what’s her name: My favorite poem that my mother read to me as a child
 
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