The Gilded Roll Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABBCDEFGHI JBKLMNO PFQRSTBBCBSQUUBTVBVW Q XYZF UA2UUB2 C2D2TE2F2G2SKH2J I2UJ2KK2L2UA2M2 F2N2F UO2O2P2BO2BQ2BBWDQKR 2JS2T2N2CN2AU2 QBN2N2TQGDQN2V2 W2X2 N2 N2Y2X TN2CQ DN2 QZ2N2N2QBQ A3A3B3C3C3B3 N2QN2BN2P2 BTQ QSBA D3 BN2AQE3 F3 Q JN2N2LF G3 N2PN2N2PXN2XX N2QN2N2QXH3XH3 XN2XXN2Q2IQ2I QN2QQN2N2N2N2N2 L2N2L2L2N2N2QN2Q FI3N2N2J3K3XK3X CN2QSBSL3 M3BM3N2N3 O3 C3TX P3QN2XAQ3N2WJY2N2 N2XBW J R3R3S3S3R3 PPQQP N2N2N2N2N2 T3U3S3S3U3 S3S3S3S3S3 N2N2N2N2N2 N2N2N2V3N2 N2N2N2N2N2 Y2Y2U3U3Y2 N2N2U3U3N2 N2N2N2N2N2 W3W3XXW3 S3S3XXS3 Y2Y2Y2Y2Y2 S3S3XXS3 N2N2S3S3N2 S3S3I3I3S3 XXU3U3X X3X3JJX3 Y3Y3N2N2Y3 Y2Y2N2N2Y2 UUN2N2U U3U3I3I3U3 I3I3N2N2I3 N2N2U3U3N2 I3I3U3U3I3 N2N2CCN2 N2I3N2XI3BN2N2I3M3W I3 PPS3S3N2N2I3I3 I3I3XXS3S3I3I3 E2E2N2N2XXN2N2 JJI3I3N2N2I3I3 I3I3N2N2XXI3I3 N2I3U3N2BU3 S3N2 N2N2 X U U3 XBS3

Nosing around in an old box packed away and lost to memory for	A
years an hour ago I found a musty package of gilt paper or rather a	B
roll it was with the green tarnished gold of the old sheet for the	B
outer wrapper I picked it up mechanically to toss it into some	C
obscure corner when carelessly lifting it by one end a child's tin	D
whistle dropped therefrom and fell tinkling on the attic floor It	E
lies before me on my writing table now and so too does the roll	F
entire though now a roll no longer for my eager fingers have	G
unrolled the gilded covering and all its precious contents are spread	H
out beneath my hungry eyes	I
	-
Here is a scroll of ink written music I don't read music but I know	J
the dash and swing of the pen that rained it on the page Here is a	B
letter with the self same impulse and abandon in every syllable and	K
its melody however sweet the other is far more sweet to me And here	L
are other letters like it three five and seven at least Bob wrote	M
them from the front and Billy kept them for me when I went to join	N
him Dear boy Dear boy	O
	-
Here are some cards of bristol board Ah when Bob came to these there	P
were no blotches then What faces what expressions The droll	F
ridiculous good for nothing genius with his sad mouth as he	Q
called it upside down laughing always at everything at big	R
rallies and mass meetings and conventions county fairs and floral	S
halls booths watermelon wagons dancing tents the swing	T
Daguerrean car the lung barometer and the air gun man Oh what a	B
gifted good for nothing boy Bob was in those old days And here 's a	B
picture of a girlish face a very faded photograph even fresh from	C
the gallery five and twenty years ago it was a faded thing But the	B
living face how bright and clear that was for Doc Bob's awful	S
name for her was a pretty girl and brilliant clever lovable every	Q
way No wonder Bob fancied her And you could see some hint of her	U
jaunty loveliness in every fairy face he drew and you could find her	U
happy ways and dainty tastes unconsciously assumed in all he did the	B
books he read the poems he admired and those he wrote and ringing	T
clear and pure and jubilant the vibrant beauty of her voice could	V
clearly be defined and traced through all his music Now there's the	B
happy pair of them Bob and Doc Make of them just whatever your good	V
fancy may dictate but keep in mind the stern relentless ways of	W
destiny	Q
	-
You are not at the beginning of a novel only at the threshold of one	X
of a hundred experiences that lie buried in the past and this	Y
particular one most happily resurrected by these odds and ends found	Z
in the gilded roll	F
	-
You see dating away back the contents of this package mainly were	U
hastily gathered together after a week's visit out at the old Mills	A2
farm the gilt paper and the whistle and the pictures they were	U
Billy's the music pages Bob's or Doc's the letters and some other	U
manuscripts were mine	B2
	-
The Mills girls were great friends of Doc's and often came to visit	C2
her in town and so Doc often visited the Mills's This is the way	D2
that Bob first got out there and won them all and shaped the thing	T
for me as he would put it and lastly we had lugged in Billy such	E2
a handy boy you know to hold the horses on picnic excursions and to	F2
watch the carriage and the luncheon and all that Yes and Bob	G2
would say such a serviceable boy in getting all the fishing tackle	S
in proper order and digging bait and promenading in our wake up and	K
down the creek all day with the minnow bucket hanging on his arm	H2
don't you know	J
	-
But jolly as the days were I think jollier were the long evenings at	I2
the farm After the supper in the grove where when the weather	U
permitted always stood the table ankle deep in the cool green plush	J2
of the sward and after the lounge upon the grass and the cigars and	K
the new fish stories and the general invoice of the old ones it was	K2
delectable to get back to the girls again and in the old best room	L2
hear once more the lilt of the old songs and the stacattoed laughter	U
of the piano mingling with the alto and falsetto voices of the Mills	A2
girls and the gallant soprano of the dear girl Doc	M2
	-
This is the scene I want you to look in upon as in fancy I do	F2
now and here are the materials for it all husked from the gilded	N2
roll	F
	-
Bob the master leans at the piano now and Doc is at the keys her	U
glad face often thrown up sidewise toward his own His face is	O2
boyish for there is yet but the ghost of a mustache upon his lip His	O2
eyes are dark and clear of over size when looking at you but now	P2
their lids are drooped above his violin whose melody has for the	B
time almost smoothed away the upward kinkings of the corners of his	O2
mouth And wonderfully quiet now is every one and the chords of the	B
piano too are low and faltering and so at last the tune itself	Q2
swoons into the universal hush and Bob is rasping in its stead the	B
ridiculous but marvelously perfect imitation of the priming of a	B
pump while Billy's hands forget the chiggers on the bare backs of	W
his feet as with clapping palms he dances round the room in	D
ungovernable spasms of delight And then we all laugh and Billy	Q
taking advantage of the general tumult pulls Bob's head down and	K
whispers Git 'em to stay up 'way late to night And Bob perhaps	R2
remembering that we go back home to morrow winks at the little fellow	J
and whispers You let me manage 'em Stay up till broad daylight if	S2
we take a notion eh And Billy dances off again in newer glee while	T2
the inspired musician is plunking a banjo imitation on his enchanted	N2
instrument which is unceremoniously drowned out by a circus tune from	C
Doc that is absolutely inspiring to everyone but the barefooted	N2
brother who drops back listlessly to his old position on the floor	A
and sullenly renews operations on his chigger claims	U2
	-
Thought you was goin' to have pop corn to night all so fast he	Q
says doggedly in the midst of a momentary lull that has fallen on a	B
game of whist And then the oldest Mills girl who thinks cards stupid	N2
anyhow says That's so Billy and we're going to have it too and	N2
right away for this game's just ending and I shan't submit to being	T
bored with another I say 'pop corn' with Billy And after that she	Q
continues rising and addressing the party in general we must have	G
another literary and artistic tournament and that's been in	D
contemplation and preparation long enough so you gentlemen can be	Q
pulling your wits together for the exercises while us girls see to	N2
the refreshments	V2
	-
Have you done anything toward it queries Bob when the girls are	W2
gone with the alert Billy in their wake	X2
	-
Just an outline I reply How with you	N2
	-
Clean forgot it that is the preparation but I've got a little old	N2
second hand idea if you'll all help me out with it that'll amuse us	Y2
some and tickle Billy I'm certain	X
	-
So that's agreed upon and while Bob produces his portfolio drawing	T
paper pencils and so on I turn to my note book in a dazed way and	N2
begin counting my fingers in a depth of profound abstraction from	C
which I am barely aroused by the reappearance of the girls and Billy	Q
	-
Goody goody goody Bob's goin' to make pictures cries Billy in	D
additional transport to that the cake pop corn has produced	N2
	-
Now you girls says Bob gently detaching the affectionate Billy	Q
from one leg and moving a chair to the table with a backward glance	Z2
of intelligence toward the boy you girls are to help us all you	N2
can and we can all work but as I'll have all the illustrations to	N2
do I want you to do as many of the verses as you can that'll be	Q
easy you know because the work entire is just to consist of a	B
series of fool epigrams such as for instance Listen Billy	Q
	-
Here lies a young man	A3
Who in childhood began	A3
To swear and to smoke and to drink	B3
In his twentieth year	C3
He quit swearing and beer	C3
And yet is still smoking I think	B3
	-
And the rest of his instructions are delivered in lower tones that	N2
the boy may not hear and then all matters seemingly arranged he	Q
turns to the boy with And now Billy no lookin' over shoulders you	N2
know or swinging on my chair back while I'm at work When the	B
pictures are all finished then you can take a squint at 'em and not	N2
before Is that all hunky now	P2
	-
Oh who's a goin' to look over your shoulder only Doc And as the	B
radiant Doc hastily quits that very post and dives for the offending	T
brother he scrambles under the piano and laughs derisively	Q
	-
And then a silence falls upon the group a gracious quiet only	Q
intruded upon by the very juicy and exuberant munching of an apple	S
from a remote fastness of the room and the occasional thumping of a	B
bare heel against the floor	A
	-
At last I close my note book with a half slam	D3
	-
That means says Bob laying down his pencil and addressing the	B
girls That means he's concluded his poem and that he's not pleased	N2
with it in any manner and that he intends declining to read it for	A
that self acknowledged reason and that he expects us to believe every	Q
affected word of his entire speech	E3
	-
Oh don't I exclaim	F3
	-
Then give us the wretched production in all its hideous deformity	Q
	-
And the girls all laugh so sympathetically and Bob joins them so	J
gently and yet with a tone I know that can be changed so quickly to	N2
my further discomfiture that I arise at once and read without	N2
apology or excuse this primitive and very callow poem recovered here	L
to day from the gilded roll	F
	-
	-
	-
	-
A BACKWARD LOOK	G3
	-
	-
	-
As I sat smoking alone yesterday	N2
And lazily leaning back in my chair	P
Enjoying myself in a general way	N2
Allowing my thoughts a holiday	N2
From weariness toil and care	P
My fancies doubtless for ventilation	X
Left ajar the gates of my mind	N2
And Memory seeing the situation	X
Slipped out in street of Auld Lang Syne	X
	-
Wandering ever with tireless feet	N2
Through scenes of silence and jubilee	Q
Of long hushed voices and faces sweet	N2
Were thronging the shadowy side of the street	N2
As far as the eye could see	Q
Dreaming again in anticipation	X
The same old dreams of our boyhood's days	H3
That never come true from the vague sensation	X
Of walking asleep in the world's strange ways	H3
	-
Away to the house where I was born	X
And there was the selfsame clock that ticked	N2
From the close of dusk to the burst of morn	X
When life warm hands plucked the golden corn	X
And helped when the apples were picked	N2
And the chany dog on the mantel shelf	Q2
With the gilded collar and yellow eyes	I
Looked just as at first when I hugged myself	Q2
Sound asleep with the dear surprise	I
	-
And down to the swing in the locust tree	Q
Where the grass was worn from the trampled ground	N2
And where Eck Skinner Old Carr and three	Q
Or four such other boys used to be	Q
Doin' sky scrapers or whirlin' round	N2
And again Bob climbed for the bluebird's nest	N2
And again had shows in the buggy shed	N2
Of Guymon's barn where still unguessed	N2
The old ghosts romp through the best days dead	N2
	-
And again I gazed from the old school room	L2
With a wistful look of a long June day	N2
When on my cheek was the hectic bloom	L2
Caught of Mischief as I presume	L2
He had such a partial way	N2
It seemed toward me And again I thought	N2
Of a probable likelihood to be	Q
Kept in after school for a girl was caught	N2
Catching a note from me	Q
	-
And down through the woods to the swimming hole	F
Where the big white hollow old sycamore grows	I3
And we never cared when the water was cold	N2
And always ducked the boy that told	N2
On the fellow that tied the clothes	J3
When life went so like a dreamy rhyme	K3
That it seems to me now that then	X
The world was having a jollier time	K3
Than it ever will have again	X
	-
The crude production is received I am glad to note with some	C
expressions of favor from the company though Bob of course must	N2
heartlessly dissipate my weak delight by saying Well it's certainly	Q
bad enough though he goes on with an air of deepest critical	S
sagacity and fairness considered as it should be justly as the	B
production of a jour poet why it might be worse that is a little	S
worse	L3
	-
Probably I remember saying Probably I might redeem myself by	M3
reading you this little amateurish bit of verse enclosed to me in a	B
letter by mistake not very long ago I here fish an envelope from my	M3
pocket the address of which all recognize as in Bob's almost printed	N2
writing He smiles vacantly at it then vividly colors	N3
	-
What date he stoically asks	O3
	-
The date I suggestively answer of your last letter to our dear	C3
Doc at Boarding School two days exactly in advance of her coming	T
home this veritable visit now	X
	-
Both Bob and Doc rush at me but too late The letter and contents	P3
have wholly vanished The youngest Miss Mills quiets us urgently	Q
distracting us in fact by calling our attention to the immediate	N2
completion of our joint production For now she says with our new	X
reinforcement we can with becoming diligence soon have it ready for	A
both printer and engraver and then we'll wake up the boy who has	Q3
been fortunately slumbering for the last quarter of an hour and	N2
present to him as designed and intended this matchless creation of	W
our united intellects At the conclusion of this speech we all go	J
good humoredly to work and at the close of half an hour the tedious	Y2
but most ridiculous task is announced completed	N2
	-
As I arrange and place in proper form here on the table the separate	N2
cards twenty seven in number I sigh to think that I am unable to	X
transcribe for you the best part of the nonsensical work the	B
illustrations All I can give is the written copy of	W
	-
	-
	-
BILLY'S ALPHABETICAL ANIMAL SHOW	J
	-
	-
	-
A was an elegant Ape	R3
Who tied up his ears with red tape	R3
And wore a long veil	S3
Half revealing his tail	S3
Which was trimmed with jet bugles and crape	R3
	-
B was a boastful old Bear	P
Who used to say Hoomh I declare	P
I can eat if you'll get me	Q
The children and let me	Q
Ten babies teeth toenails and hair	P
	-
C was a Codfish who sighed	N2
When snatched from the home of his pride	N2
But could he embrined	N2
Guess this fragrance behind	N2
How glad he would be that he died	N2
	-
D was a dandified Dog	T3
Who said Though it's raining like fog	U3
I wear no umbrellah	S3
Me boy for a fellah	S3
Might just as well travel incog	U3
	-
E was an elderly Eel	S3
Who would say Well I really feel	S3
As my grandchildren wriggle	S3
And shout 'I should giggle'	S3
A trifle run down at the heel	S3
	-
F was a Fowl who conceded	N2
Some hens might hatch more eggs than she did	N2
But she'd children as plenty	N2
As eighteen or twenty	N2
And that was quite all that she needed	N2
	-
G was a gluttonous Goat	N2
Who dining one day table d'hote	N2
Ordered soup bone au fait	N2
And fish papier mache	V3
And a filet of Spring overcoat	N2
	-
H was a high cultured Hound	N2
Who could clear forty feet at a bound	N2
And a coon once averred	N2
That his howl could be heard	N2
For five miles and three quarters around	N2
	-
I was an Ibex ambitious	Y2
To dive over chasms auspicious	Y2
He would leap down a peak	U3
And not light for a week	U3
And swear that the jump was delicious	Y2
	-
J was a Jackass who said	N2
He had such a bad cold in his head	N2
If it wasn't for leaving	U3
The rest of us grieving	U3
He'd really rather be dead	N2
	-
K was a profligate Kite	N2
Who would haunt the saloons every night	N2
And often he ust	N2
To reel back to his roost	N2
Too full to set up on it right	N2
	-
L was a wary old Lynx	W3
Who would say Do you know wot I thinks	W3
I thinks ef you happen	X
To ketch me a nappin'	X
I'm ready to set up the drinks	W3
	-
M was a merry old Mole	S3
Who would snooze all the day in his hole	S3
Then all night a rootin'	X
Around and galootin'	X
He'd sing Johnny Fill up the Bowl	S3
	-
N was a caustical Nautilus	Y2
Who sneered I suppose when they've caught all us	Y2
Like oysters they'll serve us	Y2
And can us preserve us	Y2
And barrel and pickle and bottle us	Y2
	-
O was an autocrat Owl	S3
Such a wise such a wonderful fowl	S3
Why for all the night through	X
He would hoot and hoo hoo	X
And hoot and hoo hooter and howl	S3
	-
P was a Pelican pet	N2
Who gobbled up all he could get	N2
He could eat on until	S3
He was full to the bill	S3
And there he had lodgings to let	N2
	-
Q was a querulous Quail	S3
Who said It will little avail	S3
The efforts of those	I3
Of my foes who propose	I3
To attempt to put salt on my tail	S3
	-
R was a ring tailed Raccoon	X
With eyes of the tinge of the moon	X
And his nose a blue black	U3
And the fur on his back	U3
A sad sort of sallow maroon	X
	-
S is a Sculpin you'll wish	X3
Very much to have one on your dish	X3
Since all his bones grow	J
On the outside and so	J
He's a very desirable fish	X3
	-
T was a Turtle of wealth	Y3
Who went round with particular stealth	Y3
Why said he I'm afraid	N2
Of being waylaid	N2
When I even walk out for my health	Y3
	-
U was a Unicorn curious	Y2
With one horn of a growth so luxurious	Y2
He could level and stab it	N2
If you didn't grab it	N2
Clean through you he was so blamed furious	Y2
	-
V was a vagabond Vulture	U
Who said I don't want to insult yer	U
But when you intrude	N2
Where in lone solitude	N2
I'm a preyin' you're no man o' culture	U
	-
W was a wild Woodchuck	U3
And you can just bet that he could chuck	U3
He'd eat raw potatoes	I3
Green corn and tomatoes	I3
And tree roots and call it all good chuck	U3
	-
X was a kind of X cuse	I3
Of a some sort o' thing that got loose	I3
Before we could name it	N2
And cage it and tame it	N2
And bring it in general use	I3
	-
Y is the Yellowbird bright	N2
As a petrified lump of star light	N2
Or a handful of lightning	U3
Bugs squeezed in the tight'ning	U3
Pink fist of a boy at night	N2
	-
Z is the Zebra of course	I3
A kind of a clown of a horse	I3
Each other despising	U3
Yet neither devising	U3
A way to obtain a divorce	I3
	-
here is the famous what is it	N2
Walk up Master Billy and quiz it	N2
You've seen the rest of 'em	C
Ain't this the best of 'em	C
Right at the end of your visit	N2
	-
At last Billy is sent off to bed It is the prudent mandate of the old	N2
folks But so lothfully the poor child goes Bob's heart goes	I3
too Yes Bob himself to keep the little fellow company awhile and	N2
up there under the old rafters in the pleasant gloom lull him to	X
famous dreams with fairy tales And it is during this brief absence	I3
that the youngest Mills girl gives us a surprise She will read a	B
poem she says written by a very dear friend of hers who fortunately	N2
for us is not present to prevent her We guard door and window as she	N2
reads Doc says she will not listen but she does listen and cries	I3
too out of pure vexation she asserts The rest of us however cry	M3
just because of the apparent honesty of the poem of	W
	-
	-
	-
BEAUTIFUL HANDS	I3
	-
	-
O your hands they are strangely fair	P
Fair for the jewels that sparkle there	P
Fair for the witchery of the spell	S3
That ivory keys alone can tell	S3
But when their delicate touches rest	N2
Here in my own do I love them best	N2
As I clasp with eager acquisitive spans	I3
My glorious treasure of beautiful hands	I3
	-
Marvelous wonderful beautiful hands	I3
They can coax roses to bloom in the strands	I3
Of your brown tresses and ribbons will twine	X
Under mysterious touches of thine	X
Into such knots as entangle the soul	S3
And fetter the heart under such a control	S3
As only the strength of my love understands	I3
My passionate love for your beautiful hands	I3
	-
As I remember the first fair touch	E2
Of those beautiful hands that I love so much	E2
I seem to thrill as I then was thrilled	N2
Kissing the glove that I found unfilled	N2
When I met your gaze and the queenly bow	X
As you said to me laughingly Keep it now	X
And dazed and alone in a dream I stand	N2
Kissing this ghost of your beautiful hand	N2
	-
When first I loved in the long ago	J
And held your hand as I told you so	J
Pressed and caressed it and gave it a kiss	I3
And said I could die fora hand like this	I3
Little I dreamed love's fulness yet	N2
Had to ripen when eyes were wet	N2
And prayers were vain in their wild demands	I3
For one warm touch of your beautiful hands	I3
	-
Beautiful Hands O Beautiful Hands	I3
Could you reach out of the alien lands	I3
Where you are lingering and give me to night	N2
Only a touch were it ever so light	N2
My heart were soothed and my weary brain	X
Would lull itself into rest again	X
For there is no solace the world commands	I3
Like the caress of your beautiful hands	I3
	-
	-
	-
Violently winking at the mist that blurs my sight I regretfully	N2
awaken to the here and now And is it possible I sorrowfully muse	I3
that all this glory can have fled away that more than twenty long	U3
long years are spread between me and that happy night And is it	N2
possible that all the dear old faces O quit it quit it Gather the	B
old scraps up and wad 'em back into oblivion where they belong	U3
	-
Yes but be calm be calm Think of cheerful things You are not all	S3
alone Billy's living yet	N2
	-
I know and six feet high and sag shouldered and owns a tin and	N2
stove store and can't hear thunder Billy	N2
	-
And the youngest Mills girl she's alive too	X
	-
S'pose I don't know that I married her	U
	-
And Doc	U3
	-
Bob married her Been in California for more than fifteen years on	X
some blasted cattle ranch or something and he's worth a half a	B
million And am I less prosperous with this gilded roll	S3

James Whitcomb Riley

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