The Dog That Carried His Master's Dinner Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDDCEEEEFFGGHHIJ JIKKKLLMNOOPPQR STUAVKKVUWWUU| Our eyes are not made proof against the fair | A |
| Nor hands against the touch of gold | B |
| Fidelity is sadly rare | A |
| And has been from the days of old | B |
| Well taught his appetite to check | C |
| And do full many a handy trick | D |
| A dog was trotting light and quick | D |
| His master's dinner on his neck | C |
| A temperate self denying dog was he | E |
| More than with such a load he liked to be | E |
| But still he was while many such as we | E |
| Would not have scrupled to make free | E |
| Strange that to dogs a virtue you may teach | F |
| Which do your best to men you vainly preach | F |
| This dog of ours thus richly fitted out | G |
| A mastiff met who wish'd the meat no doubt | G |
| To get it was less easy than he thought | H |
| The porter laid it down and fought | H |
| Meantime some other dogs arrive | I |
| Such dogs are always thick enough | J |
| And fearing neither kick nor cuff | J |
| Upon the public thrive | I |
| Our hero thus o'ermatch'd and press'd | K |
| The meat in danger manifest | K |
| Is fain to share it with the rest | K |
| And looking very calm and wise | L |
| 'No anger gentlemen ' he cries | L |
| 'My morsel will myself suffice | M |
| The rest shall be your welcome prize ' | N |
| With this the first his charge to violate | O |
| He snaps a mouthful from his freight | O |
| Then follow mastiff cur and pup | P |
| Till all is cleanly eaten up | P |
| Not sparingly the party feasted | Q |
| And not a dog of all but tasted | R |
| - | |
| In some such manner men abuse | S |
| Of towns and states the revenues | T |
| The sheriffs aldermen and mayor | U |
| Come in for each a liberal share | A |
| The strongest gives the rest example | V |
| 'Tis sport to see with what a zest | K |
| They sweep and lick the public chest | K |
| Of all its funds however ample | V |
| If any commonweal's defender | U |
| Should dare to say a single word | W |
| He's shown his scruples are absurd | W |
| And finds it easy to surrender | U |
| Perhaps to be the first offender | U |
Jean De La Fontaine
(1)
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