Convalescence Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABCDDEEFFFGGHHIIJKL LMNNOOPPQQRRSTDDDUVV WWPP| Hold my hand little Sister and nurse my head whilst I try to remember the word | A |
| What was it that the doctor says is now fairly established both in me and my bird | A |
| C O N con with a con S T A N stan with a stan No That's Constantinople that is | B |
| The capital of the country where rhubarb and magnesia comes from and I wish they would keep it in that country and not send it to this | C |
| C O N con how my head swims Now I've got it C O N V A L E S C E N C E | D |
| Convalescence And that's what the doctor says is now fairly established both in my blackbird and me | D |
| He says it means that you are better and that you'll be well by and by | E |
| And so the Sea captain says and he says we ought to be friends because we're both convalescents at least we're all three convalescents my blackbird and the Captain and I | E |
| He's a sea captain not a land captain but all the same he was in the war | F |
| And he fought for I asked him and he's been ill ever since and that's why he's not afloat but ashore | F |
| And why somebody else has got his ship and she behaved so beautifully in the battle and he loves her quite as much as his wife and rather better than the rest of his relations for I asked him and now he's afraid she will never belong to him any more | F |
| I like him I've seen him three times out walking with two sticks when I was driving in the bath chair but I never talked to him till to day | G |
| He'd only one stick and a telescope and he let me look through it at the big ship that was coming round the corner into the bay | G |
| He was very kind and let me ask questions I said Are you a sea captain and he said Yes And I said How funny it is about land things and sea things | H |
| There are captains and sea captains and weeds and sea weeds and serpents and sea serpents Did you ever meet one and is it really like the dragons on our very old best blue tea things | H |
| But he never did So I asked him Have you got convalescence Does your doctor say it is fairly established Do your eyes ache if you try to read and your neck if you draw and your back if you sit up and your head if you talk | I |
| Don't you get tired of doing nothing and worse tired still if you do anything and does everything wobble about when you walk | I |
| Wouldn't you rather go back to bed I think I would Don't you wish you were well Wouldn't you rather be ill than only better | J |
| I do hate convalescence don't you | K |
| Then I stopped asking and he shut up his telescope and sat down on the shingle and said When you come to my age little chap you won't think 'What is it I'd rather have ' but 'What is it I've got to do ' | L |
| 'What have I got to do or to bear and how can I do it or bear it best ' | L |
| That's the only safe point to make for my lad Make for it and leave the rest | M |
| I said But wouldn't you rather be in battles than in bed with your head aching as if it would split | N |
| And he said Of course I would so would most men But my little convalescent that's not it | N |
| What would you think of a man who was ordered into battle and went grumbling and wishing he were in bed | O |
| What should I think of the fellow Why I should know he was a coward I said | O |
| And if he were confined to bed said the Sea captain and lay grumbling and wishing he were in battle I should give him no better a name | P |
| For the courage that dares and the courage that bears are really one and the same | P |
| Hold my hand little Sister and nurse my head for I'm thinking and I very much fear | Q |
| You've had no good of being well since I was ill I've led you such a life but indeed I am obliged to you dear | Q |
| Is it true that Nurse has got something the matter with her legs and that Mary has gone home because she's worn out with nursing | R |
| And won't be fit to work for months will she be convalescent because it was such hard work waiting on me and did Cook say So much grumbling and complaining is nigh as big a sin as swearing and cursing | R |
| I wish I hadn't been so cross with poor Mary and I wish I hadn't given so much trouble about my medicine and my food | S |
| I didn't think about her I only thought what a bother it was I wish I hadn't thought so much about being miserable that I never thought of trying to be good | T |
| I believe the Sea captain is right and I shall tell him so to morrow when he comes here to tea | D |
| He's going to look at my blackbird's leg and if it is really set he wants me to let it go free | D |
| He says captivity is worse than convalescence and so I should think it must be | D |
| Are you tired little Sister You feel shaky Don't beg my pardon I beg yours I've not let you go out of my sight for weeks | U |
| Get your things on and have a gallop on Jack | V |
| Ride round this way and let me see you I won't say a word about wishing I was going too and if my head gets bad whilst you're away I will bear it my very best till you come back | V |
| Tell me one thing before you start If I learn to be patient shall I learn to be brave do you think The Sea captain says so | W |
| He says Self command is the making of a man and he's a finely made man himself so he ought to know | W |
| Perhaps if I try hard at Convalescence now I may become a brave sea captain hereafter and take my beautiful ship into battle and bring her out again with flying colours and fame | P |
| If the courage that dares and the courage that bears are really one and the same | P |
Juliana Horatia Ewing
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