You Are Old Father William Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCE FGFG HIHI JGJG KLKL MNMO PQP Q| You are old father William the young man said | A |
| And your hair has become very white | B |
| And yet you incessantly stand on your head | A |
| Do you think at your age it is right | B |
| - | |
| In my youth father William replied to his son | C |
| I feared it might injure the brain | D |
| But now that I'm perfectly sure I have none | C |
| Why I do it again and again | E |
| - | |
| You are old said the youth as I mentioned before | F |
| And you have grown most uncommonly fat | G |
| Yet you turned a back somersault in at the door | F |
| Pray what is the reason for that | G |
| - | |
| In my youth said the sage as he shook his grey locks | H |
| I kept all my limbs very supple | I |
| By the use of this ointment one shilling a box | H |
| Allow me to sell you a couple | I |
| - | |
| You are old said the youth and your jaws are too weak | J |
| For anything tougher than suet | G |
| Yet you finished the goose with the bones and the beak | J |
| Pray how did you mange to do it | G |
| - | |
| In my youth said his fater I took to the law | K |
| And argued each case with my wife | L |
| And the muscular strength which it gave to my jaw | K |
| Has lasted the rest of my life | L |
| - | |
| You are old said the youth one would hardly suppose | M |
| That your eye was as steady as every | N |
| Yet you balanced an eel on the tend of your nose | M |
| What made you so awfully clever | O |
| - | |
| I have answered three questions and that is enough | P |
| Said his father Don't give yourself airs | Q |
| Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff | P |
| - | |
| Be off or I'll kick you down stairs | Q |
Lewis Carroll
(2)
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