The Downward Road. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCBDEFEGHIJKLMNOPQJ NORJSTUTVAAAWXPXYAZA AA2B2A2AHC2JD2E2F2E2 G2H2I2H2| Two Yankee maids of simple mien | A |
| And earnest high endeavour | B |
| Come sailing to the land of France | C |
| To escape the winter weather | B |
| When first they reached that vicious shore | D |
| They scorned the native ways | E |
| Refused to eat the native grub | F |
| Or ride in native shays | E |
| 'Oh for the puddings of our home | G |
| Oh for some simple food | H |
| These horrid greasy unknown things | I |
| How can you think them good ' | J |
| Thus to Amanda did they say | K |
| An uncomplaining maid | L |
| Who ate in peace and answered not | M |
| Until one day they said | N |
| How can you eat this garbage vile | O |
| Against all nature's laws | P |
| How can you eat your nails in points | Q |
| Until they look like claws ' | J |
| Then patiently Amanda said | N |
| 'My loves just wait a while | O |
| The time will come you will not think | R |
| The nails or victuals vile ' | J |
| A month has passed and now we see | S |
| That prophecy fulfilled | T |
| The ardour of those carping maids | U |
| Is most completely chilled | T |
| Matilda was the first to fall | V |
| Lured by the dark gossoon | A |
| In awful dishes one by one | A |
| She dipped her timid spoon | A |
| She promised for one little week | W |
| To let her nails grow long | X |
| But added in a saving clause | P |
| She thought it very wrong | X |
| Thus did she take the fatal plunge | Y |
| Did compromise with sin | A |
| Then all was lost from that day forth | Z |
| French ways were sure to win | A |
| Lavinia followed in her train | A |
| And ran the self same road | A2 |
| Ate sweet bread first then chopped up brains | B2 |
| Eels mushrooms pickled toad | A2 |
| She cries 'How flat the home cuisine | A |
| After this luscious food | H |
| Puddings and brutal joints of meat | C2 |
| That once we fancied good ' | J |
| And now in all their leisure hours | D2 |
| One resource never fails | E2 |
| Morning and noon and night they sit | F2 |
| And polish up their nails | E2 |
| Then if in one short fatal month | G2 |
| A change like this appears | H2 |
| Oh what will be the next result | I2 |
| When they have stayed for years | H2 |
Louisa May Alcott
(1)
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