The Runcorn Ferry Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DEFE CGHG IJKJ LEME NOPO QRPR KOSO TMUM VWAW XPYP ZEAE A2QB2Q C2VCV D2MA2M E2F2G2F2 B2EPE H2VQV| On the banks of the Mersey o'er on Cheshire side | A |
| Lies Runcorn that's best known to fame | B |
| By Transporter Bridge as takes folks over t'stream | C |
| Or else brings them back across same | B |
| - | |
| In days afore Transporter Bridge were put up | D |
| A ferryboat lay in the slip | E |
| And old Ted the boatman would row folks across | F |
| At per tuppence per person per trip | E |
| - | |
| Now Runcorn lay over on one side of stream | C |
| And Widnes on t'other side stood | G |
| And as nobody wanted to go either place | H |
| Well the trade wasn't any too good | G |
| - | |
| One evening to Ted's superlative surprise | I |
| Three customers came into view | J |
| A Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom it were | K |
| And Albert their little son too | J |
| - | |
| How much for the three Mr Ramsbottom asked | L |
| As his hand to his pocket did dip | E |
| Ted said Same for three as it would be for one | M |
| Per tuppence per person per trip | E |
| - | |
| You're not charging tuppence for that little lad | N |
| Said Mother her eyes flashing wild | O |
| Per tuppence per person per trip answered Ted | P |
| Per woman per man or per child | O |
| - | |
| Fivepence for three that's the most that I'll pay | Q |
| Said Father Don't waste time in talk | R |
| Per tuppence per person per trip answered Ted | P |
| And them as can't pay 'as to walk | R |
| - | |
| We can walk an' all said Father Come Mother | K |
| It's none so deep weather's quite mild | O |
| So into the water the three of them stepped | S |
| The father the mother the child | O |
| - | |
| The further they paddled the deeper it got | T |
| But they wouldn't give in once begun | M |
| In the spirit that's made Lancashire what she is | U |
| They'd sooner be drownded than done | M |
| - | |
| Very soon the old people were up to their necks | V |
| And the little lad clean out of sight | W |
| Said Father Where's Albert And Mother replied | A |
| I've got hold of his hand he's all right | W |
| - | |
| Well just at that moment Pa got an idea | X |
| And floundering back to old Ted He said | P |
| We've walked half way Come tak' us the rest | Y |
| For half price that's a penny a head | P |
| - | |
| But Ted wasn't standing for none of that there | Z |
| And making an obstinate lip | E |
| Per tuppence per person per trip Ted replied | A |
| Per trip or per part of per trip | E |
| - | |
| All right then said Father let me tak' the boat | A2 |
| And I'll pick up the others half way | Q |
| I'll row them across and I'll bring the boat back | B2 |
| And thruppence in t'bargain I'll pay | Q |
| - | |
| T'were money for nothing Ted answered Right ho | C2 |
| And Father got hold of the sculls | V |
| With the sharp end of boat towards middle of stream | C |
| He were there in a couple of pulls | V |
| - | |
| He got Mother out it were rather a job | D2 |
| With the water she weighed half a ton | M |
| Then pushing the oar down the side of the boat | A2 |
| Started fishing around for his son | M |
| - | |
| When poor little Albert came up to the top | E2 |
| His collars were soggy and limp | F2 |
| And with holding his breath at the bottom so long | G2 |
| His face were as red as a shrimp | F2 |
| - | |
| Pa took them across and he brought the boat back | B2 |
| And he said to old Ted on the slip | E |
| Wilt' row me across by me'sen Ted said | P |
| Aye at per tuppence per person per trip | E |
| - | |
| When they got t'other side Father laughed fit to bust | H2 |
| He'd got best of bargain you see | V |
| He'd worked it all out and he'd got his own way | Q |
| And he'd paid nobbut fivepence for three | V |
Marriott Edgar
(1)
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