My Maiden Vote - (to John Fraser) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAAAAABCAADE AAAFFAAGGG HHAAII JJHHKLLKAAAA AAAMANOAM NOPPQPQRRAR SSOOAATTRR PPUV TT WWThere in my mind's eye pure it lay | A |
My lodger's vote 'Twas mine to day | A |
It seemed a sort of maidenhood | A |
My little power for public good | A |
Oh keep it uncorrupted pray | A |
And when it must be given away | A |
See it be given with a sense | B |
Of most uncanvassed innocence | C |
Alas but few there be that know't | A |
How grave a thing it is to vote | A |
For most men's votes are given I hear | D |
Either for rhetoric or beer | E |
- | |
A young man's vote O fair estate | A |
Of the great tree electorate | A |
A living leaf of this great sea | A |
A motive wave of empire I | F |
On this stupendous wheel a fly | F |
O maiden vote how pure must be | A |
The party that is worthy thee | A |
And thereupon my mind began | G |
That perfect government to plan | G |
The high millennium of man | G |
- | |
Then in my dream I saw arise | H |
An England ah so fair and wise | H |
An England generously great | A |
No selfish island but a state | A |
Upon the world's bright forehead worn | I |
A mighty star of mighty morn | I |
- | |
And statesmen in that dream became | J |
No tricksters of the petty aim | J |
Mere speculators in the rise | H |
Of programmes and of party cries | H |
Expert in all those turns and tricks | K |
That make this senate house of ours | L |
Westminster with its lordly towers | L |
The stock exchange of politics | K |
But that ideal Parliament | A |
Did all it said said all it meant | A |
And every Minister of State | A |
Was guileless as a candidate | A |
- | |
Statesmen no more the tinker's way | A |
Mended and patched from day to day | A |
Content with piecing part with part | A |
But took the mighty problem whole | M |
Beginning with the human heart | A |
For noble rulers make in vain | N |
Unselfish laws for selfish men | O |
And give the whole wide world its vote | A |
But who is going to give it soul | M |
- | |
And then I dreamed had come to reign | N |
True peace within our land again | O |
Not peace that rots the soul with ease | P |
Or those ignoble 'rivalries | P |
Of peace' more murderous than war | Q |
But just the simple peasant peace | P |
The weary world is waiting for | Q |
With simple food and simple wear | R |
Go lots of love and little care | R |
And joy is saved from over sweet | A |
By struggle not too hard to bear | R |
- | |
So dreamed I on from dream to dream | S |
Till slow returning to my theme | S |
Upon my vote I looked again | O |
To whom was I to give it then | O |
That uncorrupted maidenhood | A |
My little power for public good | A |
What party was there that I knew | T |
That I might dare intrust it to | T |
A perfect party fair and square | R |
My House of Commons in the air | R |
- | |
Though called by many different names | P |
Each one professed the noblest aims | P |
Should all be right 'twas logical | U |
That I should give my vote to all | V |
- | |
And then of parties old and new | T |
Which one if only one were true | T |
- | |
The divination passed my skill | W |
My maiden vote is maiden still | W |
Richard Le Gallienne
(1)
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