How They Brought The Good News From Ghent To Aix Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAAABB CCDDEE AAAAFF GGHHII JJKKGG AALLMM NNOODD GGPPQQ RRAASS TTGGUU| I sprang to the stirrup and Joris and he | A |
| I galloped Dirck galloped we galloped all three | A |
| Good speed cried the watch as the gate bolts undrew | A |
| Speed echoed the wall to us galloping through | A |
| Behind shut the postern the lights sank to rest | B |
| And into the midnight we galloped abreast | B |
| - | |
| Not a word to each other we kept the great pace | C |
| Neck by neck stride by stride never changing our place | C |
| I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight | D |
| Then shortened each stirrup and set the pique right | D |
| Rebuckled the cheek strap chained slacker the bit | E |
| Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit | E |
| - | |
| 'Twas moonset at starting but while we drew near | A |
| Lokeren the cocks crew and twilight dawned clear | A |
| At Boom a great yellow star came out to see | A |
| At Duffeld 'twas morning as plain as could be | A |
| And from Mecheln church steeple we heard the half chime | F |
| So Joris broke silence with Yet there is time | F |
| - | |
| At Aerschot up leaped of a sudden the sun | G |
| And against him the cattle stood black every one | G |
| To stare through the mist at us galloping past | H |
| And I saw my stout galloper Roland at last | H |
| With resolute shoulders each butting away | I |
| The haze as some bluff river headland its spray | I |
| - | |
| And his low head and crest just one sharp ear bent back | J |
| For my voice and the other pricked out on his track | J |
| And one eye's black intelligence ever that glance | K |
| O'er its white edge at me his own master askance | K |
| And the thick heavy spume flakes which aye and anon | G |
| His fierce lips shook upwards in galloping on | G |
| - | |
| By Hasselt Dirck groaned and cried Joris Stay spur | A |
| Your Roos galloped bravely the fault's not in her | A |
| We'll remember at Aix for one heard the quick wheeze | L |
| Of her chest saw the stretched neck and staggering knees | L |
| And sunk tail and horrible heave of the flank | M |
| As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank | M |
| - | |
| So we were left galloping Joris and I | N |
| Past Looz and past Tongres no cloud in the sky | N |
| The broad sun above laughed a pitiless laugh | O |
| 'Neath our feet broke the brittle bright stubble like chaff | O |
| Till over by Dalhem a dome spire sprang white | D |
| And Gallop gasped Joris for Aix is in sight | D |
| - | |
| How they'll greet us and all in a moment his roan | G |
| Rolled neck and croup over lay dead as a stone | G |
| And there was my Roland to bear the whole weight | P |
| Of the news which alone could save Aix from her fate | P |
| With his nostrils like pits full of blood to the brim | Q |
| And with circles of red for his eye socket's rim | Q |
| - | |
| Then I cast loose my buffcoat each holster let fall | R |
| Shook off both my jack boots let go belt and all | R |
| Stood up in the stirrup leaned patted his ear | A |
| Called my Roland his pet name my horse without peer | A |
| Clapped my hands laughed and sang any noise bad or good | S |
| Till at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood | S |
| - | |
| And all I remember is friends flocking round | T |
| As I sat with his head 'twixt my knees on the ground | T |
| And no voice but was praising this Roland of mine | G |
| As I poured down his throat our last measure of wine | G |
| Which the burgesses voted by common consent | U |
| Was no more than his due who brought good news from Ghent | U |
Robert Browning
(1)
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