John Barleycorn: A Ballad Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DECE FGHG IJKJ LMEM NOPO QRSN TNUN VWRW NXYX IZGZ A2B2C2B2 D2E2A2E2 XF2G2B RH2RI2| There was three kings unto the east | A |
| Three kings both great and high | B |
| And they hae sworn a solemn oath | C |
| John Barleycorn should die | B |
| - | |
| They took a plough and plough'd him down | D |
| Put clods upon his head | E |
| And they hae sworn a solemn oath | C |
| John Barleycorn was dead | E |
| - | |
| But the cheerful Spring came kindly on | F |
| And show'rs began to fall | G |
| John Barleycorn got up again | H |
| And sore surpris'd them all | G |
| - | |
| The sultry suns of Summer came | I |
| And he grew thick and strong | J |
| His head weel arm'd wi' pointed spears | K |
| That no one should him wrong | J |
| - | |
| The sober Autumn enter'd mild | L |
| When he grew wan and pale | M |
| His bending joints and drooping head | E |
| Show'd he bagan to fail | M |
| - | |
| His colour sicken'd more and more | N |
| He faded into age | O |
| And then his enemies began | P |
| To show their deadly rage | O |
| - | |
| They've taen a weapon long and sharp | Q |
| And cut him by the knee | R |
| Then tied him fast upon a cart | S |
| Like a rogue for forgerie | N |
| - | |
| They laid him down upon his back | T |
| And cudgell'd him full sore | N |
| They hung him up before the storm | U |
| And turn'd him o'er and o'er | N |
| - | |
| They filled up a darksome pit | V |
| With water to the brim | W |
| They heaved in John Barleycorn | R |
| There let him sink or swim | W |
| - | |
| They laid him out upon the floor | N |
| To work him further woe | X |
| And still as signs of life appear'd | Y |
| They toss'd him to and fro | X |
| - | |
| They wasted o'er a scorching flame | I |
| The marrow of his bones | Z |
| But a miller us'd him worst of all | G |
| For he crush'd him between two stones | Z |
| - | |
| And they hae taen his very heart's blood | A2 |
| And drank it round and round | B2 |
| And still the more and more they drank | C2 |
| Their joy did more abound | B2 |
| - | |
| John Barleycorn was a hero bold | D2 |
| Of noble enterprise | E2 |
| For if you do but taste his blood | A2 |
| 'Twill make your courage rise | E2 |
| - | |
| 'Twill make a man forget his woe | X |
| 'Twill heighten all his joy | F2 |
| 'Twill make the widow's heart to sing | G2 |
| Tho' the tear were in her eye | B |
| - | |
| Then let us toast John Barleycorn | R |
| Each man a glass in hand | H2 |
| And may his great posterity | R |
| Ne'er fail in old Scotland | I2 |
Robert Burns
(1)
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