John Barleycorn Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DECE FGHG IJKJ LMEM NOPO QRSN TNUN VWRW NXYX IZGZ A2B2C2B2 D2E2A2E2 XF2G2B RH2RI2| There were three kings into the east | A |
| Three kings both great and high | B |
| An' they hae sworn a solemn oath | C |
| John Barleycorn should die | B |
| - | |
| They took a plough and ploughed him down | D |
| Put clods upon his head | E |
| An' they hae sworn a solemn oath | C |
| John Barleycorn was dead | E |
| - | |
| But the cheerfu' spring came kindly on | F |
| And show'rs began to fall | G |
| John Barleycorn got up again | H |
| And sore surprised them all | G |
| - | |
| The sultry suns of summer came | I |
| And he grew thick and strong | J |
| His head weel armed wi' pointed spears | K |
| That no one should him wrong | J |
| - | |
| The sober autumn entered mild | L |
| When he grew wan and pale | M |
| His bending joints and drooping head | E |
| Showed he began to fail | M |
| - | |
| His colour sickened more and more | N |
| He faded into age | O |
| And then his enemies began | P |
| To show their deadly rage | O |
| - | |
| They've ta'en 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 cudgelled him full sore | N |
| They hung him up before the storm | U |
| And turned 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 farther woe | X |
| And still as signs of life appeared | Y |
| They tossed him to and fro | X |
| - | |
| They wasted o'er a scorching flame | I |
| The marrow of his bones | Z |
| But a miller used him worst of all | G |
| For he crushed him 'tween two stones | Z |
| - | |
| And they hae ta'en 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
(5)
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About John Barleycorn
John Barleycorn is a poem by Robert Burns. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
Write your comment about John Barleycorn poem by Robert Burns
Margret: Is the poem above the original poem of Robert Burns or not? (because it says "there were" in the first line and I thought, the original version would start with "there was" but I'm not sure)
RALPH MACE: SEE ATTACHED, r.m.