Retrospect: The Jests Of The Clock Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACDD EFEFGG HIHIAA JKJKLL MNMNOO| He had met hours of the clock he never guessed before | A |
| Dumb dragging mirthless hours confused with dreams and fear | B |
| Bone chilling hungry hours when the gods sleep and snore | A |
| Bequeathing earth and heaven to ghosts and will not hear | C |
| And will not hear man groan chained to the sodden ground | D |
| Rotting alive in feather beds they slumbered sound | D |
| - | |
| When noisome smells of day were sicklied by cold night | E |
| When sentries froze and muttered when beyond the wire | F |
| Blank shadows crawled and tumbled shaking tricking the sight | E |
| When impotent hatred of Life stifled desire | F |
| Then soared the sudden rocket broke in blanching showers | G |
| O lagging watch O dawn O hope forsaken hours | G |
| - | |
| How often with numbed heart stale lips venting his rage | H |
| He swore he'd be a dolt a traitor a damned fool | I |
| If when the guns stopped ever again from youth to age | H |
| He broke the early rising early sleeping rule | I |
| No though more bestial enemies roused a fouler war | A |
| Never again would he bear this no never more | A |
| - | |
| Rise with the cheerful sun go to bed with the same | J |
| Work in your field or kailyard all the shining day | K |
| But he said never more in quest of wealth honour fame | J |
| Search the small hours of night before the East goes grey | K |
| A healthy mind a honest heart a wise man leaves | L |
| Those ugly impious times to ghosts devils soldiers thieves | L |
| - | |
| Poor fool knowing too well deep in his heart | M |
| That he'll be ready again if urgent orders come | N |
| To quit his rye and cabbages kiss his wife and part | M |
| At the first sullen rapping of the awakened drum | N |
| Ready once more to sweat with fear and brace for the shock | O |
| To greet beneath a falling flare the jests of the clock | O |
Robert Graves
(1)
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