Comrades An Episode Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABCCDEEFFGGHIHJKLMJ MJNOJJPPQRR SSOOCTTUV IIWW XXYYW WZI KK H HYYQQYYOOYYA2 YYQQB2B2Y YY C2C2D2D2WYWY YQQH| Before before he was aware | A |
| The 'Verey' light had risen on the air | A |
| in hung glistering | B |
| And he could not stay his hand | C |
| From moving to the barbed wire's broken strand | C |
| A rifle cracked | D |
| He fell | E |
| Night waned He was alone A heavy shell | E |
| Whispered itself passing high high overhead | F |
| His wound was wet to his hand for still it bled | F |
| On the glimmering ground | G |
| Then with a slow vain smile his wound be bound | G |
| Knowing of course he'd not see home again | H |
| Home whose thought he put away | I |
| His men | H |
| Whispered 'Where's Mister Gates ' 'Out on the wire ' | J |
| 'I'll get him ' said one | K |
| Dawn blinked and the fire | L |
| Of the Germans heaved up and down the line | M |
| 'Stand to ' | J |
| Too late 'I'll get him ' 'Oh the swine | M |
| When we might get him in yet safe and whole ' | J |
| 'Corp'ral didn't see um fall out on patrol | N |
| Or he'd a got um ' 'Ssssh' | O |
| 'No talking there ' | J |
| A whisper ''A went down at the last flare ' | J |
| Meanwhile the Maxims toc toc tocked their swish | P |
| Of bullets told death lurked against the wish | P |
| No hope for him | Q |
| His corporal as one shamed | R |
| Vainly and helplessly his ill luck blamed | R |
| - | |
| Then Gates slowly saw the morn | S |
| Break in a rose peace through the lone thorn | S |
| By which he lay and felt the dawn wind pass | O |
| Whispering through the pallid stalky grass | O |
| Of No Man's Land | C |
| And the tears came | T |
| Scaldingly sweet more lovely than a flame | T |
| He closed his eyes he thought of home | U |
| And grit his teeth He knew no help could come | V |
| - | |
| The silent sun over the earth held sway | I |
| Occasional rifles cracked and far away | I |
| A heedless speck a 'plane slid on alone | W |
| Like a fly traversing a cliff of stone | W |
| - | |
| 'I must get back ' said Gates aloud and heaved | X |
| At his body But it lay bereaved | X |
| Of any power He could not wait till night | Y |
| And he lay still Blood swam across his sight | Y |
| Then with a groan | W |
| 'No luck ever Well I must die alone ' | - |
| - | |
| Occasional rifles cracked A cloud that shone | W |
| Gold rimmed blackened the sun and then was gone | Z |
| The sun still smiled The grass sang in its play | I |
| Some one whistled 'Over the hills and far away ' | - |
| Gates watched silently the swift swift sun | K |
| Burning his life before it was begun | K |
| - | |
| Suddenly he heard Corporal Timmins' voice 'Now then | H |
| 'Urry up with that tea ' | - |
| 'Hin Ginger ' 'Bill ' His men | H |
| Timmins and Jones and Wilkinson 'the bard' | Y |
| And Hughes and Simpson It was hard | Y |
| Not to see them Wilkinson stubby grim | Q |
| With his 'No sir ' 'Yes sir ' and the slim | Q |
| Simpson 'Indeed sir ' while it seemed he winked | Y |
| Because his smiling left eye always blinked | Y |
| And Corporal Timmins straight and blonde and wise | O |
| With his quiet scanning level hazel eyes | O |
| And all the others tunics that didn't fit | Y |
| A dozen different sorts of eyes Oh it | Y |
| Was hard to lie there Yet he must But no | A2 |
| 'I've got to die I'll get to them I'll go ' | - |
| - | |
| Inch by inch he fought breathless and mute | Y |
| Dragging his carcase like a famished brute | Y |
| His head was hammering and his eyes were dim | Q |
| A bloody sweat seemed to ooze out of him | Q |
| And freeze along his spine then he'd lie still | B2 |
| Before another effort of his will | B2 |
| Took him one nearer yard | Y |
| - | |
| The parapet was reached | Y |
| He could not rise to it A look out screeched | Y |
| 'Mr Gates ' | - |
| Three figures in one breath | C2 |
| Leaped up Two figures fell in toppling death | C2 |
| And Gates was lifted in 'Who's hit ' said he | D2 |
| 'Timmins and Jones ' 'Why did they that for me | D2 |
| I'm gone already ' Gently they laid him prone | W |
| And silently watched | Y |
| He twitched They heard him moan | W |
| 'Why for me ' His eyes roamed round and none replied | Y |
| 'I see it was alone I should have died ' | - |
| They shook their heads Then 'Is the doctor here ' | - |
| 'He's comin' sir he's hurryin' no fear ' | - |
| 'No good | Y |
| 'Lift me ' They lifted him | Q |
| He smiled and held his arms out to the dim | Q |
| And in a moment passed beyond their ken | H |
| Hearing him whisper 'O my men my men ' | - |
Robert Nichols
(1)
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