Jean Desprez Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCA DDAACA EECCFFGGHI AAGGJJ BBGGKK LLMMNN GGKKMM CCOOLLDDMM DDGGEEGG CAPPQQ AARRMMST AAKKUUEE| Oh ye whose hearts are resonant and ring to War's romance | A |
| Hear ye the story of a boy a peasant boy of France | A |
| A lad uncouth and warped with toil yet who when trial came | B |
| Could feel within his soul upleap and soar the sacred flame | B |
| Could stand upright and scorn and smite as only heroes may | C |
| Oh harken Let me try to tell the tale of Jean Desprez | A |
| - | |
| With fire and sword the Teuton horde was ravaging the land | D |
| And there was darkness and despair grim death on every hand | D |
| Red fields of slaughter sloping down to ruin's black abyss | A |
| The wolves of war ran evil fanged and little did they miss | A |
| And on they came with fear and flame to burn and loot and slay | C |
| Until they reached the red roofed croft the home of Jean Desprez | A |
| - | |
| Rout out the village one and all the Uhlan Captain said | E |
| Behold Some hand has fired a shot My trumpeter is dead | E |
| Now shall they Prussian vengeance know now shall they rue the day | C |
| For by this sacred German slain ten of these dogs shall pay | C |
| They drove the cowering peasants forth women and babes and men | F |
| And from the last with many a jeer the Captain chose he ten | F |
| Ten simple peasants bowed with toil they stood they knew not why | G |
| Against the grey wall of the church hearing their children cry | G |
| Hearing their wives and mothers wail with faces dazed they stood | H |
| A moment only Ready Fire They weltered in their blood | I |
| - | |
| But there was one who gazed unseen who heard the frenzied cries | A |
| Who saw these men in sabots fall before their children's eyes | A |
| A Zouave wounded in a ditch and knowing death was nigh | G |
| He laughed with joy Ah here is where I settle ere I die | G |
| He clutched his rifle once again and long he aimed and well | J |
| A shot Beside his victims ten the Uhlan Captain fell | J |
| - | |
| They dragged the wounded Zouave out their rage was like a flame | B |
| With bayonets they pinned him down until their Major came | B |
| A blonde full blooded man he was and arrogant of eye | G |
| He stared to see with shattered skull his favourite Captain lie | G |
| Nay do not finish him so quick this foreign swine he cried | K |
| Go nail him to the big church door he shall be crucified | K |
| - | |
| With bayonets through hands and feet they nailed the Zouave there | L |
| And there was anguish in his eyes and horror in his stare | L |
| Water A single drop he moaned but how they jeered at him | M |
| And mocked him with an empty cup and saw his sight grow dim | M |
| And as in agony of death with blood his lips were wet | N |
| The Prussian Major gaily laughed and lit a cigarette | N |
| - | |
| But mid the white faced villagers who cowered in horror by | G |
| Was one who saw the woeful sight who heard the woeful cry | G |
| Water One little drop I beg For love of Christ who died | K |
| It was the little Jean Desprez who turned and stole aside | K |
| It was the little bare foot boy who came with cup abrim | M |
| And walked up to the dying man and gave the drink to him | M |
| - | |
| A roar of rage They seize the boy they tear him fast away | C |
| The Prussian Major swings around no longer is he gay | C |
| His teeth are wolfishly agleam his face all dark with spite | O |
| Go shoot the brat he snarls that dare defy our Prussian might | O |
| Yet stay I have another thought I'll kindly be and spare | L |
| Quick give the lad a rifle charged and set him squarely there | L |
| And bid him shoot and shoot to kill Haste Make him understand | D |
| The dying dog he fain would save shall perish by his hand | D |
| And all his kindred they shall see and all shall curse his name | M |
| Who bought his life at such a cost the price of death and shame | M |
| - | |
| They brought the boy wild eyed with fear they made him understand | D |
| They stood him by the dying man a rifle in his hand | D |
| Make haste said they the time is short and you must kill or die | G |
| The Major puffed his cigarette amusement in his eye | G |
| And then the dying Zouave heard and raised his weary head | E |
| Shoot son 'twill be the best for both shoot swift and straight he said | E |
| Fire first and last and do not flinch for lost to hope am I | G |
| And I will murmur Vive La France and bless you ere I die | G |
| - | |
| Half blind with blows the boy stood there he seemed to swoon and sway | C |
| Then in that moment woke the soul of little Jean Desprez | A |
| He saw the woods go sheening down the larks were singing clear | P |
| And oh the scents and sounds of spring how sweet they were how dear | P |
| He felt the scent of new mown hay a soft breeze fanned his brow | Q |
| O God the paths of peace and toil How precious were they now | Q |
| - | |
| The summer days and summer ways how bright with hope and bliss | A |
| The autumn such a dream of gold and all must end in this | A |
| This shining rifle in his hand that shambles all around | R |
| The Zouave there with dying glare the blood upon the ground | R |
| The brutal faces round him ringed the evil eyes aflame | M |
| That Prussian bully standing by as if he watched a game | M |
| Make haste and shoot the Major sneered a minute more I give | S |
| A minute more to kill your friend if you yourself would live | T |
| - | |
| They only saw a bare foot boy with blanched and twitching face | A |
| They did not see within his eyes the glory of his race | A |
| The glory of a million men who for fair France have died | K |
| The splendour of self sacrifice that will not be denied | K |
| Yet he was but a peasant lad and oh but life was sweet | U |
| Your minute's nearly gone my lad he heard a voice repeat | U |
| Shoot Shoot the dying Zouave moaned Shoot Shoot the soldiers said | E |
| Then Jean Desprez reached out and shot the Prussian Major dead | E |
Robert Service
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