Kelly Of The Legion Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCBCB DDDB DEDEDBDB FFFB BGBGFBFB AAAB FBFBBBAB FFFB CACAFAFB HHHB FIFIFBFB HHHB JHJHKBKB FFFBNow Kelly was no fighter | A |
He loved his pipe and glass | B |
An easygoing blighter | A |
Who lived in Montparnasse | B |
But 'mid the tavern tattle | C |
He heard some guinney say | B |
When France goes forth to battle | C |
The Legion leads the way | B |
- | |
The scourings of creation | D |
Of every sin and station | D |
The men who've known damnation | D |
Are picked to lead the way | B |
- | |
Well Kelly joined the Legion | D |
They marched him day and night | E |
They rushed him to the region | D |
Where largest loomed the fight | E |
Behold your mighty mission | D |
Your destiny said they | B |
By glorious tradition | D |
The Legion leads the way | B |
- | |
With tattered banners flying | F |
With trail of dead and dying | F |
On On All hell defying | F |
The Legion sweeps the way | B |
- | |
With grim hard bitten faces | B |
With jests of savage mirth | G |
They swept into their places | B |
The men of iron worth | G |
Their blooded steel was flashing | F |
They swung to face the fray | B |
Then rushing roaring crashing | F |
The Legion cleared the way | B |
- | |
The trail they blazed was gory | A |
Few lived to tell the story | A |
Through death they plunged to glory | A |
But oh they cleared the way | B |
- | |
Now Kelly lay a dying | F |
And dimly saw advance | B |
With split new banners flying | F |
The fantassins of France | B |
Then up amid the melee | B |
He rose from where he lay | B |
Come on me boys says Kelly | A |
The Layjun lades the way | B |
- | |
Aye while they faltered doubting | F |
Such flames of doom were spouting | F |
He caught them thrilled them shouting | F |
The Layjun lades the way | B |
- | |
They saw him slip and stumble | C |
Then stagger on once more | A |
They marked him trip and tumble | C |
A mass of grime and gore | A |
They watched him blindly crawling | F |
Amid hell's own affray | A |
And calling calling calling | F |
The Layjun lades the way | B |
- | |
And even while they wondered | H |
The battle wrack was sundered | H |
To Victory they thundered | H |
But Kelly led the way | B |
- | |
Still Kelly kept agoing | F |
Berserker like he ran | I |
His eyes with fury glowing | F |
A lion of a man | I |
His rifle madly swinging | F |
His soul athirst to slay | B |
His slogan ringing ringing | F |
The Layjun lades the way | B |
- | |
Till in a pit death baited | H |
Where Huns with Maxims waited | H |
He plunged and there blood sated | H |
To death he stabbed his way | B |
- | |
Now Kelly was a fellow | J |
Who simply loathed a fight | H |
He loved a tavern mellow | J |
Grog hot and pipe alight | H |
I'm sure the Show appalled him | K |
And yet without dismay | B |
When Death and Duty called him | K |
He up and led the way | B |
- | |
So in Valhalla drinking | F |
If heroes meek and shrinking | F |
Are suffered there I'm thinking | F |
'Tis Kelly leads the way | B |
Robert Service
(1)
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