The March Of The Dead Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACDEDE FGFGHIHI JKJKLMLM NONNPFPF IQIQRSRS ATATUVUV| The cruel war was over oh the triumph was so sweet | A |
| We watched the troops returning through our tears | B |
| There was triumph triumph triumph down the scarlet glittering street | A |
| And you scarce could hear the music for the cheers | C |
| And you scarce could see the house tops for the flags that flew between | D |
| The bells were pealing madly to the sky | E |
| And everyone was shouting for the Soldiers of the Queen | D |
| And the glory of an age was passing by | E |
| - | |
| And then there came a shadow swift and sudden dark and drear | F |
| The bells were silent not an echo stirred | G |
| The flags were drooping sullenly the men forgot to cheer | F |
| We waited and we never spoke a word | G |
| The sky grew darker darker till from out the gloomy rack | H |
| There came a voice that checked the heart with dread | I |
| Tear down tear down your bunting now and hang up sable black | H |
| They are coming it's the Army of the Dead | I |
| - | |
| They were coming they were coming gaunt and ghastly sad and slow | J |
| They were coming all the crimson wrecks of pride | K |
| With faces seared and cheeks red smeared and haunting eyes of woe | J |
| And clotted holes the khaki couldn't hide | K |
| Oh the clammy brow of anguish the livid foam flecked lips | L |
| The reeling ranks of ruin swept along | M |
| The limb that trailed the hand that failed the bloody finger tips | L |
| And oh the dreary rhythm of their song | M |
| - | |
| They left us on the veldt side but we felt we couldn't stop | N |
| On this our England's crowning festal day | O |
| We're the men of Magersfontein we're the men of Spion Kop | N |
| Colenso we're the men who had to pay | N |
| We're the men who paid the blood price Shall the grave be all our gain | P |
| You owe us Long and heavy is the score | F |
| Then cheer us for our glory now and cheer us for our pain | P |
| And cheer us as ye never cheered before | F |
| - | |
| The folks were white and stricken and each tongue seemed weighted with lead | I |
| Each heart was clutched in hollow hand of ice | Q |
| And every eye was staring at the horror of the dead | I |
| The pity of the men who paid the price | Q |
| They were come were come to mock us in the first flush of our peace | R |
| Through writhing lips their teeth were all agleam | S |
| They were coming in their thousands oh would they never cease | R |
| I closed my eyes and then it was a dream | S |
| - | |
| There was triumph triumph triumph down the scarlet gleaming street | A |
| The town was mad a man was like a boy | T |
| A thousand flags were flaming where the sky and city meet | A |
| A thousand bells were thundering the joy | T |
| There was music mirth and sunshine but some eyes shone with regret | U |
| And while we stun with cheers our homing braves | V |
| O God in Thy great mercy let us nevermore forget | U |
| The graves they left behind the bitter graves | V |
Robert Service
(1)
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