The Odyssey Of 'erbert 'iggins Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDEEDECFFC ECGGCCHCCH IECCEFEIIE EJEJCECECFEEF EKEKEFEEFFLEELEFMFFE EEM EMNNMEOEEOCECECCCCC EEEECECFEPPEPFPF ECKKCCCCCCPEEPFE FEFFFFPEPEECFFCEMEME EE

Me and Ed and a stretcherA
Out on the nootral groundB
If there's one dead corpse I'll betcherA
There's a 'undred smellin' aroundB
Me and Eddie O'BrianC
Both of the R A M CD
It'as a 'ell of a nightE
For a soul to take flightE
As Eddie remarks to meD
Me and Ed crawlin' 'omewardE
Thinkin' our job is doneC
When sudden and clearF
Wot do we 'earF
'Owl of a wounded 'UnC
-
Got to take 'im snaps EddyE
Got to take all we canC
'E may be a GermG
Wiv the 'eart of a wormG
But blarst 'im ain't 'e a manC
So 'e sloshes out fixin' a dressin'C
'E'd always a medical knackH
When that wounded 'UnC
'E rolls to 'is gunC
And 'e plugs me pal in the backH
-
Now what would you do I arst youI
There was me slaughtered mateE
There was that 'UnC
I'd collered 'is gunC
A snarlin' 'is 'ymn of 'ateE
Wot did I do 'Ere whisperF
'E'd a shiny bald top to 'is 'eadE
But when I got throughI
Between me and youI
It was 'orrid and jaggy and redE
-
'Ang on like a limpet EddyE
Thank Gord you ain't dead after allJ
It's slow and it's sure and it's steadyE
Which is 'ard for 'e's big and I'm smallJ
The rockets are shootin' and shinin'C
It's rainin' a perishin' floodE
The bullets are buzzin' and whinin'C
And I'm up to me stern in the mudE
There's all kinds of 'owlin' and 'ootin'C
It's black as a bucket of tarF
Oh I'm doin' my bitE
But I'm 'avin' a fitE
And I wish I was 'ome wiv MarF
-
Stick on like a plaster EddyE
Old sport you're a slackin' your gripK
Gord But I'm crocky alreadyE
My feet 'ow they slither and slipK
There goes the biff of a bulletE
The Boches have got us for fairF
Another one WHUTE
The son of a slutE
'E managed to miss by a 'airF
'Ow Wot was it jabbed at me shoulderF
Gave it a dooce of a wrenchL
Is it Eddy or meE
Wot's a bleedin' so freeE
Crust but it's long to the trenchL
I ain't just as strong as a SandowE
And Ed ain't a flapper by farF
I'm blamed if I understand 'owM
We've managed to get where we areF
But 'ere's for a bit of a breatherF
Steady there Ed 'arf a mo'E
Old pal it's all rightE
It's a 'ell of a fightE
But are we down 'earted No o oM
-
Now war is a funny thing ain't itE
It's the rummiest sort of a goM
For when it's most realN
It's then that you feelN
You're a watchin' a cinema showM
'Ere's me wot's a barber's assistantE
Hey presto It's somewheres in FranceO
And I'm 'ere in a pitE
Where a coal box 'as 'itE
And it's all like a giddy romanceO
The ruddy quick firers are spittin'C
The 'eavies are bellowin' 'ateE
And 'ere I am cashooly sittin'C
And 'oldin' the 'ead of me mateE
Them gharstly green star shells is beamin'C
'Ot shrapnel is poppin' like rainC
And I'm sayin' Bert 'Iggins you're dreamin'C
And you'll wake up in 'Ampstead againC
You'll wake up and 'ear yourself sayin'C
'Would you like sir to 'ave a shampoo '-
'Stead of sheddin' yer bloodE
In the rain and the mudE
Which is some'ow the right thing to doE
Which is some'ow yer 'oary eyed dootyE
Wot you're doin' the best wot you canC
For 'Ampstead and 'ome and beautyE
And you've been and you've slaughtered a manC
A feller wot punctured your partnerF
Oh you 'ammered 'im 'ard on the 'eadE
And you still see 'is eyesP
Starin' bang at the skiesP
And you ain't even sorry 'e's deadE
But you wish you was back in your diggin'sP
Asleep on your mouldy old strorF
Oh you're doin' yer bit 'Erbert 'IgginsP
But you ain't just enjoyin' the warF
-
'Ang on like a hoctopus EddyE
It's us for the bomb belt againC
Except for the shrapK
Which 'as 'it me a tapK
I'm feelin' as right as the rainC
It's my silly old feet wot are slippin'C
It's as dark as a 'ogs'ead o' sinC
But don't be oneasy my pippinC
I'm goin' to pilot you inC
It's my silly old 'ead wot is reelin'C
The bullets is buzzin' like beesP
Me shoulder's red 'otE
And I'm bleedin' a lotE
And me legs is on'inged at the kneesP
But we're staggerin' nearer and nearerF
Just stick it old sport play the gameE
-
I make 'em out clearer and clearerF
Our trenches a snappin' with flameE
Oh we're stumblin' closer and closerF
'Ang on there lad Just one more tryF
Did you say Put you down Damn it no sirF
I'll carry you in if I dieF
By cracky old feller they've seen usP
They're sendin' out stretchers for twoE
Let's give 'em the hoorah between usP
'Anged lucky we aren't booked throughE
My flipper is mashed to a jellyE
A bullet 'as tickled your spleenC
We've shed lots of goreF
And we're leakin' some moreF
But wot a hoccasion it's beenC
Ho 'Ere comes the rescuin' partyE
They're crawlin' out cautious and slowM
Come Buck up and greet 'em my 'eartyE
Shoulder to shoulder soM
They mustn't think we was down 'eartedE
Old pal we was never down 'eartedE
If they arsts us if we was down 'eartedE
We'll 'owl in their fyces 'No o o '-

Robert Service



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