The Three Tommies Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAA BBB CCD EEE FFF GGG BBB HHH III JJJThat Barret the painter of pictures what feeling for color he had | A |
And Fanning the maker of music such melodies mirthful and mad | A |
And Harley the writer of stories so whimsical tender and glad | A |
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To hark to their talk in the trenches high heart unfolding to heart | B |
Of the day when the war would be over and each would be true to his part | B |
Upbuilding a Palace of Beauty to the wonder and glory of Art | B |
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Yon's Barret the painter of pictures yon carcass that rots on the wire | C |
His hand with its sensitive cunning is crisped to a cinder with fire | C |
His eyes with their magical vision are bubbles of glutinous mire | D |
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Poor Fanning He sought to discover the symphonic note of a shell | E |
There are bits of him broken and bloody to show you the place where he fell | E |
I've reason to fear on his exquisite ear the rats have been banqueting well | E |
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And speaking of Harley the writer I fancy I looked on him last | F |
Sprawling and staring and writhing in the roar of the battle blast | F |
Then a mad gun team crashed over and scattered his brains as it passed | F |
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Oh Harley and Fanning and Barret they were bloody good mates o' mine | G |
Their bodies are empty bottles Death has guzzled the wine | G |
What's left of them's filth and corruption Where is the Fire Divine | G |
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I'll tell you At night in the trenches as I watch and I do my part | B |
Three radiant spirits I'm seeing high heart revealing to heart | B |
And they're building a peerless palace to the splendor and triumph of Art | B |
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Yet alas for the fame of Barret the glory he might have trailed | H |
And alas for the name of Fanning a star that beaconed and paled | H |
Poor Harley obscure and forgotten Well who shall say that they failed | H |
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No each did a Something Grander than ever he dreamed to do | I |
And as for the work unfinished all will be paid their due | I |
The broken ends will be fitted the balance struck will be true | I |
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So painters and players and penmen I tell you Do as you please | J |
Let your fame outleap on the trumpets you'll never rise up to these | J |
To three grim and gory Tommies down down on your bended knees | J |
Robert Service
(1)
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