A Sourdough Story Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACDC DDEEFF GGDDDDHHIIJJKK FFDDFFFF LLFFFF| Hark to the Sourdough story told at sixty below | A |
| When the pipes are lit and we smoke and spit | B |
| Into the campfire glow | A |
| Rugged are we and hoary and statin' a general rule | C |
| A genooine Sourdough story | D |
| Ain't no yarn for the Sunday School | C |
| - | |
| A Sourdough came to stake his claim in Heav'n one morning early | D |
| Saint Peter cried Who waits outside them gates so bright and pearly | D |
| I'm recent dead the Sourdough said and crave to visit Hades | E |
| Where haply pine some pals o' mine includin' certain ladies | E |
| Said Peter Go you old Sourdough from life so crooly riven | F |
| And if ye fail to find their trail we'll have a snoop round Heaven | F |
| - | |
| He waved and lo that old Sourdough dropped down to Hell's red spaces | G |
| But though 'twas hot he couldn't spot them old familiar faces | G |
| The bedrock burned and so he turned and climbed with footsteps fleeter | D |
| The stairway straight to Heaven's gate and there of course was Peter | D |
| I cannot see my mates sez he among those damned forever | D |
| I have a hunch some of the bunch in Heaven I'll discover | D |
| Said Peter True and this I'll do since Sourdoughs are my failing | H |
| You see them guys in Paradise lined up against the railing | H |
| As bald as coots in birthday suits with beards below the middle | I |
| Well I'll allow you in right now if you can solve a riddle | I |
| Among that gang of stiffs who hang and dodder round the portals | J |
| Is one whose name is know to Fame it's Adam first of mortals | J |
| For quiet's sake he makes a break from Eve which is his Madame | K |
| Well there's the gate To crash it straight just spy the guy that's Adam | K |
| - | |
| The old Sourdough went down the row of greybeards ruminatin' | F |
| With optics dim they peered at him and pressed agin the gratin' | F |
| In every face he sought some trace of our ancestral father | D |
| But though he stared he soon despaired the faintest clue to gather | D |
| Then suddenly he whooped with glee Ha Ha an inspiration | F |
| And to and fro along the row he ran with animation | F |
| To Peter bold he cried Behold all told there are eleven | F |
| Suppose I fix on Number Six say Boy How's that for Heaven | F |
| - | |
| By gosh you win said Pete Step in But tell me how you chose him | L |
| They're like as pins all might be twins There's nothing to disclose him | L |
| The Sourdough said 'Twas hard my head was seething with commotion | F |
| I felt a dunce then all at once I had a gorgeous notion | F |
| I stooped and peered beneath each beard that drooped like fleece of mutton | F |
| My search was crowned That bird I found ain't got no belly button | F |
Robert William Service
(1)
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