Bill The Bomber Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ KLMNOOHH PPQQRRFFPP SSSSTTSSUV SSSSSSSSPP VVPPPPBBVB TTTTWWXX| The poppies gleamed like bloody pools through cotton woolly mist | A |
| The Captain kept a lookin' at the watch upon his wrist | A |
| And there we smoked and squatted as we watched the shrapnel flame | B |
| 'Twas wonnerful I'm tellin' you how fast them bullets came | B |
| 'Twas weary work the waiting though I tried to sleep a wink | C |
| For waitin' means a thinkin' and it doesn't do to think | C |
| So I closed my eyes a little and I had a niceish dream | D |
| Of a standin' by a dresser with a dish of Devon cream | D |
| But I hadn't time to sample it for suddenlike I woke | E |
| Come on me lads the Captain says 'n I climbed out through the smoke | E |
| We spread out in the open it was like a bath of lead | F |
| But the boys they cheered and hollered fit to raise the bloody dead | F |
| Till a beastly bullet copped 'em then they lay without a sound | G |
| And it's odd we didn't seem to heed them corpses on the ground | G |
| And I kept on thinkin' thinkin' as the bullets faster flew | H |
| How they picks the werry best men and they lets the rotters through | H |
| So indiscriminatin' like they spares a man of sin | I |
| And a rare lad wot's a husband and a father gets done in | I |
| And while havin' these reflections and advancin' on the run | J |
| A bullet biffs me shoulder and says I That's number one | J |
| - | |
| Well it downed me for a jiffy but I didn't lose me calm | K |
| For I knew that I was needed I'm a bomber so I am | L |
| I 'ad lost me cap and rifle but I carried on because | M |
| I 'ad me bombs and knew that they was needed so they was | N |
| We didn't 'ave no singin' now nor many men to cheer | O |
| Maybe the shrapnel drowned 'em crashin' out so werry near | O |
| And the Maxims got us sideways and the bullets faster flew | H |
| And I copped one on me flipper and says I That's number two | H |
| - | |
| I was pleased it was the left one for I 'ad me bombs ye see | P |
| And 'twas 'ard if they'd be wasted like and all along o' me | P |
| And I'd lost me 'at and rifle but I told you that before | Q |
| So I packed me mit inside me coat and carried on once more | Q |
| But the rumpus it was wicked and the men were scarcer yet | R |
| And I felt me ginger goin' but me jaws I kindo set | R |
| And we passed the Boche first trenches which was 'eapin' 'igh with dead | F |
| And we started for their second which was fifty feet ahead | F |
| When something like a 'ammer smashed me savage on the knee | P |
| And down I came all muck and blood Says I That's number three | P |
| - | |
| So there I lay all 'elpless like and bloody sick at that | S |
| And worryin' like anythink because I'd lost me 'at | S |
| And thinkin' of me missis and the partin' words she said | S |
| If you gets killed write quick ol' man and tell me as you're dead | S |
| And lookin' at me bunch o' bombs that was the 'ardest blow | T |
| To think I'd never 'ave the chance to 'url them at the foe | T |
| And there was all our boys in front a fightin' there like mad | S |
| And me as could 'ave 'elped 'em wiv the lovely bombs I 'ad | S |
| And so I cussed and cussed and then I struggled back again | U |
| Into that bit of battered trench packed solid with its slain | V |
| - | |
| Now as I lay a lyin' there and blastin' of me lot | S |
| And wishin' I could just dispose of all them bombs I'd got | S |
| I sees within the doorway of a shy retirin' dug out | S |
| Six Boches all a grinnin' and their Captain stuck 'is mug out | S |
| And they 'ad a nice machine gun and I twigged what they was at | S |
| And they fixed it on a tripod and I watched 'em like a cat | S |
| And they got it in position and they seemed so werry glad | S |
| Like they'd got us in a death trap which condemn their souls they 'ad | S |
| For there our boys was fightin' fifty yards in front and 'ere | P |
| This lousy bunch of Boches they 'ad got us in the rear | P |
| - | |
| Oh it set me blood a boilin' and I quite forgot me pain | V |
| So I started crawlin' crawlin' over all them mounds of slain | V |
| And them barstards was so busy like they 'ad no eyes for me | P |
| And me bleedin' leg was draggin' but me right arm it was free | P |
| And now they 'ave it all in shape and swingin' sweet and clear | P |
| And now they're all excited like but I am drawin' near | P |
| And now they 'ave it loaded up and now they're takin' aim | B |
| Rat tat tat tat Oh here says I is where I join the game | B |
| And my right arm it goes swingin' and a bomb it goes a slingin' | V |
| And that typewriter goes wingin' in a thunderbolt of flame | B |
| - | |
| Then these Boches wot was left of 'em they tumbled down their 'ole | T |
| And up I climbed a mound of dead and down on them I stole | T |
| And oh that blessed moment when I heard their frightened yell | T |
| And I laughed down in that dug out ere I bombed their souls to hell | T |
| And now I'm in the hospital surprised that I'm alive | W |
| We started out a thousand men we came back thirty five | W |
| And I'm minus of a trotter but I'm most amazin' gay | X |
| For me bombs they wasn't wasted though you might say thrown away | X |
Robert William Service
(1)
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