The March Of The Dead Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACDEDE FGFGHIHI JKJKLMLM NONNPFPF IQIQRSRS ATATUVUVThe 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 |
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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 William Service
(1)
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