The Ballad Of East And West Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABCB DDEEFEGGGGHIJJKELMLE EHIIIEEIINNKKOOLLPPL LIIHIIIEEQRRSSIIIITI UIIIRIILIVIIIFFIIWWG I IIIIXXGGXFYI IIBCB

Oh East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meetA
Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God's great Judgment SeatA
But there is neither East nor West Border nor Breed nor BirthB
When two strong men stand face to faceC
tho' they come from the ends of the earthB
-
Kamal is out with twenty men to raise the Border sideD
And he has lifted the Colonel's mare that is the Colonel's prideD
He has lifted her out of the stable door between the dawn and the dayE
And turned the calkins upon her feet and ridden her far awayE
Then up and spoke the Colonel's son that led a troop of the GuidesF
quot Is there never a man of all my men can say where Kamal hides quotE
Then up and spoke Mahommed Khan the son of the RessaldarG
quot If ye know the track of the morning mist ye know where his pickets areG
At dusk he harries the Abazai at dawn he is into BonairG
But he must go by Fort Bukloh to his own place to fareG
So if ye gallop to Fort Bukloh as fast as a bird can flyH
By the favour of God ye may cut him off ere he win to the Tongue of JagaiI
But if he be past the Tongue of Jagai right swiftly turn ye thenJ
For the length and the breadth of that grisly plain is sown with Kamal's menJ
There is rock to the left and rock to the right and low lean thorn betweenK
And ye may hear a breech bolt snick where never a man is seen quotE
The Colonel's son has taken a horse and a raw rough dun was heL
With the mouth of a bell and the heart of HellM
and the head of the gallows treeL
The Colonel's son to the Fort has won they bid him stay to eatE
Who rides at the tail of a Border thief he sits not long at his meatE
He's up and away from Fort Bukloh as fast as he can flyH
Till he was aware of his father's mare in the gut of the Tongue of JagaiI
Till he was aware of his father's mare with Kamal upon her backI
And when he could spy the white of her eye he made the pistol crackI
He has fired once he has fired twice but the whistling ball went wideE
quot Ye shoot like a soldier quot Kamal said quot Show now if ye can ride quotE
It's up and over the Tongue of Jagai as blown dustdevils goI
The dun he fled like a stag of ten but the mare like a barren doeI
The dun he leaned against the bit and slugged his head aboveN
But the red mare played with the snaffle bars as a maiden plays with a gloveN
There was rock to the left and rock to the right and low lean thorn betweenK
And thrice he heard a breech bolt snick tho' never a man was seenK
They have ridden the low moon out of the sky their hoofs drum up the dawnO
The dun he went like a wounded bull but the mare like a new roused fawnO
The dun he fell at a water course in a woful heap fell heL
And Kamal has turned the red mare back and pulled the rider freeL
He has knocked the pistol out of his hand small room was there to striveP
quot 'Twas only by favour of mine quot quoth he quot ye rode so long aliveP
There was not a rock for twenty mile there was not a clump of treeL
But covered a man of my own men with his rifle cocked on his kneeL
If I had raised my bridle hand as I have held it lowI
The little jackals that flee so fast were feasting all in a rowI
If I had bowed my head on my breast as I have held it highH
The kite that whistles above us now were gorged till she could not fly quotI
Lightly answered the Colonel's son quot Do good to bird and beastI
But count who come for the broken meats before thou makest a feastI
If there should follow a thousand swords to carry my bones awayE
Belike the price of a jackal's meal were more than a thief could payE
They will feed their horse on the standing cropQ
their men on the garnered grainR
The thatch of the byres will serve their fires when all the cattle are slainR
But if thou thinkest the price be fair thy brethren wait to supS
The hound is kin to the jackal spawn howl dog and call them upS
And if thou thinkest the price be high in steer and gear and stackI
Give me my father's mare again and I'll fight my own way back quotI
Kamal has gripped him by the hand and set him upon his feetI
quot No talk shall be of dogs quot said he quot when wolf and gray wolf meetI
May I eat dirt if thou hast hurt of me in deed or breathT
What dam of lances brought thee forth to jest at the dawn with Death quotI
Lightly answered the Colonel's son quot I hold by the blood of my clanU
Take up the mare for my father's gift by God she has carried a man quotI
The red mare ran to the Colonel's son and nuzzled against his breastI
quot We be two strong men quot said Kamal then quot but she loveth the younger bestI
So she shall go with a lifter's dower my turquoise studded reinR
My broidered saddle and saddle cloth and silver stirrups twain quotI
The Colonel's son a pistol drew and held it muzzle endI
quot Ye have taken the one from a foe quot said heL
quot will ye take the mate from a friend quotI
quot A gift for a gift quot said Kamal straight quot a limb for the risk of a limbV
Thy father has sent his son to me I'll send my son to him quotI
With that he whistled his only son that dropped from a mountain crestI
He trod the ling like a buck in spring and he looked like a lance in restI
quot Now here is thy master quot Kamal said quot who leads a troop of the GuidesF
And thou must ride at his left side as shield on shoulder ridesF
Till Death or I cut loose the tie at camp and board and bedI
Thy life is his thy fate it is to guard him with thy headI
So thou must eat the White Queen's meat and all her foes are thineW
And thou must harry thy father's hold for the peace of the Border lineW
And thou must make a trooper tough and hack thy way to powerG
Belike they will raise thee to Ressaldar when I am hanged in Peshawur quotI
-
They have looked each other between the eyes and there they found no faultI
They have taken the Oath of the Brother in Blood on leavened bread and saltI
They have taken the Oath of the Brother in Blood on fire and fresh cut sodI
On the hilt and the haft of the Khyber knife and the Wondrous Names of GodI
The Colonel's son he rides the mare and Kamal's boy the dunX
And two have come back to Fort Bukloh where there went forth but oneX
And when they drew to the Quarter Guard full twenty swords flew clearG
There was not a man but carried his feud with the blood of the mountaineerG
quot Ha' done ha' done quot said the Colonel's sonX
quot Put up the steel at your sidesF
Last night ye had struck at a Border thiefY
to night 'tis a man of the Guides quotI
-
Oh East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meetI
Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God's great Judgment SeatI
But there is neither East nor West Border nor Breed nor BirthB
When two strong men stand face to faceC
tho' they come from the ends of the earthB

Rudyard Kipling



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