The Ballad Of The King's Mercy Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Abdhur Rahman the Durani Chief of him is the story told	A
His mercy fills the Khyber hills his grace is manifold	A
He has taken toll of the North and the South his glory reacheth far	B
And they tell the tale of his charity from Balkh to Kandahar	B
	-
Before the old Peshawur Gate where Kurd and Kaffir meet	C
The Governor of Kabul dealt the Justice of the Street	C
And that was strait as running noose and swift as plunging knife	D
Tho' he who held the longer purse might hold the longer life	D
	-
There was a hound of Hindustan had struck a Yusufzai	E
Wherefore they spat upon his face and led him out to die	F
It chanced the King went forth that hour when throat was bared to knife	D
The Kafir grovelled under hoof and clamoured for his life	D
	-
Then said the King Have hope O friend Yea Death disgraced is hard	G
Much honour shall be thine and called the Captain of the Guard	G
Yar Khan a bastard of the Blood so city babble saith	H
And he was honoured of the King the which is salt to Death	H
And he was son of Daoud Shah the Reiver of the Plains	E
And blood of old Durani Lords ran fire in his veins	E
And 'twas to tame an Afghan pride nor Hell nor Heaven could bind	I
The King would make him butcher to a yelping cur of Hind	I
	-
Strike said the King King's blood art thou his death shall be his pride	J
Then louder that the crowd might catch Fear not his arms are tied	J
Yar Khan drew clear the Khyber knife and struck and sheathed again	K
O man thy will is done quoth he a King this dog hath slain	L
	-
Abdhur Rahman the Durani Chief to the North and the South is sold	A
The North and the South shall open their mouth to a Ghilzai flag unrolled	A
When the big guns speak to the Khyber peak and his dog Heratis fly	F
Ye have heard the song How long How long Wolves of the Abazai	E
	-
That night before the watch was set when all the streets were clear	M
The Governor of Kabul spoke My King hast thou no fear	M
Thou knowest thou hast heard his speech died at his master's face	E
And grimly said the Afghan King I rule the Afghan race	E
My path is mine see thou to thine To night upon thy bed	A
Think who there be in Kabul now that clamour for thy head	A
	-
That night when all the gates were shut to City and to throne	N
Within a little garden house the King lay down alone	N
Before the sinking of the moon which is the Night of Night	A
Yar Khan came softly to the King to make his honour white	A
The children of the town had mocked beneath his horse's hoofs	E
The harlots of the town had hailed him butcher from their roofs	E
But as he groped against the wall two hands upon him fell	O
The King behind his shoulder spake Dead man thou dost not well	O
'Tis ill to jest with Kings by day and seek a boon by night	A
And that thou bearest in thy hand is all too sharp to write	A
But three days hence if God be good and if thy strength remain	L
Thou shalt demand one boon of me and bless me in thy pain	L
For I am merciful to all and most of all to thee	H
My butcher of the shambles rest no knife hast thou for me	H
	-
Abdhur Rahman the Durani Chief holds hard by the South and the North	H
But the Ghilzai knows ere the melting snows when the swollen banks break forth	H
When the red coats crawl to the sungar wall and his Usbeg lances fail	P
Ye have heard the song How long How long Wolves of the Zukka Kheyl	P
	-
They stoned him in the rubbish field when dawn was in the sky	F
According to the written word See that he do not die	F
	-
They stoned him till the stones were piled above him on the plain	L
And those the labouring limbs displaced they tumbled back again	K
	-
One watched beside the dreary mound that veiled the battered thing	Q
And him the King with laughter called the Herald of the King	Q
	-
It was upon the second night the night of Ramazan	K
The watcher leaning earthward heard the message of Yar Khan	K
From shattered breast through shrivelled lips broke forth the rattling breath	H
Creature of God deliver me from agony of Death	H
	-
They sought the King among his girls and risked their lives thereby	F
Protector of the Pitiful give orders that he die	F
	-
Bid him endure until the day a lagging answer came	R
The night is short and he can pray and learn to bless my name	R
	-
Before the dawn three times he spoke and on the day once more	S
Creature of God deliver me and bless the King therefor	S
	-
They shot him at the morning prayer to ease him of his pain	K
And when he heard the matchlocks clink he blessed the King again	K
	-
Which thing the singers made a song for all the world to sing	Q
So that the Outer Seas may know the mercy of the King	Q
	-
Abdhur Rahman the Durani Chief of him is the story told	A
He has opened his mouth to the North and the South they have stuffed his mouth with gold	A
Ye know the truth of his tender ruth and sweet his favours are	S
Ye have heard the song How long How long from Balkh to Kandahar	S

Rudyard Kipling

The Ballad Of The King's Mercy Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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