The Merchantmen Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFFF FGFG HIJIKLML NOCOPQOQ BOFONRSR LTLTTLBL UOUOBFOF TVTVLOUO FFBFOTTT TLQLFOFO TTTTOWTW TCXCTOLO FFFF

King Solomon drew merchantmenA
Because of his desireB
For peacocks apes and ivoryC
From Tarshish unto TyreD
With cedars out of LebanonE
Which Hiram rafted downF
But we be only sailormenF
That use in London TownF
-
Coastwise cross seas round the world and back againF
Where the flaw shall head us or the full Trade suitsG
Plain sail storm sail lay your board and tack againF
And that's the way we'll pay Paddy Doyle for his bootsG
-
We bring no store of ingotsH
Of spice or precious stonesI
But that we have we gatheredJ
With sweat and aching bonesI
In flame beneath the tropicsK
In frost upon the floeL
And jeopardy of every windM
That does between them goL
-
And some we got by purchaseN
And some we had by tradeO
And some we found by courtesyC
Of pike and carronadeO
At midnight 'mid sea meetingsP
For charity to keepQ
And light the rolling homeward boundO
That rode a foot too deepQ
-
By sport of bitter weatherB
We're walty strained and scarredO
From the kentledge on the kelsonF
To the slings upon the yardO
Six oceans had their will of usN
To carry all awayR
Our galley's in the BalticS
And our boom's in Mossel BayR
-
We've floundered off the TexelL
Awash with sodden dealsT
We've slipped from ValparaisoL
With the Norther at our heelsT
We've ratched beyond the CrossetsT
That tusk the Southern PoleL
And dipped our gunnels underB
To the dread Agulhas rollL
-
Beyond all outer chartingU
We sailed where none have sailedO
And saw the land lights burningU
On islands none have hailedO
Our hair stood up for wonderB
But when the night was doneF
There danced the deep to windwardO
Blue empty 'neath the sunF
-
Strange consorts rode beside usT
And brought us evil luckV
The witch fire climbed our channelsT
And flared on vane and truckV
Till through the red tornadoL
That lashed us nigh to blindO
We saw The Dutchman plungingU
Full canvas head to windO
-
We've heard the Midnight LeadsmanF
That calls the black deep downF
Ay thrice we've heard The SwimmerB
The Thing that may not drownF
On frozen bunt and gasketO
The sleet cloud drave her hostsT
When manned by more than signed with usT
We passed the Isle o' GhostsT
-
And north amid the hummocksT
A biscuit toss belowL
We met the silent shallopQ
That frighted whalers knowL
For down a cruel ice laneF
That opened as he spedO
We saw dead Henry HudsonF
Steer North by West his deadO
-
So dealt God's waters with usT
Beneath the roaring skiesT
So walked His signs and marvelsT
All naked to our eyesT
But we were heading homewardO
With trade to lose or makeW
Good Lord they slipped behind usT
In the tailing of our wakeW
-
Let go let go the anchorsT
Now shamed at heart are weC
To bring so poor a cargo homeX
That had for gift the seaC
Let go the great bow anchorsT
Ah fools were we and blindO
The worst we stored with utter toilL
The best we left behindO
-
Coastwise cross seas round the world and back againF
Whither flaw shall fail us or the Trades drive downF
Plain sail storm sail lay your board and tack againF
And all to bring a cargo up to London TownF

Rudyard Kipling



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