With Scindia To Delhi Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCAA DEFE GAGH IJIJ KLKL MNMN OPOP Q AQHP JPJP PRPR PQPQ MEME PAPA SPSP TPGP PQPQ UAPA VWVP XMXM JPJG YPYP ZJZJMore than a hundred years ago in a great battle fought near Delhi | A |
an Indian Prince rode fifty miles after the day was lost | B |
with a beggar girl who had loved him and followed him in all his camps | C |
on his saddle bow He lost the girl when almost within sight of safety | A |
A Maratta trooper tells the story | A |
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The wreath of banquet overnight lay withered on the neck | D |
Our hands and scarfs were saffron dyed for signal of despair | E |
When we went forth to Paniput to battle with the Mlech | F |
Ere we came back from Paniput and left a kingdom there | E |
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Thrice thirty thousand men were we to force the Jumna fords | G |
The hawk winged horse of Damajee mailed squadrons of the Bhao | A |
Stark levies of the southern hills the Deccan's sharpest swords | G |
And he the harlot's traitor son the goatherd Mulhar Rao | H |
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Thrice thirty thousand men were we before the mists had cleared | I |
The low white mists of morning heard the war conch scream and bray | J |
We called upon Bhowani and we gripped them by the beard | I |
We rolled upon them like a flood and washed their ranks away | J |
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The children of the hills of Khost before our lances ran | K |
We drove the black Rohillas back as cattle to the pen | L |
'Twas then we needed Mulhar Rao to end what we began | K |
A thousand men had saved the charge he fled the field with ten | L |
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There was no room to clear a sword no power to strike a blow | M |
For foot to foot ay breast to breast the battle held us fast | N |
Save where the naked hill men ran and stabbing from below | M |
Brought down the horse and rider and we trampled them and passed | N |
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To left the roar of musketry rang like a falling flood | O |
To right the sunshine rippled red from redder lance and blade | P |
Above the dark Upsaras flew beneath us plashed the blood | O |
And bellying black against the dust the Bhagwa Jhanda swayed | P |
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The Choosers of the Slain | Q |
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I saw it fall in smoke and fire the banner of the Bhao | A |
I heard a voice across the press of one who called in vain | Q |
quot Ho Anand Rao Nimbalkhur ride Get aid of Mulhar Rao | H |
Go shame his squadrons into fight the Bhao the Bhao is slain quot | P |
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Thereat as when a sand bar breaks in clotted spume and spray | J |
When rain of later autumn sweeps the Jumna water head | P |
Before their charge from flank to flank our riven ranks gave way | J |
But of the waters of that flood the Jumna fords ran red | P |
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I held by Scindia my lord as close as man might hold | P |
A Soobah of the Deccan asks no aid to guard his life | R |
But Holkar's Horse were flying and our chiefest chiefs were cold | P |
And like a flame among us leapt the long lean Northern knife | R |
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I held by Scindia my lance from butt to tuft was dyed | P |
The froth of battle bossed the shield and roped the bridle chain | Q |
What time beneath our horses' feet a maiden rose and cried | P |
And clung to Scindia and I turned a sword cut from the twain | Q |
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He set a spell upon the maid in woodlands long ago | M |
A hunter by the Tapti banks she gave him water there | E |
He turned her heart to water and she followed to her woe | M |
What need had he of Lalun who had twenty maids as fair | E |
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Now in that hour strength left my lord he wrenched his mare aside | P |
He bound the girl behind him and we slashed and struggled free | A |
Across the reeling wreck of strife we rode as shadows ride | P |
From Paniput to Delhi town but not alone were we | A |
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'Twas Lutuf Ullah Populzai laid horse upon our track | S |
A swine fed reiver of the North that lusted for the maid | P |
I might have barred his path awhile but Scindia called me back | S |
And I O woe for Scindia I listened and obeyed | P |
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League after league the formless scrub took shape and glided by | T |
League after league the white road swirled behind the white mare's feet | P |
League after league when leagues were done we heard the Populzai | G |
Where sure as Time and swift as Death the tireless footfall beat | P |
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Noon's eye beheld that shame of flight the shadows fell we fled | P |
Where steadfast as the wheeling kite he followed in our train | Q |
The black wolf warred where we had warred the jackal mocked our dead | P |
And terror born of twilight tide made mad the labouring brain | Q |
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I gasped quot A kingdom waits my lord her love is but her own | U |
A day shall mar a day shall cure for her but what for thee | A |
Cut loose the girl he follows fast Cut loose and ride alone quot | P |
Then Scindia 'twixt his blistered lips quot My Queens' Queen shall she be | A |
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quot Of all who ate my bread last night 'twas she alone that came | V |
To seek her love between the spears and find her crown therein | W |
One shame is mine to day what need the weight of double shame | V |
If once we reach the Delhi gate though all be lost I win quot | P |
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We rode the white mare failed her trot a staggering stumble grew | X |
The cooking smoke of even rose and weltered and hung low | M |
And still we heard the Populzai and still we strained anew | X |
And Delhi town was very near but nearer was the foe | M |
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Yea Delhi town was very near when Lalun whispered quot Slay | J |
Lord of my life the mare sinks fast stab deep and let me die quot | P |
But Scindia would not and the maid tore free and flung away | J |
And turning as she fell we heard the clattering Populzai | G |
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Then Scindia checked the gasping mare that rocked and groaned for breath | Y |
And wheeled to charge and plunged the knife a hand's breadth in her side | P |
The hunter and the hunted know how that last pause is death | Y |
The blood had chilled about her heart she reared and fell and died | P |
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Our Gods were kind Before he heard the maiden's piteous scream | Z |
A log upon the Delhi road beneath the mare he lay | J |
Lost mistress and lost battle passed before him like a dream | Z |
The darkness closed about his eyes I bore my King away | J |
Rudyard Kipling
(1)
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