Faithless Nelly Gray. - A Pathetic Ballad Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DEFG HCIC JKLK KMCM KNON PQRQ STUT KVCW XBYB KYRY ZA2B2A2 KC2D2C2 E2F2G2F2 H2CI2C J2K2L2K2 M2N2O2N2

Ben Battle was a soldier boldA
And used to war's alarmsB
But a cannon ball took off his legsC
So he laid down his armsB
-
Now as they bore him off the fieldD
Said he Let others shootE
For here I leave my second legF
And the Forty second FootG
-
The army surgeons made him limbsH
Said he They're only pegsC
But there's as wooden members quiteI
As represent my legsC
-
Now Ben he loved a pretty maidJ
Her name was Nelly GrayK
So he went to pay her his devoursL
When he'd devour'd his payK
-
But when he called on Nelly GrayK
She made him quite a scoffM
And when she saw his wooden legsC
Began to take them offM
-
O Nelly Gray O Nelly GrayK
Is this your love so warmN
The love that loves a scarlet coatO
Should be more uniformN
-
Said she I loved a soldier onceP
For he was blithe and braveQ
But I will never have a manR
With both legs in the graveQ
-
Before you had those timber toesS
Your love I did allowT
But then you know you stand uponU
Another footing nowT
-
O Nelly Gray O Nelly GrayK
For all your jeering speechesV
At duty's call I left my legsC
In Badajos's breachesW
-
Why then said she you've lost the feetX
Of legs in war's alarmsB
And now you cannot wear your shoesY
Upon your feats of armsB
-
O false and fickle Nelly GrayK
I know why you refuseY
Though I've no feet some other manR
Is standing in my shoesY
-
I wish I ne'er had seen your faceZ
But now a long farewellA2
For you will be my death alasB2
You will not be my NellA2
-
Now when he went from Nelly GrayK
His heart so heavy gotC2
And life was such a burthen grownD2
It made him take a knotC2
-
So round his melancholy neckE2
A rope he did entwineF2
And for his second time in lifeG2
Enlisted in the LineF2
-
One end he tied around a beamH2
And then removed his pegsC
And as his legs were off of courseI2
He soon was off his legsC
-
And there he hung till he was deadJ2
As any nail in townK2
For though distress had cut him upL2
It could not cut him downK2
-
A dozen men sat on his corpseM2
To find out why he diedN2
And they buried Ben in four cross roadsO2
With a stake in his insideN2

Thomas Hood



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