The Bankrupt Peace-maker Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJ GGKKLLBBMMNNGGOOPPQQ RRSSTTUUVVWWLL| I opened the ink well and smoke filled the room | A |
| The smoke formed the giant frog cat of my doom | A |
| His web feet left dreadful slime tracks on the floor | B |
| He had hammer and nails that he laid by the door | B |
| He sprawled on the table claw hands in my hair | C |
| He looked through my heart to the mud that was there | C |
| Like a black mailer hating his victim he spoke | D |
| When I see all your squirming I laugh till I choke | D |
| Singing of peace Railing at battle | E |
| Soothing a handful with saccharine prattle | E |
| All the millions of earth have voted for fight | F |
| You are voting for talk with hands lily white | F |
| He leaped to the floor then grew seven feet high | G |
| Beautiful terrible scorn in his eye | G |
| The Devil Eternal Apollo grown old | H |
| With beard of bright silver and garments of gold | H |
| What will you do to end war for good | I |
| Will you stand by the book case be nailed to the wood | I |
| I stretched out my arms He drove the nails deep | J |
| Silently coolly The house was asleep | J |
| I hung for three years forbidden to die | G |
| I seemed but a shadow the servants passed by | G |
| At the end of the time with hot irons he returned | K |
| The Quitter Sublime on my bosom he burned | K |
| As he seared me he hissed You are wearing away | L |
| The good angels tell me you leave them today | L |
| You want to come down from the nails in the door | B |
| The victor must hang there three hundred years more | B |
| If any prig saint would outvote all mankind | M |
| He must use an immortally resolute mind | M |
| Think what the saints of Benares endure | N |
| Through infinite birthpangs their courage is sure | N |
| Self tortured self ruled they build their powers high | G |
| Until they are gods overmaster the sky | G |
| Then he pulled out the nails He shouted Come in | O |
| To heal me there stepped in a lady of sin | O |
| Her hand was in mine We walked in the sun | P |
| She said Now forget them the Saxon and Hun | P |
| You are dreary and aged and silly and weak | Q |
| Let us smell the sweet groves Let the summertime speak | Q |
| We walked to the river We swam there in state | R |
| I was a serpent She was my mate | R |
| I forgot in the marsh as I tumbled about | S |
| That trial in my room where I did not hold out | S |
| Since I was a serpent my mate seemed to me | T |
| As a mermaiden seems to a fisher at sea | T |
| Or a whisky soaked girl to a whisky soaked king | U |
| I woke She had turned to a ravening thing | U |
| On the table a buzzard with leperous head | V |
| She tore up my rhymes and my drawings She said | V |
| I am your own cheap bankrupt soul | W |
| Will you die for the nations making them whole | W |
| We joy in the swamp and here we are gay | L |
| Will you bring your fine peace to the nations today | L |
Vachel Lindsay
(1)
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About The Bankrupt Peace-maker
The Bankrupt Peace-maker is a poem by Vachel Lindsay. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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