His Mate Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCD CBCB DBDB DEDE DFDF CGCG AAAE EAEA EDED DDDD ADAD DHDH EIEI BJBJ ADADDKDL DADE DDDD CMCM ADAD NANAEDED CACA ADADIT MAY have been a fragment of that higher | A |
Truth dreams at times disclose | B |
It may have been to Fond Illusion nigher | A |
But thus the story goes | B |
A fierce sun glared upon a gaunt land stricken | C |
With barrenness and thirst | D |
Where Nature s pulse with joy of Spring would quicken | C |
No more a land accurst | D |
- | |
Gray salt bush grimmer made the desolation | C |
Like mocking immortelles | B |
Strewn on the graveyard of a perished nation | C |
Whose name no record tells | B |
- | |
No faintest sign of distant water glimmered | D |
The aching eye to bless | B |
The far horizon like a sword s edge shimmered | D |
Keen gleaming pitiless | B |
- | |
And all the long day through the hot air quivered | D |
Beneath a burning sky | E |
In dazzling dance of heat that flashed and shivered | D |
It seemed as if hard by | E |
- | |
The borders of this region evil favoured | D |
Life ended Death began | F |
But no upon the plain a shadow wavered | D |
The shadow of a man | F |
- | |
What man was this by Fate or Folly driven | C |
To cross the dreadful plain | G |
A pilgrim poor or Ishmael unforgiven | C |
The man was Andy Blane | G |
- | |
A stark old sinner and a stout as ever | A |
Blue swag has carried through | A |
That grim wild land men name the Never Never | A |
Beyond the far Barcoo | E |
- | |
His strength was failing now but his unfailing | E |
Strong spirit still upbore | A |
And drove him on with courage yet unquailing | E |
In spite of weakness sore | A |
- | |
When lo beside a clump of salt bush lying | E |
All suddenly he found | D |
A stranger who before his eyes seemed dying | E |
Of thirst without a sound | D |
- | |
Straightway beside that stranger on the sandy | D |
Salt plain a death bed sad | D |
Down kneeling Drink this water mate said Andy | D |
It was the last he had | D |
- | |
Behold a miracle for when that Other | A |
Had drunk he rose and cried | D |
Let us pass on As brother might with brother | A |
So went they side by side | D |
- | |
Until the fierce sun like an eyeball bloody | D |
Eclipsed in death was seen | H |
No more and in the spacious West still ruddy | D |
A star shone out serene | H |
- | |
As one then whom some memory beguiling | E |
May gladden yea and grieve | I |
The stranger pointing up said sadly smiling | E |
The Star of Christmas Eve | I |
- | |
Andy replied not Unto him the sky was | B |
All reeling stars his breath | J |
Came thick and fast and life an empty lie was | B |
True one thing only Death | J |
- | |
- | |
Beneath the moonlight with the weird wan glitter | A |
Of salt bush all around | D |
He lay but by his side in that dark bitter | A |
Last hour a friend he found | D |
Thank God he said He s acted more than square mate | D |
By me in this and I m | K |
A Rip He must have known I was well there mate | D |
A White Man all the time | L |
- | |
To morrow s Christmas day God knows where I ll be | D |
By then I don t but you | A |
Away from this Death s hole should many a mile be | D |
At Blake s on the Barcoo | E |
- | |
You take this cheque there they will cash it sonny | D |
It meant my Christmas spree | D |
And do just what you like best with the money | D |
In memory of me | D |
- | |
The stranger smiling with a little leaven | C |
Of irony said Yea | M |
But there it shall not be With me in Heaven | C |
You ll spend your Christmas Day | M |
- | |
Then that gray heathen that old back block stager | A |
Half jestingly replied | D |
And laughed and laughed again Mate it s a wager | A |
And grimly laughing died | D |
- | |
- | |
St Peter stood at the Celestial Portal | N |
Gazing down gulfs of air | A |
When Andy Blane no longer now a mortal | N |
Appeared before him there | A |
What seek st thou here the saint in tone ironic | E |
Said Surely the wrong gate | D |
This is for thee Andy replied laconic | E |
I want to find my mate | D |
- | |
The gates flew wide The glory unbeholden | C |
Of mortal eyes was there | A |
He gazed this trembling sinner at the golden | C |
Thrones terrible and fair | A |
- | |
And shuddered Then down through the living splendour | A |
Came One unto the gate | D |
Who said with outspread hands in accents tender | A |
Andy I am your mate | D |
Victor James Daley
(1)
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