The Dresser Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDACEFGHIJ CKLMINOPQRSTU VWNXNYZ A2B2C2D2E2F2G2H2I2J2 K2L2E2M2N2M2 O2P2PQ2C2R2S2T2C XMU2V2W2NX2Y2 Z2MKC D2B2A3MH2 B3BNC3 VD3XE3F3MU2G3AN old man bending I come among new faces | A |
Years looking backward resuming in answer to children | B |
Come tell us old man as from young men and maidens that love me | C |
Years hence of these scenes of these furious passions these | D |
chances | A |
Of unsurpass'd heroes was one side so brave the other was equally | C |
brave | E |
Now be witness again paint the mightiest armies of earth | F |
Of those armies so rapid so wondrous what saw you to tell us | G |
What stays with you latest and deepest of curious panics | H |
Of hard fought engagements or sieges tremendous what deepest | I |
remains | J |
- | |
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O maidens and young men I love and that love me | C |
What you ask of my days those the strangest and sudden your talking | K |
recalls | L |
Soldier alert I arrive after a long march cover'd with sweat and | M |
dust | I |
In the nick of time I come plunge in the fight loudly shout in the | N |
rush of successful charge | O |
Enter the captur'd works yet lo like a swift running river they | P |
fade | Q |
Pass and are gone they fade I dwell not on soldiers' perils or | R |
soldiers' joys | S |
Both I remember well many the hardships few the joys yet I was | T |
content | U |
- | |
But in silence in dreams' projections | V |
While the world of gain and appearance and mirth goes on | W |
So soon what is over forgotten and waves wash the imprints off the | N |
sand | X |
In nature's reverie sad with hinged knees returning I enter the | N |
doors while for you up there | Y |
Whoever you are follow me without noise and be of strong heart | Z |
- | |
- | |
Bearing the bandages water and sponge | A2 |
Straight and swift to my wounded I go | B2 |
Where they lie on the ground after the battle brought in | C2 |
Where their priceless blood reddens the grass the ground | D2 |
Or to the rows of the hospital tent or under the roof'd hospital | E2 |
To the long rows of cots up and down each side I return | F2 |
To each and all one after another I draw near not one do I miss | G2 |
An attendant follows holding a tray he carries a refuse pail | H2 |
Soon to be fill'd with clotted rags and blood emptied and fill'd | I2 |
again | J2 |
- | |
I onward go I stop | K2 |
With hinged knees and steady hand to dress wounds | L2 |
I am firm with each the pangs are sharp yet unavoidable | E2 |
One turns to me his appealing eyes poor boy I never knew you | M2 |
Yet I think I could not refuse this moment to die for you if that | N2 |
would save you | M2 |
- | |
- | |
On on I go open doors of time open hospital doors | O2 |
The crush'd head I dress poor crazed hand tear not the bandage | P2 |
away | P |
The neck of the cavalry man with the bullet through and through I | Q2 |
examine | C2 |
Hard the breathing rattles quite glazed already the eye yet life | R2 |
struggles hard | S2 |
Come sweet death be persuaded O beautiful death | T2 |
In mercy come quickly | C |
- | |
From the stump of the arm the amputated hand | X |
I undo the clotted lint remove the slough wash off the matter and | M |
blood | U2 |
Back on his pillow the soldier bends with curv'd neck and side | V2 |
falling head | W2 |
His eyes are closed his face is pale he dares not look on the | N |
bloody stump | X2 |
And has not yet look'd on it | Y2 |
- | |
I dress a wound in the side deep deep | Z2 |
But a day or two more for see the frame all wasted already and | M |
sinking | K |
And the yellow blue countenance see | C |
- | |
I dress the perforated shoulder the foot with the bullet wound | D2 |
Cleanse the one with a gnawing and putrid gangrene so sickening so | B2 |
offensive | A3 |
While the attendant stands behind aside me holding the tray and | M |
pail | H2 |
- | |
I am faithful I do not give out | B3 |
The fractur'd thigh the knee the wound in the abdomen | B |
These and more I dress with impassive hand yet deep in my breast a | N |
fire a burning flame | C3 |
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Thus in silence in dreams' projections | V |
Returning resuming I thread my way through the hospitals | D3 |
The hurt and wounded I pacify with soothing hand | X |
I sit by the restless all the dark night some are so young | E3 |
Some suffer so much I recall the experience sweet and sad | F3 |
Many a soldier's loving arms about this neck have cross'd and | M |
rested | U2 |
Many a soldier's kiss dwells on these bearded lips | G3 |
Walt Whitman
(1)
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