The Distress'd Travellers; Or, Labour In Vain Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEEEE AFGFGEEE AHFIFI HEEE JHFEFE HEEE HHEKEK HLLL JHMEME HJJJ JHNEOEPPP JHQ HR HQREEE ISTSTUUU| I | A |
| I sing of a journey to Clifton | B |
| We would have perform'd if we could | C |
| Without cart or barrow to lift on | D |
| Poor Mary and me through the mud | E |
| Slee sla slud | E |
| Stuck in the mud | E |
| Oh it is pretty to wade through a flood | E |
| - | |
| II | A |
| So away we went slipping and sliding | F |
| Hop hop a la mode de deux frogs | G |
| 'Tis near as good walking as riding | F |
| When ladies are dress'd in their clogs | G |
| Wheels no doubt | E |
| Go briskly about | E |
| But they clatter and rattle and make such a rout | E |
| - | |
| III | A |
| SHE | H |
| Well now I protest it is charming | F |
| How finely the weather improves | I |
| That cloud though is rather alarming | F |
| How slowly and stately it moves | I |
| - | |
| HE | H |
| Pshaw never mind | E |
| 'Tis not in the wind | E |
| We are travelling south and shall leave it behind | E |
| - | |
| IV | J |
| SHE | H |
| I am glad we are come for an airing | F |
| For folks may be pounded and penn'd | E |
| Until they grow rusty not caring | F |
| To stir half a mile to an end | E |
| - | |
| HE | H |
| The longer we stay | E |
| The longer we may | E |
| It's a folly to think about weather or way | E |
| - | |
| V | H |
| SHE | H |
| But now I begin to be frighted | E |
| If I fall what a way I should roll | K |
| I am glad that the bridge was indicted | E |
| Stop stop I am sunk in a hole | K |
| - | |
| HE | H |
| Nay never care | L |
| 'Tis a common affair | L |
| You'll not be the last that will set a foot there | L |
| - | |
| VI | J |
| SHE | H |
| Let me breathe now alittle and ponder | M |
| On what it were better to do | E |
| That terrible lane I see yonder | M |
| I think we shall never get through | E |
| - | |
| HE | H |
| So think I | J |
| But by the bye | J |
| We never shall know if we never should try | J |
| - | |
| VII | J |
| SHE | H |
| But should we get there how shall we get home | N |
| What a terrible deal of bad road we have past | E |
| Slipping and sliding and if we should come | O |
| To a difficult stile I am ruin'd at last | E |
| Oh this lane | P |
| Now it is plain | P |
| That struggling and striving is labour in vain | P |
| - | |
| VIII | J |
| HE | H |
| Stick fast there while I go and look | Q |
| - | |
| SHE | H |
| Don't go away for fear I should fall | R |
| - | |
| HE | H |
| I have examin'd it every nook | Q |
| And what you have here is a sample of all | R |
| Come wheel round | E |
| The dirt we have found | E |
| Would be an estate at a farthing a pound | E |
| - | |
| IX | I |
| Now Sister Anne the guitar you must take | S |
| Set it and sing it and make it a song | T |
| I have vari'd the verse for variety sake | S |
| And cut it off short because it was long | T |
| 'Tis hobbling and lame | U |
| Which critics won't blame | U |
| For the sense and the sound they say should be the same | U |
William Cowper
(1)
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About The Distress'd Travellers; Or, Labour In Vain
The Distress'd Travellers; Or, Labour In Vain is a poem by William Cowper. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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