Father John's War-song Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCCCCB B DEEEDDFFEDGDHDHGG D BCCGG I BCCCCGG B GB A CGG A CBBB| THE REAPERS | A |
| - | |
| So many reapers Father John | B |
| So many reapers and no little son | C |
| To meet you when the day is done | C |
| With little stiff legs to waddle and run | C |
| Pray you beg borrow or steal one son | C |
| Hurrah for the corn sheaves of Father John | B |
| - | |
| FATHER JOHN | B |
| - | |
| O maiden Mary be wary be wary | D |
| And go not down to the river | E |
| Lest the kingfisher your evil wisher | E |
| Lure you down to the river | E |
| Lest your white feet grow muddy | D |
| Your red hair too ruddy | D |
| With the river mud so red | F |
| But when you are wed | F |
| Go down to the river | E |
| O maiden Mary be very wary | D |
| And dwell among the corn | G |
| See this dame Alice maiden Mary | D |
| Her hair is thin and white | H |
| But she is a housewife good and wary | D |
| And a great steel key hangs bright | H |
| From her gown as red as the flowers in corn | G |
| She is good and old like the autumn corn | G |
| - | |
| MAIDEN MARY | D |
| - | |
| This is knight Roland Father John | B |
| Stark in his arms from a field half won | C |
| Ask him if he has seen your son | C |
| Roland lay your sword on the corn | G |
| The piled up sheaves of the golden corn | G |
| - | |
| KNIGHT ROLAND | I |
| - | |
| Why does she kiss me Father John | B |
| She is my true love truly won | C |
| Under my helm is room for one | C |
| But the molten lead streams trickle and run | C |
| From my roof tree burning under the sun | C |
| No corn to burn we had eaten the corn | G |
| There was no waste of the golden corn | G |
| - | |
| FATHER JOHN | B |
| - | |
| Ho you reapers away from the corn | G |
| To march with the banner of Father John | B |
| - | |
| THE REAPERS | A |
| - | |
| We will win a house for Roland his son | C |
| And for maiden Mary with hair like corn | G |
| As red as the reddest of golden corn | G |
| - | |
| OMNES | A |
| - | |
| Father John you have got a son | C |
| Seven feet high when his helm is on | B |
| Pennon of Roland banner of John | B |
| Star of Mary march well on | B |
William Morris
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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