At A Pantomime. By A Bilious One Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH ICIC JKJK LMLM NONO PQPQ RORO STST CDCD UVUV IWIW TXYZ ISIS A2IA2I

An Actor sits in doubtful gloomA
His stock in trade unfurledB
In a damp funereal dressing roomA
In the Theatre Royal WorldB
-
He comes to town at Christmas timeC
And braves its icy breathD
To play in that favourite pantomimeC
HARLEQUIN LIFE AND DEATHD
-
A hoary flowing wig his weirdE
Unearthly cranium capsF
He hangs a long benevolent beardE
On a pair of empty chapsF
-
To smooth his ghastly features downG
The actor's art he cribsH
A long and a flowing padded gownG
Bedecks his rattling ribsH
-
He cries Go on begin beginI
Turn on the light of limeC
I'm dressed for jolly Old Christmas inI
A favourite pantomimeC
-
The curtain's up the stage all blackJ
Time and the year nigh spedK
Time as an advertising quackJ
The Old Year nearly deadK
-
The wand of Time is waved and loL
Revealed Old Christmas standsM
And little children chuckle and crowL
And laugh and clap their handsM
-
The cruel old scoundrel brightens upN
At the death of the Olden YearO
And he waves a gorgeous golden cupN
And bids the world good cheerO
-
The little ones hail the festive KingP
No thought can make them sadQ
Their laughter comes with a sounding ringP
They clap and crow like madQ
-
They only see in the humbug oldR
A holiday every yearO
And handsome gifts and joys untoldR
And unaccustomed cheerO
-
The old ones palsied blear and hoarS
Their breasts in anguish beatT
They've seen him seventy times beforeS
How well they know the cheatT
-
They've seen that ghastly pantomimeC
They've felt its blighting breathD
They know that rollicking Christmas timeC
Meant Cold and Want and DeathD
-
Starvation Poor Law Union fareU
And deadly cramps and chillsV
And illness illness everywhereU
And crime and Christmas billsV
-
They know Old Christmas well I weenI
Those men of ripened ageW
They've often often often seenI
That Actor off the stageW
-
They see in his gay rotundityT
A clumsy stuffed out dressX
They see in the cup he waves on highY
A tinselled emptinessZ
-
Those aged men so lean and wanI
They've seen it all beforeS
They know they'll see the charlatanI
But twice or three times moreS
-
And so they bear with dance and songA2
And crimson foil and greenI
They wearily sit and grimly longA2
For the Transformation SceneI

William Schwenck Gilbert



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