Lieutenant-colonel Flare Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCD EFGFGHGI JKJKGLGL AMAMGNGN OPOPOGOG PQPQJRJR CPCPASAS GAGATUAU APAPPGPG JGJGJGJG VWVWACAC APAPCDCDThe earth has armies plenty | A |
And semi warlike bands | B |
I dare say there are twenty | A |
In European lands | B |
But oh in no direction | C |
You'd find one to compare | D |
In brotherly affection | C |
With that of COLONEL FLARE | D |
- | |
His soldiers might be rated | E |
As military Pearls | F |
As unsophisticated | G |
As pretty little girls | F |
They never smoked or ratted | G |
Or talked of Sues or Polls | H |
The Sergeant Major tatted | G |
The others nursed their dolls | I |
- | |
He spent his days in teaching | J |
These truly solemn facts | K |
There's little use in preaching | J |
Or circulating tracts | K |
The vainest plan invented | G |
For stifling other creeds | L |
Unless it's supplemented | G |
With charitable DEEDS | L |
- | |
He taught his soldiers kindly | A |
To give at Hunger's call | M |
Oh better far give blindly | A |
Than never give at all | M |
Though sympathy be kindled | G |
By Imposition's game | N |
Oh better far be swindled | G |
Than smother up its flame | N |
- | |
His means were far from ample | O |
For pleasure or for dress | P |
Yet note this bright example | O |
Of single heartedness | P |
Though ranking as a Colonel | O |
His pay was but a groat | G |
While their reward diurnal | O |
Was each a five pound note | G |
- | |
Moreover this evinces | P |
His kindness you'll allow | Q |
He fed them all like princes | P |
And lived himself on cow | Q |
He set them all regaling | J |
On curious wines and dear | R |
While he would sit pale ale ing | J |
Or quaffing ginger beer | R |
- | |
Then at his instigation | C |
A pretty fancy this | P |
Their daily pay and ration | C |
He'd take in change for his | P |
They brought it to him weekly | A |
And he without a groan | S |
Would take it from them meekly | A |
And give them all his own | S |
- | |
Though not exactly knighted | G |
As knights of course should be | A |
Yet no one so delighted | G |
In harmless chivalry | A |
If peasant girl or ladye | T |
Beneath misfortunes sank | U |
Whate'er distinctions made he | A |
They were not those of rank | U |
- | |
No maiden young and comely | A |
Who wanted good advice | P |
However poor or homely | A |
Need ask him for it twice | P |
He'd wipe away the blindness | P |
That comes of teary dew | G |
His sympathetic kindness | P |
No sort of limit knew | G |
- | |
He always hated dealing | J |
With men who schemed or planned | G |
A person harsh unfeeling | J |
The Colonel could not stand | G |
He hated cold suspecting | J |
Official men in blue | G |
Who pass their lives detecting | J |
The crimes that others do | G |
- | |
For men who'd shoot a sparrow | V |
Or immolate a worm | W |
Beneath a farmer's harrow | V |
He could not find a term | W |
Humanely ay and knightly | A |
He dealt with such an one | C |
He took and tied him tightly | A |
And blew him from a gun | C |
- | |
The earth has armies plenty | A |
And semi warlike bands | P |
I'm certain there are twenty | A |
In European lands | P |
But oh in no direction | C |
You'd find one to compare | D |
In brotherly affection | C |
With that of COLONEL FLARE | D |
William Schwenck Gilbert
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