The Baby's Vengeance Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABB CCDD EEFF GGHH IIJJ KKAA LLMM NNOO HHPP LLAA A QRQRRR STSTTT URURTT VVVVLL VWVWVV XTXTTT KYKYZZ JJJJVV AAPP JJJJ A2A2AA

Weary at heart and extremely illA
Was PALEY VOLLAIRE of BromptonvilleA
In a dirty lodging with fever downB
Close to the Polygon Somers TownB
-
PALEY VOLLAIRE was an only sonC
For why His mother had had but oneC
And PALEY inherited gold and groundsD
Worth several hundred thousand poundsD
-
But he like many a rich young manE
Through this magnificent fortune ranE
And nothing was left for his daily needsF
But duplicate copies of mortgage deedsF
-
Shabby and sorry and sorely sickG
He slept and dreamt that the clock's tick tickG
Was one of the Fates with a long sharp knifeH
Snicking off bits of his shortened lifeH
-
He woke and counted the pips on the wallsI
The outdoor passengers' loud footfallsI
And reckoned all over and reckoned againJ
The little white tufts on his counterpaneJ
-
A medical man to his bedside cameK
I can't remember that doctor's nameK
And said You'll die in a very short whileA
If you don't set sail for Madeira's isleA
-
Go to Madeira goodness meL
I haven't the money to pay your feeL
Then PALEY VOLLAIRE said the leech good byeM
I'll come no more for your're sure to dieM
-
He sighed and he groaned and smote his breastN
Oh send said he for FREDERICK WESTN
Ere senses fade or my eyes grow dimO
I've a terrible tale to whisper himO
-
Poor was FREDERICK'S lot in lifeH
A dustman he with a fair young wifeH
A worthy man with a hard earned storeP
A hundred and seventy pounds or moreP
-
FREDERICK came and he said MaybeL
You'll say what you happened to want with meL
Wronged boy said PALEY VOLLAIRE I willA
But don't you fidget yourself sit stillA
-
-
THE TERRIBLE TALEA
-
'Tis now some thirty seven years agoQ
Since first began the plot that I'm revealingR
A fine young woman whom you ought to knowQ
Lived with her husband down in Drum Lane EalingR
Herself by means of mangling reimbursingR
And now and then at intervals wet nursingR
-
Two little babes dwelt in their humble cotS
One was her own the other only lent to herT
HER OWN SHE SLIGHTED Tempted by a lotS
Of gold and silver regularly sent to herT
She ministered unto the little otherT
In the capacity of foster motherT
-
I WAS HER OWN Oh how I lay and sobbedU
In my poor cradle deeply deeply cursingR
The rich man's pampered bantling who had robbedU
My only birthright an attentive nursingR
Sometimes in hatred of my foster brotherT
I gnashed my gums which terrified my motherT
-
One day it was quite early in the weekV
I IN MY CRADLE HAVING PLACED THE BANTLINGV
Crept into his He had not learnt to speakV
But I could see his face with anger mantlingV
It was imprudent well disgraceful maybeL
For oh I was a bad blackhearted babyL
-
So great a luxury was food I thinkV
No wickedness but I was game to try for itW
NOW if I wanted anything to drinkV
At any time I only had to cry for itW
ONCE if I dared to weep the bottle lackingV
My blubbering involved a serious smackingV
-
We grew up in the usual way my friendX
My foster brother daily growing thinnerT
While gradually I began to mendX
And thrived amazingly on double dinnerT
And every one besides my foster motherT
Believed that either of us was the otherT
-
I came into HIS wealth I bore HIS nameK
I bear it still HIS property I squanderedY
I mortgaged everything and now oh shameK
Into a Somers Town shake down I've wanderedY
I am no PALEY no VOLLAIRE it's true my boyZ
The only rightful PALEY V is YOU my boyZ
-
And all I have is yours and yours is mineJ
I still may place you in your true positionJ
Give me the pounds you've saved and I'll resignJ
My noble name my rank and my conditionJ
So far my wickedness in falsely owningV
Your vasty wealth I am at last atoningV
-
-
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FREDERICK he was a simple soulA
He pulled from his pocket a bulky rollA
And gave to PALEY his hard earned storeP
A hundred and seventy pounds or moreP
-
PALEY VOLLAIRE with many a groanJ
Gave FREDERICK all that he called his ownJ
Two shirts and a sock and a vest of jeanJ
A Wellington boot and a bamboo caneJ
-
And FRED entitled to all things thereA2
He took the fever from MR VOLLAIREA2
Which killed poor FREDERICK WEST MeanwhileA
VOLLAIRE sailed off to Madeira's isleA

William Schwenck Gilbert



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