The Precocious Baby - A Very True Tale Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBAAAA CDDCCCC EFFEEEE GCCGGGG HIIHHHH JKKJJJJ CLLCCCC MGNMMMM ONNOOOO PQQPPPP NRRNNNN S OTTOOOOAn elderly person a prophet by trade | A |
With his quips and tips | B |
On withered old lips | B |
He married a young and a beautiful maid | A |
The cunning old blade | A |
Though rather decayed | A |
He married a beautiful beautiful maid | A |
- | |
She was only eighteen and as fair as could be | C |
With her tempting smiles | D |
And maidenly wiles | D |
And he was a trifle past seventy three | C |
Now what she could see | C |
Is a puzzle to me | C |
In a prophet of seventy seventy three | C |
- | |
Of all their acquaintances bidden or bad | E |
With their loud high jinks | F |
And underbred winks | F |
None thought they'd a family have but they had | E |
A dear little lad | E |
Who drove 'em half mad | E |
For he turned out a horribly fast little cad | E |
- | |
For when he was born he astonished all by | G |
With their Law dear me | C |
Did ever you see | C |
He'd a pipe in his mouth and a glass in his eye | G |
A hat all awry | G |
An octagon tie | G |
And a miniature miniature glass in his eye | G |
- | |
He grumbled at wearing a frock and a cap | H |
With his Oh dear oh | I |
And his Hang it 'oo know | I |
And he turned up his nose at his excellent pap | H |
My friends it's a tap | H |
Dat is not worf a rap | H |
Now this was remarkably excellent pap | H |
- | |
He'd chuck his nurse under the chin and he'd say | J |
With his Fal lal lal | K |
'Oo doosed fine gal | K |
This shocking precocity drove 'em away | J |
A month from to day | J |
Is as long as I'll stay | J |
Then I'd wish if you please for to toddle away | J |
- | |
His father a simple old gentleman he | C |
With nursery rhyme | L |
And Once on a time | L |
Would tell him the story of Little Bo P | C |
So pretty was she | C |
So pretty and wee | C |
As pretty as pretty as pretty could be | C |
- | |
But the babe with a dig that would startle an ox | M |
With his C'ck Oh my | G |
Go along wiz 'oo fie | N |
Would exclaim I'm afraid 'oo a socking ole fox | M |
Now a father it shocks | M |
And it whitens his locks | M |
When his little babe calls him a shocking old fox | M |
- | |
The name of his father he'd couple and pair | O |
With his ill bred laugh | N |
And insolent chaff | N |
With those of the nursery heroines rare | O |
Virginia the Fair | O |
Or Good Goldenhair | O |
Till the nuisance was more than a prophet could bear | O |
- | |
There's Jill and White Cat said the bold little brat | P |
With his loud Ha ha | Q |
'Oo sly ickle Pa | Q |
Wiz 'oo Beauty Bo Peep and 'oo Mrs Jack Sprat | P |
I've noticed 'oo pat | P |
MY pretty White Cat | P |
I sink dear mamma ought to know about dat | P |
- | |
He early determined to marry and wive | N |
For better or worse | R |
With his elderly nurse | R |
Which the poor little boy didn't live to contrive | N |
His hearth didn't thrive | N |
No longer alive | N |
He died an enfeebled old dotard at five | N |
- | |
MORAL | S |
- | |
Now elderly men of the bachelor crew | O |
With wrinkled hose | T |
And spectacled nose | T |
Don't marry at all you may take it as true | O |
If ever you do | O |
The step you will rue | O |
For your babes will be elderly elderly too | O |
William Schwenck Gilbert
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