The Loss Of The Victoria Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABB CCDD EEBB FGHI JJKL MMAA NOPP NOQQ RRSS TTUU VVWX YYZA2 B2B2CC BBC2C2| Alas Now o'er Britannia there hangs a gloom | A |
| Because over British Tars have met with a watery tomb | A |
| Who served aboard the Victoria the biggest ship in the navy | B |
| And one of the finest battleships that ever sailed the sea | B |
| - | |
| And commanded by Sir George Tyron a noble hero bold | C |
| And his name on his tombstone should be written in letters of gold | C |
| For he was skilful in naval tactics few men could with him cope | D |
| And he was considered to be the nation's hope | D |
| - | |
| 'Twas on Thursday the twenty second of June | E |
| And off the coast of Syria and in the afternoon | E |
| And in the year of our Lord eighteen ninety three | B |
| That the ill fated Victoria sank to the bottom of the sea | B |
| - | |
| The Victoria sank in fifteen minutes after she was rammed | F |
| In eighty fathoms of water which was smoothly calmed | G |
| The monster war vessel capsized bottom uppermost | H |
| And alas lies buried in the sea totally lost | I |
| - | |
| The Victoria was the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet | J |
| And was struck by the Camperdown when too close they did meet | J |
| While practising the naval and useful art of war | K |
| How to wheel and discharge their shot at the enemy afar | L |
| - | |
| Oh Heaven Methinks I see some men lying in their beds | M |
| And some skylarking no doubt and not a soul dreads | M |
| The coming avalanche that was to seal their doom | A |
| Until down came the mighty fabric of the engine room | A |
| - | |
| Then death leaped on them from all quarters in a moment | N |
| And there were explosions of magazines and boilers rent | O |
| And the fire and steam and water beat out all life | P |
| But I hope the drowned ones are in the better world free from strife | P |
| - | |
| Sir George Tyron was on the bridge at the moment of the accident | N |
| With folded arms seemingly quite content | O |
| And seeing the vessel couldn't be saved he remained till the last | Q |
| And went down with the Victoria when all succour was past | Q |
| - | |
| Methinks I see him on the bridge like a hero brave | R |
| And the ship slowly sinking into the briny wave | R |
| And when the men cried Save yourselves without delay | S |
| He told them to save themselves he felt no dismay | S |
| - | |
| 'Twas only those that leaped from the vessel at the first alarm | T |
| Luckily so that were saved from any harm | T |
| By leaping into the boats o'er the vessel's side | U |
| Thanking God they had escaped as o'er the smooth water they did glide | U |
| - | |
| At Whitehall London mothers and fathers did call | V |
| And the pitiful scene did the spectators' hearts appal | V |
| But the most painful case was the mother of J P Scarlet | W |
| Who cried Oh Heaven the loss of my son I'll never forget | X |
| - | |
| Oh Heaven Befriend the bereaved ones hard is their fate | Y |
| Which I am sorry at heart to relate | Y |
| But I hope God in His goodness will provide for them | Z |
| Especially the widows for the loss of their men | A2 |
| - | |
| Alas Britannia now will mourn the loss of her naval commander | B2 |
| Who was as brave as the great Alexander | B2 |
| And to his honour be it fearlessly told | C |
| Few men would excel this hero bold | C |
| - | |
| Alas 'Tis sad to be buried in eighty fathoms of Syrian sea | B |
| Which will hide the secret of the Victoria to all eternity | B |
| Which causes Britannia's sorrow to be profound | C2 |
| For the brave British Tars that have been drowned | C2 |
William Topaz Mcgonagall
(1)
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