The Tragedy

Post Reply
User avatar
crabbygabby
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2024 6:37 am

Post by crabbygabby »

This old poem has a really nice beat to it. Every line has 15 iambs.
It feels to me like it is a known metric verse but I can't quite put my finger on it.
If anyone knows what kind of meter this is, please let me know.

The Tragedy - Henry Lawson

Oh, I never felt so wretched, and things never looked so blue
    Since the days I gulped the physic that my Granny used to brew;
    For a friend in whom I trusted, entering my room last night,
    Stole a bottleful of Heenzo from the desk whereon I write.

    I am certain sure he did it (though he never would let on),
    For all last week he had a cold and to-day his cough is gone;
    Now I'm sick and sore and sorry, and I'm sad for friendship's sake
    (It was better than the cough-cure that our Granny used to make).

    Oh, he might have pinched my whisky, and he might have pinched my beer,
    Or all the fame or money that I make while writing here,
    Oh, he might have shook the blankets and I'd not have made a row,
    If he'd only left my Heenzo till the morning, anyhow.

    So I've lost my faith in Mateship, which was all I had to lose
    Since I lost my faith in Russia and myself and got the blues;
    And so trust turns to suspicion, and so friendship turns to hate,
    Even Kaiser Bill would never pinch his Heenzo from a mate.
Post Reply