The Enigma
Robert William Service 1874 – 1958
The Sergeant of a Highland Reg-
-Iment was drilling of his men;
With temper notably on edge
He blest them every now and then.
A sweet old lady standing by,
Was looking on with fascination,
And then she dared this question shy,
That pertubates the Celtic nation.
"Oh gentle Sergeant do not scold;
Please tell me, though your tone so curt is:
These bare-legged boys look sadly cold -
Do they wear wool beneath their skirties?
The Sergeant's face grew lobster red,
As one who sends a bloke to blazes . . .
Then: "round about turn, squad," he said;
"Now blast you! bend and pick up daises."
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 14, 2023
- 32 sec read
- 80 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | XAXABCBC DEDEFEFE |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 579 |
Words | 109 |
Stanzas | 2 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8 |
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"The Enigma" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/32536/the-enigma>.
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