The Sergeant's Song

Thomas Hardy 1840 (Stinsford) – 1928 (Dorchester, Dorset)



WHEN Lawyers strive to heal a breach,
     And Parsons practise what they preach;
     Then Little Boney he'll pounce down,
     And march his men on London town!
        Rollicum-rorum, tol-lol-lorum,
        Rollicum-rorum, tol-lol-lay!

     When Justices hold equal scales,
     And Rogues are only found in jails;
     Then Little Boney he'll pounce down,
     And march his men on London town!
        Rollicum-rorum, etc.

     When Rich Men find their wealth a curse,
     And fill therewith the Poor Man's purse;
     Then Little Boney he'll pounce down,
     And march his men on London town!
        Rollicum-rorum, etc.

     When Husbands with their Wives agree,
     And Maids won't wed from modesty;
     Then Little Boney he'll pounce down,
     And march his men on London town!
        Rollicum-rorum, tol-lol-lorum,
        Rollicum-rorum, tol-lol-lay!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 03, 2023

37 sec read
164

Quick analysis:

Scheme aaBBCD eeBBF ggBBF hhBBCD
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 855
Words 118
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 6, 5, 5, 6

Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy, was not a Scottish Minister, not a Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland nor a Professor of Eccesiastical History at Edinburgh University. more…

All Thomas Hardy poems | Thomas Hardy Books

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