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Romy
Senior Member
since 2000-05-28
Posts 1170
Plantation, Florida

0 posted 2001-06-20 11:39 PM



A runty little Irishman
John Gilly, five feet tall,
At eighty, left the army,
Serving fifteen years in all.

The lass he wed was 24,
She called him “Grandpa Gilly”
And though he was much older,
She didn’t find it silly.

John bought a farm and settled down
And he did all the plowing,
While Dorcas Brawn, his lovely wife
Had ten kids, time allowing.

And soon he passed one hundred years,
This, doctors found astounding!
That both his body and his mind
remained strong, was confounding!

How did you do it John Gilley?
How did you age so well?
“Tis meat I ate three times a day,
As far as I can tell.”

One hundred twenty four years old,
John Gilley finally died,
His organs sent to Harvard School
(To all his family’s pride).

A simple man in Monmouth Maine,
He started late in life,
But raised a happy family
And loved his darling wife.

Now each year descendents
Of the Brawn and Gilley clan,
Gather round to celebrate
A most amazing man.

How did you do it John Gilley?
How did you age so well?
“Tis meat I ate three times a day
As far as I can tell.”


© Copyright 2001 Deborah L. Carter - All Rights Reserved
Munda
Member Elite
since 1999-10-08
Posts 3544
The Hague, The Netherlands
1 posted 2001-06-21 04:13 PM


Even though not all stanzas are written in iambic heptameter, I most certainly call this a ballad! Great story, great write, great job!
Romy
Senior Member
since 2000-05-28
Posts 1170
Plantation, Florida
2 posted 2001-06-21 04:21 PM


Thanks Munda,
I found my info for this poem in a book about people in New England.  I guess John Gilly is kinda famous in Mass for living such a long life!
I just can't get iambic heptameter, I'm not sure if I understand...which stanzas do you think may be correct or which ones are not?
Debbie

Dr.Moose1
Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448
Bewilderment , USA
3 posted 2001-06-21 05:14 PM


Romy ,
Gotta agree with Munda on this one , great job ! As far as strickly adhering to Iambic heptameter I think it would be a mistake with this , it reads fine as is . The only places I noted variations are , third stanza 2nd and 4th lines , forth stanza 2nd and forth lines , sixth stanza 2nd and 4th lines ( these all have an extra syllable )
and in the eigth stanza you are lacking a syllable in the 1st and third lines
You might try ,
" so now each year descendents of
  the Brawn and Gilley clan
  still gather 'round to celebrate
  a most amazing man "
As I said though , I like it the way you wrote it .
Doc

Munda
Member Elite
since 1999-10-08
Posts 3544
The Hague, The Netherlands
4 posted 2001-06-21 06:14 PM


I'll give it my best Romy, but remember I'm not perfect either and there may be words I pronounce differently than you.   Some lines are written in perfect iambic heptameter when you change two lines to one.  (Meaning: a line of 14 syllables, one unstressed followed by a stressed, which I will type in capitals for you)

A RUNty LIttle IrishMAN, John GILly, FIVE feet TALL,
At EIGHty, LEFT the ARmy, SERving FIFteen YEARS in ALL.

These lines are iambic heptameter. See how easily they read? I will type the rest of your poem like this as well, so you can see where your meter or syllable count is off and of course where it IS iambic heptameter.  

The LASS he WED was TWENtyFOUR, she CALLED him "GRANDpa GILly"
And THOUGH he WAS much OLDer, she DIDn’t FIND it SILly.

John BOUGHT a FARM and SETTled DOWN and HE did ALL the PLOwing,
While DORcas BRAWN, his LOVEly WIFE had TEN kids, TIME alLOWing.

And SOON he PASSED one HUNdred YEARS, this, DOCtors FOUND asTOUNding!
That BOTH his BOdy AND his MIND reMAINED strong, WAS conFOUNding!

How DID you DO it JOHN GILly? How DID you AGE so WELL?
"TisMEAT i ATE three TIMES a DAY, as FAR as I can TELL."

One HUNdred TWENty FOUR years OLD, John GILly FIn'lly DIED,
His ORgans SENT to HARvard SCHOOL (To ALL his FAM'ly’s PRIDE).

A SIMple MAN in MONmouth MAINE, he Started LATE in LIFE,
But RAISED a HAPpy FAmiLY and LOVED his DARling WIFE.

Now can you figure out the last two stanzas yourself? Hope this helps some and forgive me for any mistakes. this is how I read it.  

Munda

Romy
Senior Member
since 2000-05-28
Posts 1170
Plantation, Florida
5 posted 2001-06-21 08:43 PM


Thanks so much, Doc and Munda,
I have printed out your replies so that I can study them.  I'm going to see if I can't figure this out once and for all!
I really appreciate the great lesson from two poets who really know their stuff!
Debbie

Romy
Senior Member
since 2000-05-28
Posts 1170
Plantation, Florida
6 posted 2001-06-23 11:41 AM


Here is my revison,
I don't know if the changes made the poem better or worse but I think the syllable count is right!


A runty little Irishman
John Gilly, five feet tall,
At eighty, left the army,
Serving fifteen years in all.

The lass he wed was twenty-four,
Called him “Grandpa Gilly”
And though he was much older,
She didn’t find it silly.

John bought a farm, settled down,
Got busy with the plowing,
Dorcas Brawn, his lovely wife
Had ten kids, time allowing.

Soon he passed one hundred years,
This, doctors found astounding!
Both his body and his mind
Still healthy, was confounding!  

How did you do it John Gilley?
How did you age so well?
“Tis meat I ate three times a day,
As far as I can tell.”

One hundred twenty-four years old,
At last John Gilley died,
His organs sent to Harvard School
(To all his kinfolk’s pride).

A simple man in Monmouth Maine,
He started late in life,
But raised a happy family,
And loved his darling wife.

So now each year descendents
Of the Brawn and Gilley clan,
Still gather round to celebrate
A most amazing man.

How did you do it John Gilley?
How did you age so well?
“Tis meat I ate three times a day
As far as I can tell.”

[This message has been edited by Romy (edited 06-23-2001).]

Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191
Cape Cod Massachusetts USA
7 posted 2001-06-27 11:38 AM


Hey Romy - Here I am, in Massachusetts - I don't know a whole lot about Sir Gilley... but I do like this poem... Its theme fits the premise of a ballad for sure.

Your iambic heptameter is pretty good too, but the way you've written it, the poem is a composite of couplets (rhyming pairs) of iambic heptameter.  This deviates a bit from the classic format of a ballad, which is written in quatrains (four line stanzas) with a rhyme scheme of a-b-c-b

I wouldn't try to change this piece.  It works as it is, and is a great tale... I like it..

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