Analysis of The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo

Rudyard Kipling 1865 (Mumbai) – 1936 (London)



This is the mouth-filling song of the race that was run by a Boomer.
Run in a single burst--only event of its kind--
Started by Big God Nqong from Warrigaborrigarooma,
Old Man Kangaroo first, Yellow-Dog Dingo behind.

Kangaroo bounded away, his back-legs working like pistons--
Bounded from morning till dark, twenty-five feet at a bound.
Yellow-Dog Dingo lay like a yellow cloud in the distance--
Much too busy to bark. My! but they covered the ground!

Nobody knows where they went, or followed the track that they flew in,
For that Continent hadn't been given a name.
They ran thirty degrees from Torres Straits to Leeuwin
(Look at the Atlas, please then they ran back as they came.

S'posing you could trot from Adelaide to the Pacific
For an afternoon's run -- half what these gentlemen did--
You would feel rather hot, but your legs would develop terrific,
Yes, my importunate son, you'd be a Marvellous Kid!


Scheme XABA XCXC DBDB EFEF
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 11011011011111010 1001011001111 10111111 110111011001 01100111110110 10110111011101 101101101010010 1110111111001 11111110011110 111001011001 11100111111 1101011111111 11011111010010 110111111001 1111011111010010 111111011
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 904
Words 159
Sentences 10
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 16
Letters per line (avg) 45
Words per line (avg) 10
Letters per stanza (avg) 178
Words per stanza (avg) 39
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

48 sec read
136

Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist chiefly remembered for his tales and poems of British soldiers in India and his tales for children. more…

All Rudyard Kipling poems | Rudyard Kipling Books

33 fans

Discuss this Rudyard Kipling poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/33565/the-sing-song-of-old-man-kangaroo>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    6
    days
    6
    hours
    25
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    "If ever two were one, then surely we."
    A Anne Sexton
    B Hilda Doolittle
    C Anne Bradstreet
    D Sylvia Plath