Loot
If you've ever stole a pheasant-egg be'ind the keeper's back,If you've ever snigged the washin' from the line,If you've ever crammed a gander in your bloomin' 'aversack,You will understand this little song o' mine.But the service rules are 'ard, an' from such we are debarred,For the same with English morals does not suit.(Cornet: Toot! toot!)W'y, they call a man a robber if 'e stuffs 'is marchin' clobberWith the--(Chorus) Loo! loo! Lulu! lulu! Loo! loo! Loot! loot! loot!Ow the loot!Bloomin' loot!That's the thing to make the boys git up an' shoot!It's the same with dogs an' men,If you'd make 'em come againClap 'em forward with a Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot!(ff) Whoopee! Tear 'im, puppy! Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot! loot! loot!
If you've knocked a nigger edgeways when 'e's thrustin' for your life,You must leave 'im very careful where 'e fell;An' may thank your stars an' gaiters if you didn't feel 'is knifeThat you ain't told off to bury 'im as well.Then the sweatin' Tommies wonder as they spade the beggars underWhy lootin' should be entered as a crime;So if my song you'll 'ear, I will learn you plain an' clear'Ow to pay yourself for fightin' overtime.(Chorus) With the loot,...
Now remember when you're 'acking round a gilded Burma godThat 'is eyes is very often precious stones;An' if you treat a nigger to a dose o' cleanin'-rod'E's like to show you everything 'e owns.When 'e won't prodooce no more, pour some water on the floorWhere you 'ear it answer 'ollow to the boot(Cornet: Toot! toot!)--When the ground begins to sink, shove your baynick down the chink,An' you're sure to touch the--(Chorus) Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot! loot! loot!Ow the loot!...
When from 'ouse to 'ouse you're 'unting, you must always work in pairs--It 'alves the gain, but safer you will find--For a single man gets bottled on them twisty-wisty stairs,An' a woman comes and clobs 'im from be'ind.When you've turned 'em inside out, an' it seems beyond a doubtAs if there weren't enough to dust a flute(Cornet: Toot! toot!)--Before you sling your 'ook, at the 'ousetops take a look,For it's underneath the tiles they 'ide the loot.(Chorus) Ow the loot!...
You can mostly square a Sergint an' a Quartermaster too,If you only take the proper way to go;I could never keep my pickin's, but I've learned you all I knew--An' don't you never say I told you so.An' now I'll bid good-bye, for I'm gettin' rather dry,An' I see another tunin' up to toot(Cornet: Toot! toot!)--So 'ere's good-luck to those that wears the Widow's clo'es,An' the Devil send 'em all they want o' loot!(Chorus) Yes, the loot,Bloomin' loot!In the tunic an' the mess-tin an' the boot!It's the same with dogs an' men,If you'd make 'em come again(fff) Whoop 'em forward with a Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot! loot! loot!Heeya! Sick 'im, puppy! Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot! loot! loot!
This 'appened in a battle to a batt'ry of the corpsWhich is first among the women an' amazin' first in war;An' what the bloomin' battle was I don't remember now,But Two's off-lead 'e answered to the name o' Snarleyow.Down in the Infantry, nobody cares;Down in the Cavalry, Colonel 'e swears;But down in the lead with the wheel at the flogTurns the bold Bombardier to a little whipped dog!
They was movin' into action, they was needed very sore,To learn a little schoolin' to a native army corps,They 'ad nipped against an uphill, they was tuckin' down the brow,When a tricky, trundlin' roundshot give the knock to Snarleyow.
They cut 'im loose an' left 'im--'e was almost tore in two--But he tried to follow after as a well-trained 'orse should do;'E went an' fouled the limber, an' the Driver's Brother squeals:“Pull up, pull up for Snarleyow--'is head's between 'is 'eels!”
The Driver 'umped 'is shoulder, for the wheels was goin' round,An' there ain't no “Stop, conductor!” when a batt'ry's changin' ground;Sez 'e: “I broke the beggar in, an' very sad I feels,But I couldn't pull up, not for you--your 'ead between your 'eels!”
'E 'adn't 'ardly spoke the word, before a droppin' shellA little right the batt'ry an' between the sections fell;An' when the smoke 'ad cleared away, before the limber wheels,There lay the Driver's Brother with 'is 'ead between 'is 'eels.
Then sez the Driver's Brother, an' 'is words was very plain,“For Gawd's own sake get over me, an' put me out o' pain.”They saw 'is wounds was mortial, an' they judged that it was best,So they took an' drove the limber straight across 'is back an' chest.
The Driver 'e give nothin' 'cept a little coughin' grunt,But 'e swung 'is 'orses 'andsome when it came to “Action Front!”An' if one wheel was juicy, you may lay your Monday head'Twas juicier for the niggers when the case begun to spread.
The moril of this story, it is plainly to be seen:You 'avn't got no families when servin' of the Queen--You 'avn't got no brothers, fathers, sisters, wives, or sons--If you want to win your battles take an' work your bloomin' guns!Down in the Infantry, nobody cares;Down in the Cavalry, Colonel 'e swears;But down in the lead with the wheel at the flogTurns the bold Bombardier to a little whipped dog!
Words in this poem 21
- stole n.
- A long, loose garment reaching to the feet. [AS. stole, L. stola, Gr. stall. See Stall.]
- gander n.
- The male of any species of goose. [AS. gandra, ganra, akin to Prov. G. gander, ganter, and E. goose, gannet. See Goose.]
- toot v. i.
- To stand out, or be prominent. Howell. [OE. toten, AS. totian to project; hence, to peep out.]
- loot n.
- The act of plundering. [Hind. l, Skr. l, l, booty, lup to break, spoil; prob. akin to E. rob.]
- puppy n.
- The young of a canine animal, esp. of the common dog; a whelp. [F. poupée doll, puppet. See Puppet, and cf. Pup, n.]
- nigger n.
- A negro; -- in vulgar derision or depreciation.
- edgeways adv.
- With the edge towards anything; in the direction of the edge.
- thank n.
- A expression of gratitude; an acknowledgment expressive of a sense of favor or kindness received; obligation, claim, or desert, or gratitude; -- now generally used in the plural. [AS. Þanc, Þonc, thanks, favor, thought; akin to OS. thank favor, pleasure, thanks, D. & G. dank thanks, Icel. Þ\'94kk, Dan. tak, Sw. tack, Goth. Þagks thanks; -]
- overtime n.
- Time beyond, or in excess of, a limit; esp., extra working time.
- bottled a.
- Put into bottles; inclosed in bottles; pent up in, or as in, a bottle.
- quartermaster n.
- An officer whose duty is to provide quarters, provisions, storage, clothing, fuel, stationery, and transportation for a regiment or other body of troops, and superintend the supplies. [Quarter + master: cf. F. quartier- maître.]
- corps n.
- The human body, whether living or dead. See Corpse, 1. [F., fr. L. corpus body. See Corpse.]
- infantry n.
- A body of children. B. Jonson. [F. infanterie, It. infanteria, fr. infante infant, child, boy servant, foot soldier, fr. L. infans, -antis, child; foot soldiers being formerly the servants and]
- nobody n.
- No person; no one; not anybody. [No, a. + body.]
- uphill adv.
- Upwards on, or as on, a hillside; as, to walk uphill.
- tore n.
- The dead grass that remains on mowing land in winter and spring. Mortimer. [Probably from the root of tear; cf. W. tór a break, cut, tóri to break, cut.]
- went n.
- Course; way; path; journey; direction.
- broke v. i.
- To transact business for another. Brome. [See Broker, and cf. Brook.]
- spoke n.
- The radius or ray of a wheel; one of the small bars which are inserted in the hub, or nave, and which serve to support the rim or felly. [OE. spoke, spake, AS, spaca; akin to D. speek, LG. speke, OHG. speihha, G. speiche. sq. root170. Cf. Spike a nail.]
- drove n.
- A collection of cattle driven, or cattle collected for driving; a number of animals, as oxen, sheep, or swine, driven in a body. [AS. draf, fr. drifan to drive. See Drive.]
- moril n.
- An edible fungus. Same as 1st Morel. [F. morille; cf. OHG. morhila, G. morchel, OHG. morha carrot. See More a root.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Loot is in the public domain. This text is taken from Barrack-room ballads, Project Gutenberg ebook #2819; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Rudyard Kipling, Loot, in Barrack-Room Ballads (1892), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #2819, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/kipling-barrack-room/loot.html, id L04493.
Form and metre
Loot is 103 lines in 13 verse paragraphs. It is in rhyming couplets, 54% of the lines. The metre is trochaic heptameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 78%). 95% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 11.6 syllables. 1 line ends on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 18% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in rhyming couplets, other poems in trochaic heptameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 ABAB-CC--CCCCDDCC backA · lineB · aversackA · mineB · debarred · suitC · tootC · clobber · the · lootC · lootC · lootC · shootC · menD · againD · lootC · lootC
- 2 ABAB-C-C- lifeA · fellB · knifeA · wellB · under · crimeC · clear · overtimeC · loot
- 3 ABAB-CC--CC godA · stonesB · rodA · ownsB · floor · bootC · tootC · chink · the · lootC · lootC
- 4 ABAB-CC-CC pairsA · findB · stairsA · be'indB · doubt · fluteC · tootC · look · lootC · lootC
- 5 ABAB-CC-CCCCDDCC tooA · goB · knewA · soB · dry · tootC · tootC · clo'es · lootC · lootC · lootC · bootC · menD · againD · lootC · lootC
- 6 AA--BB-- corpsA · warA · now · snarleyow · caresB · swearsB · flog · dog
- 7 AA-- soreA · corpsA · brow · snarleyow
- 8 AABB twoA · doA · squealsB · eelsB
- 9 AABB roundA · groundA · feelsB · eelsB
- 10 AABB shellA · fellA · wheelsB · eelsB
- 11 AABB plainA · painA · bestB · chestB
- 12 AABB gruntA · frontA · headB · spreadB
- 13 AABBCC-- seenA · queenA · sonsB · gunsB · caresC · swearsC · flog · dog
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against trochaic heptameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| If you've ever stole a pheasant-egg be'ind the keeper's back, | 14 | ··/˘··/˘···/˘· |
| If you've ever snigged the washin' from the line, | 11 | ··/˘······· |
| If you've ever crammed a gander in your bloomin' 'aversack, | 15 | ··/˘··/˘······· |
| You will understand this little song o' mine. | 11 | ···˘/·/˘··· |
| But the service rules are 'ard, an' from such we are debarred, | 14 | ··/˘········˘/ |
| For the same with English morals does not suit. | 11 | ····/˘/˘··· |
| (Cornet: Toot! toot!) | 4 | ˘/·· |
| W'y, they call a man a robber if 'e stuffs 'is marchin' clobber | 16 | ······/˘······/˘ |
| With the-- | 2 | ·· |
| (Chorus) Loo! loo! Lulu! lulu! Loo! loo! Loot! loot! loot! | 13 | /˘··/·/······ |
| Ow the loot! | 3 | ··· |
| Bloomin' loot! | 3 | ··· |
| That's the thing to make the boys git up an' shoot! | 11 | ··········· |
| It's the same with dogs an' men, | 7 | ······· |
| If you'd make 'em come again | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Clap 'em forward with a Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot! | 11 | ··/˘····/·· |
| (ff) Whoopee! Tear 'im, puppy! Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot! loot! loot! | 14 | ·//··/˘··/···· |
| If you've knocked a nigger edgeways when 'e's thrustin' for your life, | 15 | ····/˘/········ |
| You must leave 'im very careful where 'e fell; | 11 | ····/˘/˘··· |
| An' may thank your stars an' gaiters if you didn't feel 'is knife | 15 | ······/˘··/˘··· |
| That you ain't told off to bury 'im as well. | 11 | ······/˘··· |
| Then the sweatin' Tommies wonder as they spade the beggars under | 16 | ··/˘/˘/˘····/˘·· |
| Why lootin' should be entered as a crime; | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| So if my song you'll 'ear, I will learn you plain an' clear | 13 | ············· |
| 'Ow to pay yourself for fightin' overtime. | 11 | ···˘/·/˘/˘· |
| (Chorus) With the loot,... | 5 | /˘··· |
| Now remember when you're 'acking round a gilded Burma god | 15 | ·˘/˘······/˘/˘· |
| That 'is eyes is very often precious stones; | 11 | ····/˘/˘/˘· |
| An' if you treat a nigger to a dose o' cleanin'-rod | 14 | ·····/˘······· |
| 'E's like to show you everything 'e owns. | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| When 'e won't prodooce no more, pour some water on the floor | 14 | ·········/˘··· |
| Where you 'ear it answer 'ollow to the boot | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| (Cornet: Toot! toot!)-- | 4 | ˘/·· |
| When the ground begins to sink, shove your baynick down the chink, | 14 | ···˘/········· |
| An' you're sure to touch the-- | 6 | ······ |
| (Chorus) Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot! loot! loot! | 9 | /˘··/···· |
| Ow the loot!... | 3 | ··· |
| When from 'ouse to 'ouse you're 'unting, you must always work in pairs-- | 15 | ··········/···· |
| It 'alves the gain, but safer you will find-- | 11 | ·/˘···/˘··· |
| For a single man gets bottled on them twisty-wisty stairs, | 15 | ··/˘··/˘··/˘··· |
| An' a woman comes and clobs 'im from be'ind. | 10 | ··/˘······ |
| When you've turned 'em inside out, an' it seems beyond a doubt | 14 | ····˘/········ |
| As if there weren't enough to dust a flute | 11 | ···/˘˘/···· |
| (Cornet: Toot! toot!)-- | 4 | ˘/·· |
| Before you sling your 'ook, at the 'ousetops take a look, | 14 | ·············· |
| For it's underneath the tiles they 'ide the loot. | 11 | ···˘/······ |
| (Chorus) Ow the loot!... | 5 | /˘··· |
| You can mostly square a Sergint an' a Quartermaster too, | 15 | ··/˘······/˘·˘· |
| If you only take the proper way to go; | 11 | ··/˘··/˘··· |
| I could never keep my pickin's, but I've learned you all I knew-- | 15 | ··/˘··/˘······· |
| An' don't you never say I told you so. | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| An' now I'll bid good-bye, for I'm gettin' rather dry, | 13 | ········/˘/˘· |
| An' I see another tunin' up to toot | 11 | ···˘/˘····· |
| (Cornet: Toot! toot!)-- | 4 | ˘/·· |
| So 'ere's good-luck to those that wears the Widow's clo'es, | 12 | ·········/˘· |
| An' the Devil send 'em all they want o' loot! | 11 | ··/˘······· |
| (Chorus) Yes, the loot, | 5 | /˘··· |
| Bloomin' loot! | 3 | ··· |
| In the tunic an' the mess-tin an' the boot! | 11 | ··/˘······· |
| It's the same with dogs an' men, | 7 | ······· |
| If you'd make 'em come again | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| (fff) Whoop 'em forward with a Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot! loot! loot! | 14 | ···/˘····/···· |
| Heeya! Sick 'im, puppy! Loo! loo! Lulu! Loot! loot! loot! | 12 | ···/˘··/···· |
| This 'appened in a battle to a batt'ry of the corps | 14 | ·····/˘······· |
| Which is first among the women an' amazin' first in war; | 15 | ······/˘······· |
| An' what the bloomin' battle was I don't remember now, | 14 | ·····/˘···˘/˘· |
| But Two's off-lead 'e answered to the name o' Snarleyow. | 13 | ·····/˘······ |
| Down in the Infantry, nobody cares; | 10 | ···/˘˘/··· |
| Down in the Cavalry, Colonel 'e swears; | 10 | ···/˘˘/˘·· |
| But down in the lead with the wheel at the flog | 11 | ··········· |
| Turns the bold Bombardier to a little whipped dog! | 12 | ····˘/··/˘·· |
| They was movin' into action, they was needed very sore, | 15 | ······/˘··/˘/˘· |
| To learn a little schoolin' to a native army corps, | 14 | ···/˘····/˘/˘· |
| They 'ad nipped against an uphill, they was tuckin' down the brow, | 15 | ······//······· |
| When a tricky, trundlin' roundshot give the knock to Snarleyow. | 14 | ··/˘·········· |
| They cut 'im loose an' left 'im--'e was almost tore in two-- | 14 | ·········/···· |
| But he tried to follow after as a well-trained 'orse should do; | 15 | ····/˘········· |
| 'E went an' fouled the limber, an' the Driver's Brother squeals: | 14 | ·····/˘··/˘/˘· |
| “Pull up, pull up for Snarleyow--'is head's between 'is 'eels!” | 13 | ············· |
| The Driver 'umped 'is shoulder, for the wheels was goin' round, | 14 | ·/˘··/˘····/˘· |
| An' there ain't no “Stop, conductor!” when a batt'ry's changin' ground; | 15 | ·····˘/˘······· |
| Sez 'e: “I broke the beggar in, an' very sad I feels, | 14 | ·····/˘··/˘··· |
| But I couldn't pull up, not for you--your 'ead between your 'eels!” | 15 | ··/˘··········· |
| 'E 'adn't 'ardly spoke the word, before a droppin' shell | 13 | ············· |
| A little right the batt'ry an' between the sections fell; | 14 | ·/˘········/˘· |
| An' when the smoke 'ad cleared away, before the limber wheels, | 14 | ······˘/···/˘· |
| There lay the Driver's Brother with 'is 'ead between 'is 'eels. | 14 | ···/˘/˘······· |
| Then sez the Driver's Brother, an' 'is words was very plain, | 14 | ···/˘/˘····/˘· |
| “For Gawd's own sake get over me, an' put me out o' pain.” | 14 | ·············· |
| They saw 'is wounds was mortial, an' they judged that it was best, | 14 | ·············· |
| So they took an' drove the limber straight across 'is back an' chest. | 15 | ······/˘·˘/···· |
| The Driver 'e give nothin' 'cept a little coughin' grunt, | 14 | ·/˘··/˘··/˘··· |
| But 'e swung 'is 'orses 'andsome when it came to “Action Front!” | 15 | ············/˘· |
| An' if one wheel was juicy, you may lay your Monday head | 14 | ·····/˘····/˘· |
| 'Twas juicier for the niggers when the case begun to spread. | 15 | ·˘/˘··/˘···˘/·· |
| The moril of this story, it is plainly to be seen: | 14 | ·/˘··/˘··/˘··· |
| You 'avn't got no families when servin' of the Queen-- | 13 | ····/˘˘·/˘··· |
| You 'avn't got no brothers, fathers, sisters, wives, or sons-- | 13 | ····/˘/˘/˘··· |
| If you want to win your battles take an' work your bloomin' guns! | 15 | ······/˘······· |
| Down in the Infantry, nobody cares; | 10 | ···/˘˘/··· |
| Down in the Cavalry, Colonel 'e swears; | 10 | ···/˘˘/˘·· |
| But down in the lead with the wheel at the flog | 11 | ··········· |
| Turns the bold Bombardier to a little whipped dog! | 12 | ····˘/··/˘·· |
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