Pied Piper Of Hamelin

Hamelin town's in Brunswick,
By famous Hanover city;
The River Weser, deep and wide,
Washes its wall on the southern side;
A pleasanter spot you never spied;
But, when begins my ditty,
Almost five hundred years ago,
To see townsfolk suffer so
From vermin, was a pity.

Rats!
They fought the dogs, and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in the cradles,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats,
And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles,
Split open the kegs of salted sprats,
Made nests inside men's Sunday hats,
And even spoiled the women's chats,
By drowning their speaking
With shrieking and squeaking
In fifty different sharps and flats.

At last the people in a body
To the Town Hall came flocking:
"'Tis clear," cried they, "our Mayor's a noddy;
And as for our Corporation -- shocking
To think we buy gowns lined with ermine
For dolts that can't or won't determine
What's best to rid us of our vermin!
You hope, because you're old and obese,
To find in the furry civic robe ease?
Rouse up, sirs! Give your brains a racking
To find the remedy we're lacking,
Or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing!"
At this the Mayor and Corporation
Quaked with a mighty consternation.

An hour they sate in council,
At length the Mayor broke silence:
"For a guilder I'd my ermine gown sell,
I wish I were a mile hence!
It's easy to bid one rack one's brain --
I'm sure my poor head aches again
I've scratched it so, and all in vain.
Oh for a trap, a trap, a trap!"
Just as he said this, what should hap
At the chamber-door but a gentle tap?
"Bless us," cried the Mayor, "What's that?"
(With the Corporation as he sat,
Looking little though wondrous fat;
Nor brighter was his eye, nor moister
Than a too-long-opened oyster,
Save when at noon his paunch grew mutinous
For a plate of turtle, green and glutinous.)
"Only a scraping of shoes on the mat?
Anything like the sound of a rat
Makes my heart go pit-a-pat!" 

Browning tells the story with a hidden message. Browning talks about the Pied Piper, however he also entwines a message about the government. The two stories match well as he compares the 'Rats!' to the government. Also, in sighting that they are liars. Therefore you read the story knowing that Browning's message is that the government are lying rats as well as actual rats. The metaphor with the rat comparison to the government (mayor) is continuous throughout the poem. 'From vermin, was a pitty' This is where he also refers to the government again, as vermin.

Also,within the stanza's there is enjambment, however even with the break in the stanza's which there is no need for, simply because they all join. The story is continuous throughout the poem. 

BBC News at ten.

BBC News at ten,

here's the story on Ben,

'Just let me have some fun'

'Oh mum, I'm only young'

BBC News at ten,

here we go again

'You're just a little boy'

'What happened to your toy?'

BBC News at ten,

that's the story on Ben.

This poem was written when thinking in the mind of the protective parent. How you will forever and always see your child as young and vulnerable. The style of this poem is very childish, which i believe suited the message and story hidden within the poem itself. The poem is written as if you are hearing half of the argument and then flashing back and forth to how he has ended up on the news. The poem is very sad, how ever it proves that a over protective parent isn't always a bad one.