Page:Claude McKay Constab Ballads.djvu/51

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COTCH DONKEY
47

“See ya, Sah, no min’,
Dis a fe me luck;
De jackass is bad,
Him no wan’ fe wuk.

‘Tekde hamper off?’
Him no hab no cut:
Me deh tell you say
De jackass no wut.

“Lard! me Gahd o’ me!
Him got one lee ’cratch:
Dat is not’in’, Sah,
For him always cotch.

Do, Sah, let me off,
Ef fe te-day one[1];
For a no de ’cratch
Cause him fe lay do’n.”

Now because o’ you
Dem gone bring me up;[2]
An’ wha’ hu’t me mos’,
You caan’ wuk a tup.

Ef dem summons me,
Mek me pay few mac,
Dat caan’ mek me ’top
Wuk you wid sore back.

  1. Just this once.
  2. They have gone to get out a summons.