free-verse42 lines
The Barefoot Boy
by William F. KirkBlessings on yu, little man!
Barefoot boy, ay tenk yu can
Getting all yu lak, by yee!
Yu ban gude enuff for me.
Yu ant got so many clo'es,
Dar ban freckles on yure nose,
And ay guess yu're purty tuff,
'Cause yu ask for chew of snuff.
But, by yinks, ay lak yure face,
Yu can passing any place.
Barefoot boy, ef ay could du
Yenuine po'try lak the kind
Maester Vittier wrote for yu,
Ay vould write; but never mind,
Ay can tal yu vat ay know,
Even ef dese vords ant flow
Half so slick sum poet's song.
Anyhow, ay don't mean wrong.
Ven ay see yu, little kid,
Ay skol taking off my lid.
Oder little boys ay see
Ant look half so gude to me.
Some of dem ban rich men's boys,
Who ban having planty toys,
Vearing nicest clo'es in town,
Lak dis little Buster Brown.
Don't yu care! Ven dey grow up,
And ban shining at pink tea,
Drenking tea from china cup,
Yu skol give dem loud tee-hee.
Yu skol laugh at dis har mob
Ven dey come to yu for yob.
Barefoot boy, yu ant got cent;
But ay tal yu dis, some day
Yu got chance for president
Ef dese woters com yure vay.
Yust keep vistling all day long,
Yust keep senging little song,
And ef yu skol alvays love
Some one who ban op above,
Who ban making day and night,
He skol fix yu out all right.