Classic Poem

'Twas in the felon's dock he stood, his eyes were black and blue;
His voice with grief was broken, and his nose was broken, too;
He muttered, as that broken nose he wiped upon his cap —
" It's orful when the p'leece has got a derry on a chap.

" I am a honest workin' cove, as any bloke can see,
It's just because the p'leece has got a derry, sir, on me;
O yes, the legal gents can grin, I say it ain't no joke —
It's cruel when the p'leece has got a derry on a bloke. "

" Why don't you go to work? " he said (he muttered, " Why don't you? " ).
" Yer honer knows as well as me there ain't no work to do.
And when I try to find a job I'm shaddered by a trap —
It's awful when the p'leece has got a derry on a chap. "

I sighed and shed a tearlet for that noble nature marred,
But, ah! the Bench was rough on him, and gave him six months' hard.
He only said, " Beyond the grave you'll cop it hot, by Jove!
There ain't no angel p'leece to get a derry on a cove. "