Classic Poem

1.

John Hardy was a little farmer boy,
Sitting on his father's knee;
Says he, " I fear the C. & O. Road
Will be the ruination of me, poor boy!
Will be the ruination of me. "

2.

John Hardy got to be a desperate man,
Carried a pistol and a razor every day;
Shot a nigger through the heel in a Chinese camp,
And you ought of seen that nigger get away, poor boy!
And you ought of seen that nigger get away.

3.

John Hardy's mother ran up to him,
Saying, " Son, what have you done? "
" I murdered a man in a Chinese camp,
And now I'm sentenced to be hung, poor boy!
And now I'm sentenced to be hung. "

4.

John Hardy's father went to the judge,
Saying, " What do you think will be done? "
The judge he answer with a quick reply,
" I'm afraid John Hardy will be hung, poor boy!
I'm afraid John Hardy will be hung. "

5.

John Hardy was standing in a dice-room door,
He didn't have a nickel to his name;
Along came a yaller gal, threw a dollar on the board,
Saying, " Deal John Hardy in the game, poor boy! "
Saying, " Deal John Hardy in the game. "

6.

John Hardy was standing in a railroad-station,
As drunk as he could be:
A policeman came up and took him by the arm,
" John Hardy, come along with me, poor boy!
John Hardy, come along with me. "

7.

" Oh, who will shoe your pretty little feet,
And who will glove your hands,
And who will kiss your sweet rosy lips,
When I'm in a foreign land, poor boy!
When I'm in a foreign land? "

8.

" My father will shoe my pretty little feet,
My mother will glove my hands;
John Hardy will kiss my sweet rosy lips,
When he comes from a foreign land, poor boy!
When he comes from a foreign land. "

9.

John Hardy married a loving wife,
And children he had three:
He called to him his oldest son,
Saying, " Son, make a man like me, poor boy! "
Saying, " Son, make a man like me. "

10.

John Hardy married a loving wife,
And children he had three:
He cared no more for his wife and child
Than the rocks in the bottom of the sea, poor boy!
Than the rocks in the bottom of the sea.