Classic Poem

" ME loving subjects," sez she,
" Here's me best respects," sez she,
" An' I'm proud this day," sez she,
" Of the illigant way," sez she,
" Ye gave me the hand," sez she,
" Whin I came to land," sez she.
" There was some people said," sez she,
" They was greatly in dread," sez she,
" I'd be murthered or shot," sez she,
" As like as not," sez she,
" But 'tis mighty clear," sez she,
" 'Tis not over here," sez she,
" I have cause to fear," sez she.
" 'Tis them Belgiums," sez she,
" That's throwin' bombs," sez she,
" And scarin' the life," sez she,
" Out o' me son and the wife," sez she.
" But in these parts," sez she,
" They have warrum hearts," sez she,
" And they like me well," sez she,
" Barrin' Anna Parnell," sez she.
" I dunno, Earl," sez she,
" What's come to the girl," sez she,
" And that other wan," sez she,
" That Maud Gonne," sez she,
" Dhressin' in black," sez she,
" To welcome me back," sez she;
" Though I don't care," sez she,
" What they wear," sez she,
" An' all that gammon," sez she,
" About me bringin' famine," sez she.
" Now Maud 'ill write," sez she,
" That I brought the blight," sez she,
" Or altered the saysons," sez she,
" For some private raysins," sez she,
" An' I think there's a slate," sez she,
" Off Willie Yeats," sez she.
" He should be at home," sez she,
" French polishin' a pome," sez she,
" An' not writin' letters," sez she,
" About his betters," sez she,
" Paradin' me crimes," sez she,
" In the " Irish Times " ," sez she.
" But what does it matther," sez she,
" This magpie chatther," sez she,
" When that welcomin' roar," sez she,
" Come up from the shore," sez she,
" Right over the foam?" sez she,
" 'Twas like comin' home," sez she,
" An' me heart fairly glowed," sez she,
" Along the Rock Road," sez she,
" An' by Merrion roun'," sez she,
" To Buttherstown," sez she,
" Till I came to the ridge," sez she
" Of the Leeson Street Bridge," sez she,
" An' was welcomed in style," sez she,
" By the beautiful smile," sez she,
" Of me Lord Mayor Pile," sez she.
" (Faith, if I done right," sez she,
" I'd make him a knight," sez she).
" Well, I needn't repeat," sez she,
" How they cheered in each street," sez she,
" Till I came to them lads," sez she,
" Them " undergrads " ," sez she.
" Indeed, an' indeed," sez she,
" I've had many a God-speed," sez she,
" But none to compare," sez she,
" Wid what I got there," sez she.
" Now pass the jug," sez she,
" And fill up each mug," sez she,
" Till I give ye a toast," sez she,
" At which you may boast," sez she.
" I've a power o' sons," sez she,
" All sorts of ones," says she:
" Some quiet as cows," sez she,
" Some always in rows," sez she,
" An' the one gives most trouble," sez she,
" The mother loves double," sez she,
" So drink to the min," sez she,
" That have gone in to win," sez she,
" And are clearin' the way," sez she,
" To Pretoria to-day," sez she.
" In the " Gap o' Danger " ," sez she,
" There's a Connaught Ranger," sez she,
" An' somewhere near," sez she,
" Is a Fusilier," sez she,
" An' the Inniskillings not far," sez she,
" From the Heart o' the War," sez she;
" An' I'll tell you what," sez she,
" They may talk a lot," sez she,
" And them Foreign Baboons," sez she,
" May draw their cartoons," sez she.
" But what they can't draw," sez she,
" Is the Lion's claw," sez she,
" And before our flag's furled," sez she,
" We'll own the wurruld," says she.