The Voyageur and Other Poems | Page 6

bet!
No wonder dey was bringin'?For helpin' dem along?So many kin' of feller I dunno--?Chinee washee from Kong Kong?An' w'at dey call Da-go, was work for dollar a day,?But w'en dey mak' some money, off dey 're goin', right away-- Dat 's de reason dey was get de nam' Da-go.
Of course so long dey 're comin'?From ev'ry place dey can,?Not knowin' moche, dere 's not'ing fuss about?Only boss de stranger man--?But now dem gang of feller dat 's come across de sea--?He 's gettin' leetle smarter, an' he got de familee--?So Uncle Sam mus' purty soon look out.
I wonder he don't know it--?It 's funny he don't see?Dere 's somet'ing else dan money day an' night--?Non--he 'll work hese'f cra-zee,?Den travel roun' de worl', an' use de money too--?De King hese'f can't spen' lak de Yankee man is do--?But w'ere 's de leetle chil'ren? dat's not right!
W'at 's use of all de money?If dere ain't some boy an' girl?Mak' it pleasan' for de Yankee an' hees wife?W'en dey travel on de worl'??For me an' Eugenie dere 's not'ing we lak bes'?Dan gader up de chil'ren an' get dem nicely dress--?W'y it 's more dan half de pleasure of our life.
I love de Yankee woman?An' de Yankee man also,?An' mebbe dey 'll be wiser bimeby--?But I lak dem all to know?If dey want to kip deir own, let dem raise de familee--?An' den dey 'll boss de contree from de mountain to de sea, For dey 're smart enough to do it if dey try.
[Illustration: Bird's nest]
[Illustration: Border]
The Last Portage
I'm sleepin' las' night w'en I dream a dream?An' a wonderful wan it seem--?For I 'm off on de road I was never see,?Too long an' hard for a man lak me,?So ole he can only wait de call?Is sooner or later come to all.
De night is dark an' de portage dere?Got plaintee o' log lyin' ev'ryw'ere,?Black bush aroun' on de right an' lef,?A step from de road an' you los' you'se'f;?De moon an' de star above is gone,?Yet somet'ing tell me I mus' go on.
[Illustration: "De moon an' de star above is gone,
Yet somet'ing tell me I mus' go on."]
An' off in front of me as I go,?Light as a dreef of de fallin' snow--?Who is dat leetle boy dancin' dere?Can see hees w'ite dress an' curly hair,?An' almos' touch heem, so near to me?In an' out dere among de tree?
An' den I 'm hearin' a voice is say,?"Come along, fader, don't min' de way,?De boss on de camp he sen' for you,?So your leetle boy 's going to guide you t'roo?It 's easy for me, for de road I know,?'Cos I travel it many long year ago."
An' oh! mon Dieu! w'en he turn hees head?I 'm seein' de face of ma boy is dead--?Dead wit' de young blood in hees vein--?An' dere he 's comin' wance more again?Wit' de curly hair, an' dark-blue eye,?So lak de blue of de summer sky--
An' now no more for de road I care,?An' slippery log lyin' ev'ryw'ere--?De swamp on de valley, de mountain too?But climb it jus' as I use to do--?Don't stop on de road, for I need no res'?So long as I see de leetle w'ite dress.
An' I foller it on, an' wance in a w'ile?He turn again wit' de baby smile,?An' say, "Dear fader, I 'm here you see?We 're bote togeder, jus' you an' me--?Very dark to you, but to me it 's light,?De road we travel so far to-night.
"De boss on de camp w'ere I alway stay?Since ever de tam I was go away,?He welcome de poores' man dat call,?But love de leetle wan bes' of all,?So dat 's de reason I spik for you?An' come to-night for to bring you t'roo."
Lak de young Jesu w'en he 's here below?De face of ma leetle son look jus' so--?Den off beyon', on de bush I see?De w'ite dress fadin' among de tree--?Was it a dream I dream las' night?Is goin' away on de morning light?
[Illustration: Border]
Getting On
I know I 'm not too young, an' ma back is not as straight As it use to be some feefty year ago--?Don't care to go aroun' if de rain is fallin' down?'Less de rheumateez is ketch me on de toe--?But dat is ma beez-nesse, an' no matter how I feel---?Oder folk dey might look out deir own affair?'Stead o' w'isperin', "Wall! ba Gosh! lissen poor Maxime Meloche, How dat leetle drop o' rain is mak' heem swear!
De ole man 's gettin' on!"
Smart folk lak dat, of course, mebbe never hear de news?Of de tam he 's comin' sick Guillaume Laroche,?Who 's tak' heem home to die w'en de rapide's runnin' high, An' carry heem on hees shoulder t'roo de bush??Oh! no, it was n't me, only wan of dem young man?Hardly got de baby