Such a 'ootin' an' a 'owlin', At the good ole "Ball an' Crown," When we 'eard 'ow daffy Dennis 'Ad enlisted in the town. "'E won't know 'e's 'ad an order"; "'E carn't never 'old a gun"; "'E'll be dropped for actin' crazy 'Fore 'e ever sees a 'Un." Dennis was a feckless dreamer, Tried to rhyme a bit, ye ken, Moonin' 'round, not up an' doin' Like our brawny Sussex men. 'Ow we mocked an' joked about 'im, Seemed so sure 'e'd bring us shame That we 'ardly grasped what 'appened, When the Corp'ral's letter came. In a 'ot an' tricky battle, When 'ope petered out, 'e said, Out o' 'alf a 'undred gunners Dennis 'ad the coolest 'ead; 'Ow 'is darin' saved 'is batt'ry, 'Ow 'is pluck kept up 'is crowd, 'Ow the Gen'ral pinned 'is Cross on, Sayin' England should be proud. Such a shoutin' an' a 'owlin', At the good ole "Ball an' Crown," When our Dennis on a furlough 'Obbled up 'ere from the town; Same ole blinkin', moonin' Dennis, Didn't even 'ear us cheer -- Just woke up to be a 'ero, Then went back to bein' queer! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SELF-INTERROGATION by EMILY JANE BRONTE THE ROCK OF CASHEL by AUBREY DE VERE FORMERLY A SLAVE' (AN IDEALIZED PORTRAIT, BY E. VEDDER) by HERMAN MELVILLE BE DRUNK by CHARLES BAUDELAIRE THE CONGREGATION by GAMALIEL BRADFORD MAXIMS FOR THE OLD HOUSE: THE DUST by ANNA HEMPSTEAD BRANCH THE TWO FLAMES by ELOISE BRITON |