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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE CONSTITUTION AND THE GUERRIERE (4) by ANONYMOUS

First Line: I OFTEN HAVE BEEN TOLD
Last Line: "SINCE WE HOOKED YOU IN THE GILL, / DON'T BOAST UPON DACRES THE GRANDEE O"
Subject(s): "CONSTITUTION (SHIP);GUERRIERE (SHIP);HULL, ISAAC (1773-1843);SEA BATTLES;WAR OF 1812;" NAVAL WARFARE;
I OFTEN have been told
That the British seamen bold
Could beat the tars of France neat and handy O;
But they never found their match,
Till the Yankees did them catch,
For the Yankee tars for fighting are the dandy O.

O, the Guerriere so bold
On the foaming ocean rolled,
Commanded by Dacres the grandee O;
For the choice of British crew
That a rammer ever drew
Could beat the Frenchmen two to one quite handy O.

When the frigate hove in view,
"O," said Dacres to his crew,
"Prepare ye for action and be handy O;
On the weather-gauge we'll get her."
And to make his men fight better,
He gave to them gunpowder and good brandy O.

Now this boasting Briton cries,
"Make that Yankee ship your prize,
You can in thirty minutes do it handy O,
Or twenty-five, I'm sure
You'll do it in a score,
I will give you a double share of good brandy O.

"When prisoners we've made them,
With switchell we will treat them,
We will treat them with 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' O;"
The British balls flew hot,
But the Yankees answered not,
Until they got a distance that was handy O.

"O," cried Hull unto his crew,
"We'll try what we can do;
If we beat those boasting Britons we're the dandy O."
The first broadside we poured
Brought the mizzen by the board,
Which doused the royal ensign quite handy O.

O Dacres he did sigh,
And to his officers did cry,
"I did not think these Yankees were so handy O."
The second told so well
That the fore and main-mast fell,
Which made this lofty frigate look quite handy O.

"O," says Dacres, "we're undone,"
So he fires a lee gun.
Our drummer struck up "Yankee Doodle Dandy" O;
When Dacres came on board
To deliver up his sword,
He was loth to part with it, it looked so handy O.

"You may keep it," says brave Hull.
"What makes you look so dull?
Cheer up and take a glass of good brandy O;
O Britons now be still,
Since we've hooked you in the gill,
Don't boast upon Dacres the grandee O.



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