A Derry On A Cove
By Henry Lawson
Twas in the felons dock he stood, his eyes were black and blue;
His voice with grief was broken, and his nose was broken, too;
He muttered, as that broken nose he wiped upon his cap,
Its orfal when the pleece has got a derry on a chap.
I am a honest workin cove, as any bloke can see,
Its just because the pleece has got a derry, sir, on me;
Oh, yes, the legal gents can grin, I say it aint no joke,
Its cruel when the pleece has got a derry on a bloke.
Why dont you go to work? he said (he muttered, Why dont you?).
Yer honer knows as well as me there aint no work to do.
And when I try to find a job Im shaddered by a trap,
Its awful when the pleece has got a derry on a chap.
I sighd and shed a tearlet for that noble nature marred,
But, ah! the Bench was rough on him, and gave him six months hard.
He only said, Beyond the grave youll cop it hot, by Jove!
There aint no angel pleece to get a derry on a cove.