The Poetry Corner

The "Lumberyack"

By William F. Kirk

"Roll out!" yell cookee "It ban morning," say he, "It ban daylight in svamps, all yu guys!" So out of varm bunk Ve skol falling kerplunk, And rubbing lak blazes our eyes. Breakfast, den hustle; dinner, den yump! Lumberyack faller ban yolly big chump. "Eat qvick!" say the cook. "Oder fallers skol look For chance to get grub yust lak yu!" So under our yeans Ve pack planty beans, And Yim dandy buckvheat cakes, tu. Den out on the skidvay, vorking lak mule. Lumberyack faller ban yolly big fule. "Vatch out!" foreman say. Den tree fall yure vay, And missing yure head 'bout an inch. Ef timber ban green, Ve skol rub kerosene On places var coss cut skol pinch. Sawing and chopping, freeze and den sveat. Lumberyack faller ban yackass, yu bet. Ven long com the spring, Ve drenk and we sing; And calling town faller gude frend, He help us to blow Our whole venter's dough, But ant got no panga to lend. Drenk and headache, headache and drenk. Lumberyack faller ban sucker, ay tenk.