Poems by "Cushag"/Country Courtship

by Margaret Letitia Josephine Kermode

COUNTRY COURTSHIP

 
JOHNNY an' me was sweethearts
Many a year gone by,
Stannin' aroun' in the haggart,
An' havin' a cooish on the sly.
Till "Mayry, Mayry, Mayry, where's the milk?"
An' "Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, you'll be took!"
An' "Dear me heart, wherever is that gel!"
An' "bless me sowl, that Johnny should be shook!"
 
Johnny was goin' to market
With priddhas, an' butter, an' eggs,
An' of coorse I was runnin' to meet him,
Jus' for to soople me legs.
Then "Mayry, Mayry, Mayry! Where's that gel!"
An' "Johnny, Johnny, Johnny! Do you hear!"
An' "Bless me sowl, that Mayry should be shook!"
An' "Dear me heart what's keepin' Johnny theer!"
 
Johnny'd be firin' the chimley
With a wisp of gorse an' sthrow,
An' of coorse I was houlin' the matches
Jus' till he set it aglow.
But "Mayry, Mayry, Mayry, come you here!"
An' "Johnny, Johnny, John, come urrov that!"
An' "Dear me heart, wherever's Mayry gone!"
An' "What in all the worl' is them two at!"

Johnny an' me was married
Many a year ago,
An' a fine scutch of childher at us—
Ma word, how the lumpers grow!
Now its "Mayry, Mayry, Mayry, min' the chile,"
An' "Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, wipe your feet;"
An' I'm spendin' me time washin' dishes,
An' John is kep' running for meat!