Yawcob Strauss and Other Poems/Mine Moder-in-Law
MINE MODER-IN-LAW.
- Dheke vas many qveer dings, in dis land off der free,
- I neffer could qvite understand;
- Der beoples dhey all seem so deefrent to me
- As dhose in mine own faderland.
- Dhey gets blendy droubles, und indo mishaps,
- Mitoudt der least bit off a cause;
- Und, vould you pelief id? dhose mean Yangee chaps,
- Dhey fights mit dheir moder-in-laws!
- Shust dink off a vhite man so vicked as dot!
- Vhy not gife der oldt lady a show?
- Who vas id gets oup, vhen der nighdt id vas hot,
- Mit mine baby, I shnst like to know?
- Und dhen in der vinter, vhen Katrine vas sick,
- Und der mornings vas shnowy und raw,
- Who made righdt avay oup dot fire so qvick?
- Vhy, dot vas mine moder-in-law.
- Id vas von off dhose voman's righdts vellers, I been—
- Dhere vas nodings dot's mean aboudt me;
- Vhen der oldt lady vishes to run dot masheen,
- Vhy, I shust lets her run id, you see.
- Und vhen dot shly Yawcob vas cutting some dricks
- (A block off der oldt chip he vas, yaw!),
- Eef she goes for dot chap like some dousands off bricks,
- Dot's all righdt! She's mine moder-in-law.
- Veek oudt und veek in, id vas alvays der same,
- Dot vomans vas boss off der house;
- Budt, dhen, neffer mindt! I vas glad dot she came,
- She vas kind to mine young Yawcob Strauss.
- Und vhen dhere vas vater to get vrom der shpring,
- Und fire-vood to shplit oup und saw,
- She vas velcome to do id. Dhere's not anyding
- Dot's too goot for mine moder-in-law.
