 | The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") |  |
JES SO.
No worthier man in our village is found
Than Bigg Bellows, the blacksmith, and few are as sound;
Though little he knows of the lore of the schools,
He knows and he follows good Scriptural rules;
But he has a queer habit of saying, “Jes so!”
Which he not alone uses for yes and for no,
But the way which he brings the two syllables out
Expresses displeasure, or scorn, or a doubt.
Than Bigg Bellows, the blacksmith, and few are as sound;
Though little he knows of the lore of the schools,
He knows and he follows good Scriptural rules;
But he has a queer habit of saying, “Jes so!”
Which he not alone uses for yes and for no,
But the way which he brings the two syllables out
Expresses displeasure, or scorn, or a doubt.
In the smithy to-day, I observed that he stood
At the hour of high noon in a cynical mood,
Apart from the others, the anvil-block near,
The talk of the neighbors around him to hear
About an apostle of truth and reform,
Who had taken the people last evening by storm,
While Harde Stryker, who handled the sledge-hammer well,
Gave the fine pearls of thought from the stranger that fell.
At the hour of high noon in a cynical mood,
Apart from the others, the anvil-block near,
The talk of the neighbors around him to hear
About an apostle of truth and reform,
Who had taken the people last evening by storm,
While Harde Stryker, who handled the sledge-hammer well,
Gave the fine pearls of thought from the stranger that fell.
482
Bigg Bellows, he listened a moment, then said,
“His notions, somehow, I can't get in my head.”
And Stryker replied: “Well, the nub of them's this—
Society's all been created amiss,
And a number of very intelligent men
Want to take it to pieces and make it again.”
“I see,” said the blacksmith, his face in a glow;
“To hammer it out to their notion. Jes so!”
“His notions, somehow, I can't get in my head.”
And Stryker replied: “Well, the nub of them's this—
Society's all been created amiss,
And a number of very intelligent men
Want to take it to pieces and make it again.”
“I see,” said the blacksmith, his face in a glow;
“To hammer it out to their notion. Jes so!”
“There's money enough,” Stryker said, “and to spare,
But the thing isn't somehow distributed fair;
One man draws his millions in interest and rent,
While ten thousand round him are not worth a cent.
So their plan is to kill all the wealthier men,
And apportion the capital fairly again.”
Cried Bigg, in astonishment: “I want to know!
Right things by some cold-blooded murder! Jes so!”
But the thing isn't somehow distributed fair;
One man draws his millions in interest and rent,
While ten thousand round him are not worth a cent.
So their plan is to kill all the wealthier men,
And apportion the capital fairly again.”
Cried Bigg, in astonishment: “I want to know!
Right things by some cold-blooded murder! Jes so!”
“As all men are equal, the orator says,
Whatever the nature of each or his ways,
Food, clothing, and shelter are all that we need,
And none in such things should another exceed.
The Commune will see the division is fair,
And that each gets the same thing exact to a hair.”
“And whether he's idle,” said Bellows, “or no,
He'll get what his neighbor is getting. Jes so!”
Whatever the nature of each or his ways,
Food, clothing, and shelter are all that we need,
And none in such things should another exceed.
The Commune will see the division is fair,
And that each gets the same thing exact to a hair.”
“And whether he's idle,” said Bellows, “or no,
He'll get what his neighbor is getting. Jes so!”
“To see the division is equal and just,
To a special committee they'll give it in trust;
As its members are named by the general voice,
Mere agents they'll be of the people's own choice;
And no bonds be required of them funds to secure,
For each will be honest because he is poor.”
“Into office,” said Bellows, “right poor they may go,
But when they come out of it—boodle. Jes so!”
To a special committee they'll give it in trust;
As its members are named by the general voice,
Mere agents they'll be of the people's own choice;
And no bonds be required of them funds to secure,
For each will be honest because he is poor.”
“Into office,” said Bellows, “right poor they may go,
But when they come out of it—boodle. Jes so!”
483
“The troubles of family life they will ban;
No crotchety rules will encumber a man;
Affection which comes as a matter of fate
Shall never be chilled by the cold married state;
We'll get rid of divorces and quarrels at least,
Since no knot will be tied by the judge or the priest.”
“Rather primitive manners,” said Bellows, “although
I don't think the redskins would do it. Jes so!”
No crotchety rules will encumber a man;
Affection which comes as a matter of fate
Shall never be chilled by the cold married state;
We'll get rid of divorces and quarrels at least,
Since no knot will be tied by the judge or the priest.”
“Rather primitive manners,” said Bellows, “although
I don't think the redskins would do it. Jes so!”
“And the churches,” said Stryker—“Oh, that is enough,”
Quoth Bigg, “of your orator's pestilent stuff.
Man fashions society; this is a plan
To have the society fashion the man.
From the world wipe all personal enterprise keen,
And every one change to a servile machine;
But every one likes his own bellows to blow
As well as the blower you quote from. Jes so!
Quoth Bigg, “of your orator's pestilent stuff.
Man fashions society; this is a plan
To have the society fashion the man.
From the world wipe all personal enterprise keen,
And every one change to a servile machine;
But every one likes his own bellows to blow
As well as the blower you quote from. Jes so!
“‘Man's in the community.’ Yes, that I know,
And has duties to others around him. Jes so!
‘We should help the weak brother as onward we go,
And not be too grasping and selfish.’ Jes so!
But a man in the field, who must hoe his own row,
Would handle his hoe as he pleases. Jes so!
Try to limit his efforts, he'll answer you, ‘No!
I'm a man! independent! I'll keep so.’ Jes so!”
And has duties to others around him. Jes so!
‘We should help the weak brother as onward we go,
And not be too grasping and selfish.’ Jes so!
But a man in the field, who must hoe his own row,
Would handle his hoe as he pleases. Jes so!
Try to limit his efforts, he'll answer you, ‘No!
I'm a man! independent! I'll keep so.’ Jes so!”
| The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") | |