 | The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") |  |
LEONARD GRIMLEIGH'S SHADOW.
Out in dat pahstah you see de two chimleys,
Dah whah de jimson an' dog-fennel grow?
Dat was de house o' de las' o' de Grimleighs—
Bo'n dah, an' live dah, an' die dah, faw sho,
Mahs' John an' Lennud.
Dah whah de jimson an' dog-fennel grow?
Dat was de house o' de las' o' de Grimleighs—
Bo'n dah, an' live dah, an' die dah, faw sho,
Mahs' John an' Lennud.
John was de oldes'—'twix' him an' de uddah
Mo' dan ten yeah—quite onlike in deh look:
Lennud was blue-eyed an' fah, like his muddah—
She was a daughtah o' ole Cunnel Brooke,
Down on Jeemes Rivvah.
Mo' dan ten yeah—quite onlike in deh look:
Lennud was blue-eyed an' fah, like his muddah—
She was a daughtah o' ole Cunnel Brooke,
Down on Jeemes Rivvah.
John, he was dahk, wid a face like cast i'on;
Hit pow'ful hahd ef you got in his way:
Wouldn't fo'give yeh, not ef yeh wah dyin'—
Not on yeh knees ef yeh got down to pray,
Axin' faw mahsy.
Hit pow'ful hahd ef you got in his way:
Wouldn't fo'give yeh, not ef yeh wah dyin'—
Not on yeh knees ef yeh got down to pray,
Axin' faw mahsy.
Bofe had high tempahs, faw all o' de Grimleighs—
Hot-headed people—had got in de sons;—
Plenty o' ile an' de lamp won't bu'n dimly—
Long as de spring flows de little branch runs:
Dat's human natah.
Hot-headed people—had got in de sons;—
Plenty o' ile an' de lamp won't bu'n dimly—
Long as de spring flows de little branch runs:
Dat's human natah.
414
Nevvadeless, dey wuhkt well in de hahness;
Raised a gran' sight o' tobacco an' co'n:
John was a leetle mo' pushin' an' ahnes'—
Driv us like Jehu, an' huhied us on,
Seed-time an' hahves'.
Raised a gran' sight o' tobacco an' co'n:
John was a leetle mo' pushin' an' ahnes'—
Driv us like Jehu, an' huhied us on,
Seed-time an' hahves'.
How dey fell out was account of a woman—
Women an' mischief ah easy to jine:
She was a daughtah o' Absalom Trueman—
Lived with heh folks nigh de Buckin'm line,
Off in Prince Edwa'd.
Women an' mischief ah easy to jine:
She was a daughtah o' Absalom Trueman—
Lived with heh folks nigh de Buckin'm line,
Off in Prince Edwa'd.
Dunno whahuvvah Mahs' Lennud fus' met heh—
Sahtin she nevvah had bin to de Oaks:
Dessay dat Betty hehse'f mought bin bettah,
But all de fam'ly wah mighty low folks,
Meanes' o' white trash.
Sahtin she nevvah had bin to de Oaks:
Dessay dat Betty hehse'f mought bin bettah,
But all de fam'ly wah mighty low folks,
Meanes' o' white trash.
Long 'fo' we knowed it, repotes wah a-floatin'
'Bout whah Mahs' Lennud was ahtah a wife;
But when Mahs' John was infawmed o' de co'tin',
Nevvah I see setch a sight in my life—
Tell yeh, 'twah awful!
'Bout whah Mahs' Lennud was ahtah a wife;
But when Mahs' John was infawmed o' de co'tin',
Nevvah I see setch a sight in my life—
Tell yeh, 'twah awful!
“Saddle Glencoe! tote him roun' to de do'-step!
Tell you' Mahs' Lennud to stay tell I come!
Back yeh on Monday. Remembah! don't o'step
Jes' what I awdah! On all dis be dumb,
Else—” Den he galloped.
Tell you' Mahs' Lennud to stay tell I come!
Back yeh on Monday. Remembah! don't o'step
Jes' what I awdah! On all dis be dumb,
Else—” Den he galloped.
Lennud stayed home, an' on Monday, at dinnah,
John he come back. S'e, “I stopt at de mill.
Sampson, de millah—de white-headed sinnah—
'S done gone got mahwied.” S'e, Lennud, “What! Bill?
Who is de woman?”
John he come back. S'e, “I stopt at de mill.
Sampson, de millah—de white-headed sinnah—
'S done gone got mahwied.” S'e, Lennud, “What! Bill?
Who is de woman?”
415
“No-account gal, whom you used to admiah—
Dat Betty Trueman.” Up, Lennud, he sprung:
“John, you' a fool!”—an' his blue eyes flashed fiah;
“God rain his cuss on de false, bittah tongue,
Black wid setch slandah!”
Dat Betty Trueman.” Up, Lennud, he sprung:
“John, you' a fool!”—an' his blue eyes flashed fiah;
“God rain his cuss on de false, bittah tongue,
Black wid setch slandah!”
Lennud run out, made 'em saddle Brown Chicken,
Mounted an' rid 's ef de devil wah roun':
Tell you, dat hoss got a pow'ful shahp lickin'—
Wasn't allowed to move slow on de groun'
Ondah Mahs' Lennud.
Mounted an' rid 's ef de devil wah roun':
Tell you, dat hoss got a pow'ful shahp lickin'—
Wasn't allowed to move slow on de groun'
Ondah Mahs' Lennud.
Soon he come back, lookin' white as de ashes—
Lookin' as ef he'd jes' riz from de dead:
Nevvah a-raisin' his eyes from de lashes,
Mutt'in', an' moanin', an' shakin' his head,
Like one dist'acted.
Lookin' as ef he'd jes' riz from de dead:
Nevvah a-raisin' his eyes from de lashes,
Mutt'in', an' moanin', an' shakin' his head,
Like one dist'acted.
Mo' dan a yeah nuvvah spoke to his bruddah,
Moped 'bout de place all de while—den he lef':
John tuck it hahd, on account o' his muddah,
Long dead an' gone: no use wastin' his bref—
Lennud was bittah.
Moped 'bout de place all de while—den he lef':
John tuck it hahd, on account o' his muddah,
Long dead an' gone: no use wastin' his bref—
Lennud was bittah.
As faw po' Betty, she suffe'd, depend on't,
Knowed she'd been fooled by heh people an' John:
Den she done died; an' dat wasn't de end on't—
Satan has pow', sah, as sho as you' bo'n.
Dis was de upshot.
Knowed she'd been fooled by heh people an' John:
Den she done died; an' dat wasn't de end on't—
Satan has pow', sah, as sho as you' bo'n.
Dis was de upshot.
Mos' uvry pusson de fun'al attended—
Sampson was very much 'spected aroun'—
John wid de res'; an' afo' it was ended
Lennud hisse'f come an' stood on de groun'
Cloast by de coffin.
Sampson was very much 'spected aroun'—
John wid de res'; an' afo' it was ended
Lennud hisse'f come an' stood on de groun'
Cloast by de coffin.
416
Den, when de las' o' de ahf had bin shoveled,
Lennud looked up to his bruddah, an' s'e,
“Cold in you' puppose, to gain it you groveled:
You've done de wuhk, bofe faw huh an' faw me.
Let it rest on yeh!”
Lennud looked up to his bruddah, an' s'e,
“Cold in you' puppose, to gain it you groveled:
You've done de wuhk, bofe faw huh an' faw me.
Let it rest on yeh!”
John, s'e, “So let it! You' angah I braved it—
'Twas faw you' honah, which you would have stained,
Taintin' de blood o' de Grimleighs; I saved it.
You would have crawled whah you' si' had disdained
Even to tromple.”
'Twas faw you' honah, which you would have stained,
Taintin' de blood o' de Grimleighs; I saved it.
You would have crawled whah you' si' had disdained
Even to tromple.”
Lennud, s'e, “You' talk o' blood, woman-slayah!
Winnah by falsehood! You made huh believe
I was a scound'el who wooed to betray huh—
Pledged to anuddah. You stooped to deceive—
Dah lies you' honah!
Winnah by falsehood! You made huh believe
I was a scound'el who wooed to betray huh—
Pledged to anuddah. You stooped to deceive—
Dah lies you' honah!
“My cawpse de nex' one, an' when you've succeeded,
God jedge my cause as he pities my woe.
Note me! De hou' dat I die, be it heeded,
Dahf'om my shadow afo' you shall go,
P'intin' to jedgment!”
God jedge my cause as he pities my woe.
Note me! De hou' dat I die, be it heeded,
Dahf'om my shadow afo' you shall go,
P'intin' to jedgment!”
Sho as you live, when he said dat he growed dah
Fawty foot high, an' look' down on de crowd:
John didn't answah. De hoss dat he rode dah
Mountin', he sed to me shahply an' loud,
“Home agin, Pompey!”
Fawty foot high, an' look' down on de crowd:
John didn't answah. De hoss dat he rode dah
Mountin', he sed to me shahply an' loud,
“Home agin, Pompey!”
S'l, as we rid dah, “Mahs' John, you please show me
'Bout what de hou' is.” S'e den, “It's jes' one!”
Den he wheel sudden; S'e, “Git on afo' me!
Dah whah you ride, you' 'twix' me an' de sun,
Keepin' me shadowed!”
'Bout what de hou' is.” S'e den, “It's jes' one!”
Den he wheel sudden; S'e, “Git on afo' me!
Dah whah you ride, you' 'twix' me an' de sun,
Keepin' me shadowed!”
417
“Law bless you' soul,” s'I, “Mahs' John, you amuse me!
Sho you know, honey, I keeps in my place;
Dat is onpossible what you accuse me!
Look at de sun; why, it shines in you' face.”
Den how he trembled.
Sho you know, honey, I keeps in my place;
Dat is onpossible what you accuse me!
Look at de sun; why, it shines in you' face.”
Den how he trembled.
“Pompey,” he sed den, s'e—“turn roun' de cretahs;
Lennud is dead!” S'I—“Whahfo' dat so?
Whahfo' you skah me so?” “See ef dem featahs,
Outlined in shade on de groun' dah you know.”
God! dey was Lennud's!
Lennud is dead!” S'I—“Whahfo' dat so?
Whahfo' you skah me so?” “See ef dem featahs,
Outlined in shade on de groun' dah you know.”
God! dey was Lennud's!
Den as he spoke, heahd a hoss a come poundin',
Clatt'in' an' clinkin' his feet down de road:
John sot dah white-faced—I t'ought he was swoundin';
Law bless you, boss, in his ownse'f he knowed
What was de message.
Clatt'in' an' clinkin' his feet down de road:
John sot dah white-faced—I t'ought he was swoundin';
Law bless you, boss, in his ownse'f he knowed
What was de message.
Man on de hoss saw at once dat we knowed it;
All tuhnd our hosses an' galloped like mad:
Jes' as we retched to de road-fawks we slowed it:
Dah, on a settle, dey toted de lad,
Dead, broken-hahted.
All tuhnd our hosses an' galloped like mad:
Jes' as we retched to de road-fawks we slowed it:
Dah, on a settle, dey toted de lad,
Dead, broken-hahted.
“Set him down dah in de road,” s'e, John, trim'ly;
Lit from his hoss in de face o' de sky—
Kissed de po' cawpse, an' s'e, “You ah a Grimleigh!
You kep' you' honah, an' you didn't lie,
Shamin' you' people!”
Lit from his hoss in de face o' de sky—
Kissed de po' cawpse, an' s'e, “You ah a Grimleigh!
You kep' you' honah, an' you didn't lie,
Shamin' you' people!”
We didn't tech him—we waited his risin':
He didn't move—his hands ovah his head:
Blood f'om his mouf, in a mannah su'prisin',
Gushed in a stream on de face o' de dead—
Bofe dead togeddah.
He didn't move—his hands ovah his head:
Blood f'om his mouf, in a mannah su'prisin',
Gushed in a stream on de face o' de dead—
Bofe dead togeddah.
418
People all said dat de house dah was haunted;
No one would live dah—dey held it in awe;
Boldes' o' men faw to stay dah wah daunted;
Den de Yanks bu'n'd it las' yeah o' de waw:
So went de Grimleighs.
No one would live dah—dey held it in awe;
Boldes' o' men faw to stay dah wah daunted;
Den de Yanks bu'n'd it las' yeah o' de waw:
So went de Grimleighs.
| The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") | |