The Songs Of A Sentimental Bloke Part 10

A long, long time I looks at my two 'ands.

"They're all I got," I thinks, "they're all that stands Twixt this 'ard world an' them I calls me own.

An' fer their sakes I'll work 'em to the bone."

Them vows an' things sounds like a lot o' guff.

Maybe, it's foolish thinkin' all this stuff-- Maybe, it's childish-like to scheme an' plan; But--I dunno--it's that way wiv a man.

I only know that kid belongs to me!

We ain't decided yet wot 'e's to be.

Doreen, she sez 'e's got a poit's eyes; But I ain't got much use fer them soft guys.

I think we ort to make 'im something great-- A bookie, or a champeen'eavy-weight: Some callin' that'll give 'im room to spread.

A fool could see 'e's got a clever 'ead.

I know 'e's good an' honest; for 'is eyes Is jist like 'ers; so big an' lovin'-wise; They carries peace an' trust where e'er they goes An', say, the nurse she sez 'e's got my nose!

Dead ring fer me ole conk, she sez it is.

More like a blob of putty on 'is phiz, I think. But 'e's a fair 'ard case, all right.

I'll swear I thort 'e wunk at me last night!

My wife an' fam'ly! Don't it sound all right!

That's wot I whispers to meself at night.

Some day, I s'pose, I'll learn to say it loud An' careless; kiddin' that I don't feel proud.

My son!...If there's a Gawd 'Oos leanin' near To watch our dilly little lives down 'ere, 'E smiles, I guess, if 'E's a lovin' one Smiles, friendly-like, to 'ear them words--My son.

XIV. The Mooch o' Life

This ev'nin' I was sittin' wiv Doreen, Peaceful an' 'appy wiv the day's work done, Watchin', be'ind the orchard's bonzer green, The flamin' wonder of the settin' sun.

Another day gone by; another night Creepin' along to douse Day's golden light; Another dawnin', when the night is gone, To live an' love--an' so life mooches on.

Times I 'ave thought, when things was goin' crook, When 'Ope turned nark an' Love forgot to smile, Of somethin' I once seen in some old book Where an ole sore-'ead arsts, "Is life worf w'ile?"

But in that stillness, as the day grows dim, An' I am sittin' there wiv 'er an' 'im My wife, my son! an' strength in me to strive, I only know--it's good to be alive!

Yeh live, yeh love, yeh learn; an' when yeh come To square the ledger in some thortful hour, The everlastin' answer to the sum Must allus be, "Where's sense in gittin' sour?"

Fer when yeh've come to weigh the good an' bad-- The gladness wiv the sadness you 'ave 'ad-- Then 'im 'oo's faith in 'uman goodness fails Fergits to put 'is liver in the scales.

Livin' an' lovin'; learnin' day be day; Pausin' a minute in the barmy strife To find that 'elpin' others on the way Is gold coined fer your profit--sich is life.

I've studied books wiv yearnings to improve, To 'eave meself out of me lowly groove, An' 'ere is orl the change I ever got: "'Ark at yer 'eart, an' you kin learn the lot."

I gives it in--that wisdom o' the mind-- I wasn't built to play no lofty part.

Orl such is welkim to the joys they find; I only know the wisdom o' the 'eart.

An' ever it 'as taught me, day be day, The one same lesson in the same ole way: "Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends, Fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."

Life's wot yeh make it; an' the bloke 'oo tries To grab the s.h.i.+nin' stars frum out the skies Goes crook on life, an' calls the world a cheat, An' tramples on the daisies at 'is feet.

But when the moon comes creepin' o'er the hill, An' when the mopoke calls along the creek, I takes me cup o' joy an' drinks me fill, An' arsts meself wot better could I seek.

An' ev'ry song I 'ear the thrushes sing That everlastin' message seems to bring; An' ev'ry wind that whispers in the trees Gives me the tip there ain't no joys like these:

Livin' an' lovin'; wand'rin' on yer way; Reapin' the 'arvest of a kind deed done; An' watchin', in the sundown of yer day, Yerself again, grown n.o.bler in yer son.

Knowin' that ev'ry coin o' kindness spent Bears interest in yer 'eart at cent per cent; Measurin' wisdom by the peace it brings To simple minds that values simple things.

An' when I take a look along the way That I 'ave trod, it seems the man knows best, Who's met wiv slabs of sorrer in 'is day, When 'e is truly rich an' truly blest.

An' I am rich, becos me eyes 'ave seen The lovelight in the eyes of my Doreen; An' I am blest, becos me feet 'ave trod A land 'oo's fields reflect the smile o' G.o.d.

Livin' an' lovin'; learnin' to fergive The deeds an' words of some un'appy bloke Who's missed the bus--so 'ave I come to live, An' take the 'ole mad world as 'arf a joke.

Sittin' at ev'nin' in this sunset-land, Wiv 'Er in all the World to 'old me 'and, A son, to bear me name when I am gone....

Livin' an' lovin'--so life mooches on.

The Glossary

A.I.F.--Australian Imperial Force.

Alley, to toss in the--To give up the ghost.

Also ran, the--On the turf, horses that fail to secure a leading place; hence, obscure persons, nonent.i.ties.

'Ammer-lock (Hammer-lock)--A favourite and effective hold in wrestling.

Ar--An exclamation expressing joy, sorrow, surprise, etc., according to the manner of utterance.

'Ard Case (Hard Case)--A shrewd or humorous person.

'Ayseed (Hayseed)--A rustic.

Back Chat--Impudent repartee.

Back and Fill--To vacillate; to shuffle.

Back the Barrer--To intervene without invitation.

Barmy (Balmy)--Foolish; silly.

Beak--A magistrate. (Possibly from Anglo-Saxon, Beag--a magistrate.) Beano--A feast.

Beans--Coins; money.

Beat--Puzzled; defeated.

Beat, off the---Out of the usual routine.

Beef (to beef it out)--To declaim vociferously.

Bellers (Bellows)--The lungs.

Biff--To smite.

Bird, to give the--To treat with derision.

Blighter--A worthless fellow.

Bli'me--An oath with the fangs drawn.