Читать книгу Modern American Poetry - Various - Страница 45

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Us two wuz boys when we fell out—

Nigh to the age uv my youngest now;

Don’t rec’lect what ’twuz about,

Some small deeff’rence, I’ll allow.

Lived next neighbors twenty years,

A-hatin’ each other, me ’nd Jim—

He having his opinyin uv me,

’Nd I havin’ my opinyin uv him.

Grew up together ’nd wouldn’t speak,

Courted sisters, ’nd marr’d ’em, too;

’Tended same meetin’-house oncet a week,

A-hatin’ each other through ’nd through!

But when Abe Linkern asked the West

F’r soldiers, we answered—me ’nd Jim—

He havin’ his opinyin uv me,

’Nd I havin’ my opinyin uv him.

But down in Tennessee one night

Ther’ wuz sound uv firin’ fur away,

’Nd the sergeant allowed ther’d be a fight

With the Johnnie Rebs some time nex’ day;

’Nd as I wuz thinkin’ uv Lizzie ’nd home

Jim stood afore me, long ’nd slim—

He havin’ his opinyin uv me,

’Nd I havin’ my opinyin uv him.

Seemed like we knew there wuz goin’ to be

Serious trouble f’r me ’nd him;

Us two shuck hands, did Jim ’nd me,

But never a word from me or Jim!

He went his way ’nd I went mine,

’Nd into the battle’s roar went we—

I havin’ my opinyin of Jim,

’Nd he havin’ his opinyin uv me.

Jim never came back from the war again,

But I hain’t forgot that last, last night

When, waitin’ f’r orders, us two men

Made up ’nd shuck hands, afore the fight,

’Nd after it all, it’s soothin’ to know

That here I be ’nd younder’s Jim—

He havin’ his opinyin uv me,

’Nd I havin’ my opinyin uv him.