VERSES OLD AND NEW.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 793, 16 April 1910, Page 9

VERSES OLD AND NEW.

JOHN-JOHN. I dreamt last night of you, John-John, And thought you called: to me, And when I woko this morning, John, I hoped your face to see; But I was all alone, John-John,' 7 Though still I heard'your, call; - . I put my boots and bonnet on, And took my , Sunday shawl, : And went, full sure to find you,' John, To Balla fair. The fair ..was just the .same'as then, : Five years ago to-day,, . When.first yon left,the thimble men And came Mth mo.away; For there again were thimble men, And shooting galleries, . And card-trick men and m&ggie men, Of all sorts and degrees;— But not a trace of you, John-John, Was anywhere. I. turned my face to hom® again, ' And called myself a. fool . {To think you'd leave tho thimble men . And live again by rule, , . • And go to mass and keep the fast, And'till the little patch; ; / "My wish to have you home was'past ( • Before 1 raised the latch { 'And pushed the. door and'saw. you, John, .' Sitting down there..

Sow cool you Came in here, begad, . As if you owned the place! But rest.'yourself there now, my lad— 'Tis good to see your face.' My dream is out, and. now by it ■ I think I know my mind: At six o'clock this house you'll quit, ' And leave no grief behind f— Jut until ■ six o'clock, 1 John-John, My bit you'll share." ' The neighbours' shame of me began When first I brought you in; To wed and keep a tinker man . They thought a kind of sin: But now this three years since you're gone ''Tis pity mo they - Aid that'l'd rather have, JohiJohn, . •rhan that they'd "pity you. Pity for mo and you, John-John, ; • ■I could not bear. Oh, you're my husband, right enough, But what's the good of that? . .. : Sou know you never were the stuff To be th;> cottage cat. . To watch the fire and hear me lock ' The door; - and put out Shep— . / Brit there now, it is six o'olock, Aid time for you to step. fiod.bless and keep you far,. John-John! ■ And that's my prayer. .... . . ■ —Thomas MacDonagh, in "The Nation."