THE MINSTREL PIAKO. LONG WAY AFTER LONGFELLOW. [By Shortfellow.]

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 649, 18 July 1876, Page 2

THE MINSTREL PIAKO. LONG WAY AFTER LONGFELLOW. [By Shortfellow.]

The fallowing under tlio he*d ' ordinal poetry/ appeared in the Wellington " Argus" The shades of night were falling fist, As through the frontier Tillage pawed, ,jp A man who bore in sacrifice, " A blue book with ths strango device, Piako! His brow wu tad, hit eye* beneath Looked rather wtt'ry, anJ hii teeth Bid chatter as, in voice quite weak, He muttered, with ft kind of squeak, Piako ! In settlers' homes be saw the light Of household fires gleam worm and bright ; And then h» mw a dumal •wamp, And muttered, oa he felt tho cramp. Piako! ' Try not the •wamp,' the old man said, ♦ Tlw slush '11 reach above your head,' The mud in there is deep and foul, He only amwered with a howl, Piako ! 4 Oh! stay,' a maiden laid, ' and rest Tby weary head upon this breast ;' But, as her tatooid lip he spied. He only answered (while h« sighed) Pinko! ' Baware of floundering in the flax, Beware of rheumatism's racks ;' This wai th« settler's last farewell, He only heard a dismal jell Piako! At break of day, as out from camp, Tho ditchers went into the Swamp, And one or two began to sweir, A Toice oritd through th» startled air, Piako ! A traveller, where they heard the sounJ, Up to hit neok in mud was found, , His ejes were covered with a glaze, He muttered in a dreamy haze Piako! Here, in the slash, was good old Grey, AUto, but nearly drowned he lay, And from his lips, so wan and chill, He muttered' tremblingly and ill, Piako !