Page:Claude McKay Constab Ballads.djvu/71

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Last week, eatin’ a gill bread,

Me t’row piece out on de lea;

An’ A ketch a ’port fe dat

Which meant five roun’ mac to me.

Constab-charge, civilian-charge,

Life’s a burden every way;

But reward fund mus’ kep’ up

Out o’ poo’ policeman pay.

Ef our lot, then, is so hard,

I mus’ ever bear in mind

Dat to fe me own black ’kin

I mus’ not be too unkind.

An’ p’r’aps you too will forgive

Ef I’ve spoken rather free,

An’ will let me somet’ing ask

Which may soften you to me:

In de middle o’ de night,

When de blackness lies do’n deep,

Who protects your homes an’ stores

While de Island is asleep?

When de dead stars cannot shine

Sake o’ rain an’ cloud an’ storm,

Who keeps watch out in de street

So dat not’in’ comes to harm?