Yawcob Strauss and Other Poems/Vas Marriage a Failure?




 * Vas marriage a failure? "Veil, now, dot depends
 * Altogeddher on how you look at it, mine friends.
 * Like dhose double-horse teams dot you see at der races,
 * It depends pooty much on der pair in der traces;
 * Eef dhey don'd pool togeddher righdt off at der shtart,
 * Ten dimes oudt off nine dhey van beddher apart.


 * Vas marriage a failure? Der vote vas in doubt;
 * Dhose dot's oudt vould be in, dhose dot's in vould be oudt:
 * Der man mit oxberience, good looks und dash,
 * Gets a vife mit some fife hundord dousand in cash,
 * Budt, after der honeymoon, vhere vas der honey?
 * She haf der oxberience — he haf der money.






 * Vas marriage a failure? Eef dot vas der case,
 * Vot vas to pecome off der whole human race?
 * Vot you dink dot der oldt "Pilgrim faders" vould say,
 * Who came in dot Sunflower to oldt Plymouth Bay,
 * To see der fine coundtry dis peoples haf got,
 * Und dhen hear dhem ask sooch conondhrums as dot?


 * Vas marriage a failure ? Shust go, ere you tell,
 * To dot Bunker Mon Ilillument, vhere Varren fell;
 * Dink off Yashington, Franklin, nnd "Honest Old Abe" —
 * Dhey vas all been aroundt since dot first Plymouth babe.
 * I vas only a Deutscher, budt I tells you vot!
 * I pelief, every dime, in sooch "failures" as dot.




 * Vas marriage a failure? I ask mine Katrine,
 * Und she look off me so dot I feels pooty mean.
 * Dhen she say: "Meester Strauss, shust come here eef you blease,"
 * Und she take me vhere Yawcob und leedle Loweeze
 * By dheir shnug trundle-bed vas shust saying dheir prayer,
 * Und she say, mit some pride: "Dhere vas no failures dhere!"