[Editor: This poem by Alone was published in The Bulletin Reciter, 1901.]
Wing Fat.
Upon his cheek there shone a tear ;
(They ’d dragged him from his home)
He sighed — as one who dreams of beer —
Or one who writes a pome.
He stood within the felon’s dock —
On yellow feet and large,
His face unreadable as rock ;
Whilst Murphy read the charge.
They swore he stole a speckled hen,
One pig, two boots, a hat ;
But Wing just murmured now and then,
“No ! me no savee that !”
In English they examined Wing,
In Chow and Irish too ;
He answered all their questioning
With : “Me no savee you.”
Their pigeon-Hebrew and Hindoo —
He stood it all unmoved ;
They said, “We wish this case was through!
It ’s very clearly proved
“To speak to him ’s of no avail !
And ’t would disgrace our land
To put a foreign man in gaol,
Who cannot understand.
“A trifling fine, and let him go —
’S the best way, to our mind.
We ’ll mercy to the heathen show !
Five shillings he is fined !”
They asked Wing for five shillings then —
His eye was dull and dim ;
His face was wood ; he said again
Just : “Me no savee him.”
Then Murphy, the policeman, rose,
And in a brogue said he :
“This haythen in the baggy clothes,
Oi ’ll make him savee me.
“No savee, is it ? Wing, me mahn !
Y’ dirty haythen hound !
Come ! take y’r purse out in y’r hand —
And pay y’r foine — foive pound !”
“Dam Ilishman ! too muchee lie !”
Shrieked Wing, “ You tly me lob ?
Me savee magistlate, all li !
Here, takee fine !— fi bob !”
Alone.
Source:
A.G. Stephens (editor). The Bulletin Reciter: A Collection of Verses for Recitation from “The Bulletin” [1880-1901], The Bulletin Newspaper Company, Sydney, 1902 [first published 1901], pages 81-82
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