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C J Dennis - Introduction to Ginger Mick
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Jist to intraj`uice me cobber, an `is name is Ginger Mick -
A rorty boy, a naughty boy, wiv rude impressions thick
In `is casu`l conversation, an` the wicked sort o` face
That gives the sudden shudders to the lor-abidin` race.

`Is name is on the records at the Melbourne City Court,
Fer doin` things an` sayin` things no reel nice feller ort;
An `is name is on the records uv the Army, over there,
Fer doin` things - same sort o` things that rose the Bench`s `air.

They never rung no joy-bells when `e made `is first de- boo;
But `e got free edjication, w`ich they fondly shoved `im thro`;
Then turned `im loose in Spadger`s Lane to `ang around the street
An` `elp the cop to re-erlize the `ardness uv `is beat.

Then `e quickly dropped `is aitches, so as not to be mistook
Fer an edjicated person, `oo `is cobbers reckoned crook;
But `e `ad a trick wiv figgers that ud make a clerk look sick;
So `e pencilled fer a bookie; an` `e `awked a bit, did Mick.

A bloke can`t be partic`lar `oo must battle fer a crust;
An` some, they pinch fer preference, an` some, becos they must.
When times is `ard, an` some swell coves is richer than they ort;
Well, it`s jist a little gamble fer a rise, agin the Court.

Now, Mick wus never in it as a reel perfeshnal crook,
But sometimes cops `as slabs uv luck, so sometimes `e wus took,
An` `e got a repitation, thro` `im bein` twice interned;
But `e didn`t skite about it, `cos `e felt it wasn`t earned.

I reckerlect one time a Beak slings Mick a slab uv guff,
Wiv "Thirty days or forty bob" (Mick couldn`t raise the stuff) -
An` arsts `im where `is conshuns is, an` w`y `e can`t be good,
An` Mick jist grins, an` takes it out, an` never understood.

An` that is orl there wus to Mick, wiv orl `is leery ways.
If I wus up among the `eads, wiv right to blame or praise,
Whenever some sich bloke as `im wus tucked away fer good
I`d chalk them words above `is `ead: "`E never understood."

If I wus up among the `eads, wiv right to judge the game,
I`d look around fer chance to praise, an` sling the flamin` blame;
Fer findin` things in blokes to praise pays divvies either way;
An` wot they`re blamed fer yesterd`y brings `earty cheers to-day.

Yes, `earty cheers frum thortless coots `oo feel dead sure their God
Would never `ave no time fer crooks `oo does a stretch in quod;
`Oo reckon `eaven is a place where orl folk tork correck,
An` judgment, where the "vulgar" gits it solid in the neck.

An` Ginger Mick wus vulgar.  `Struth!  When things wus gettin` slow
`E took to `awkin` rabbits, wich is very, very low-
`E wus the sort o` bloke to watch when `e come in yer gate:
`E `ad a narsty fightin` face that orl nice people `ate.

`E `ad that narsty fightin` face that peacefulfolk call grim;
But I `ave seen it grow reel soft when kiddies spoke to `im.
`E `ad them narsty sullen eyes that nice folk can`t enjure;
But I `ave seen a smile in `em that made our frien`ship sure.

There`s men `oo never knoo ole Mick, an` passed `im in the street,
An` looks away an` sez, "See `im?  A narsty chap to meet!
`E`d be an ugly customer alone an` after dark!"
An` Mick, `e`d twitch `s jor at `em, `arf earnest, `arf a lark.

That wus the sort o` character that Mick earned be `is looks.
The talk uv `im, the walk uv `im, put `im among the crooks.
An` Mick, `e looks on swank an` style as jist a lot o` flam,
An` snouted them that snouted `im, an` never give a dam.

But spite uv orl `is `ulkin` frame, an` langwidge flowin` free
I seen the thing inside uv Mick that made `im good to me.
An` spite uv orl the sneerin` ways that leery blokes imploy,
I knoo `im jist fer wot `e wus - a big, soft-`earted boy.

Fer when a bloke `as come to be reel cobbers wiv a bloke,
They sorter swap good fellership wivout words bein` spoke.
I never slung no guff to Mick, `e never smooged to me,
But we could smoke, an` `old our jor, an` be reel company.

There `as bin times that `e would curse to `ave recalled by me,
When I `ave seen `im doin` things that coves calls charity;
An` there`s been times, an` frequent times, in spite uv orl `is looks,
When I `ave `eard `im sayin` things that blokes shoves inter books.

But Ginger Mick was Ginger Mick - a leery boy, fer keeps,
`Oo `owled "Wile Rabbee!" in the streets, in tones that gave yeh creeps.
`E never planned `is mode uv life, nor chose the Lane fer lair,
No more than `e designed `is chiv or colour uv `is `air.

So Ginger `awked, an` Ginger pinched, an` Ginger went to quod,
An` never thort to waste `is time in blamin` man or God -
An` then there came the Call uv Stoush, or jooty - wot`s a name?
An` Ginger cocked `is `ear to it, an` found `is flamin` game.

I intrajuice me cobber `ere; an` don`t make no ixcuse
To any culchered click that it`s a peb I intrajuice.
I dunno wot `is ratin` wus in this `ere soshul plan;
I only know, inside o` me, I intrajuice a man.
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