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C J Dennis - The Siren
Work rating: Low

She sung a song; an` I sat silent there,
Wiv bofe `ands grippin` `ard on me chair;
  Me `eart, that yesterdee I thort wus broke
Wiv `umpin sich a `eavy load o` care,
  Come swelling in me throat like I would choke.
I felt `ot blushes climbin` to me `air.

`Twas like that feelin` when the Spring wind breaves
Sad music in the sof`ly rustlin` leaves.
  An` when a bloke sits down an` starts to chew
Crook thorts, wivout quite knowin` why `e grieves
  Fer things `e`s done `e didn`t ort to do—
Fair winded wiv the `eavy sighs `e `eaves.

She sung a song; an` orl at once I seen
The kind o` crool an` `eartless broot I been.
  In ev`ry word I read it like a book—
The slanter game I`d played wiv my Doreen—
  I `eard it in `er song; an` in `er look
I seen wot made me feel fair rotten mean.

Poor, `urt Doreen!  My tender bit o` fluff!
Ar, men don`t understand; they`re fur too rough;
  Their ways is fur too coarse wiv lovin` tarts;
They never gives `em symperthy enough.
  They treats `em `arsh; they tramples on their `earts,
Becos their own crool `earts is leather-tough.

She sung a song; an` orl them bitter things
That chewin` over lovers` quarrils brings
  Guv place to thorts of sorrer an` remorse.
Like when some dilly punter goes an` slings
  `Is larst, lone deener on some stiffened `orse,
An` learns them vain regrets wot `urts an` stings.

`Twas at a beano where I lobs along
To drown them memories o` fancied wrong.
  I swears I never knoo that she`d be there.
But when I met `er eye—O, `struth, `twas strong!
  `Twas bitter strong, that jolt o` dull despair!
`Er look o` scorn!…An` then, she sung a song.

The choon was one o` them sad, mournful things
That ketch yeh in the bellers `ere, and brings
  Tears to yer eyes.  The words was uv a tart
`Oo`s trackin` wiv a silly coot `oo slings
  `Er love aside, an` breaks `er tender `eart….
But `twasn`t that; it was the way she sings.

To `ear `er voice!…A bloke `ud be a log
`Oo kep` `is block.  Me mind wus in a fog
  Of sorrer for to think `ow I wus wrong;
Ar, I `ave been a fair ungrateful `og!
  The feelin` that she put into that song
`Ud melt the `eart-strings of a chiner dog.

I listens wiv me `eart up in me throat;
I drunk in ev`ry word an` ev`ry note.
  Tears trembles in `er voice when she tells `ow
That tart snuffed out becos `e never wrote.
  An` then I seen `ow I wus like that cow.
Wiv suddin shame me guilty soul wus smote.

Doreen she never looked my way; but stood
`Arf turned away, an` beefed it out reel good,
  Until she sang that bit about the grave;
"Too late `e learned `e `ad misunderstood!"
  An` then—Gorstrooth!  The pleadin` look she gave
Fair in me face `ud melt a`eart o` wood.

I dunno `ow I seen that evenin` thro`.
They muster thort I was `arf shick, I knoo.
  But I `ad `urt Doreen wivout no call;
I seen me dooty, wot I `ad to do.
  O, strike!  I could `a` blubbed before `em all!
But I sat tight, an` never cracked a boo.

An` when at larst the tarts they makes a rise,
A lop-eared coot wiv `air down to `is eyes
  `E `ooks on to Doreen, an` starts to roam
Fer `ome an` muvver.  I lines up an` cries,
  "`An`s orf!  I`m seein` this `ere cliner `ome!"
An` there we left `im, gapin` wiv surprise.

She never spoke; she never said no word;
But walked beside me like she never `eard.
  I swallers `ard, an` starts to coax an` plead,
I sez I`m dead ashamed o` wot`s occurred.
  She don`t reply; she never takes no `eed;
Jist stares before `er like a startled bird.

I tells `er, never can no uvver tart
Be `arf wot she is, if we `ave to part.
  I tells `er that me life will be a wreck.
It ain`t no go.  But when I makes a start
  To walk away, `er arms is roun` me neck.
"Ah, Kid!" she sobs.  "Yeh nearly broke me `eart!"

I dunno wot I done or wot I said.
But `struth!  I`ll not forgit it till I`m dead—
  That night when `ope back in me brisket lobs:
`Ow my Doreen she lays `er little `ead
  Down on me shoulder `ere, an` sobs an` sobs;
An` orl the lights goes sorter blurred an` red.

Say, square an` all—It don`t seem right, some`ow,
To say such things; but wot I`m feelin` now
  `As come at times, I s`pose, to uvver men
When you `ave `ad a reel ole ding-dong row,
  Say, ain`t it bonzer makin` up agen?
Straight wire, it`s almost worth…Ar, I`m a cow!

To think I`d ever seek to `arm a `air
Of `er dear `ead agen!  My oath, I swear
  No more I`ll roust on `er in angry `eat!
But still, she never seemed to me so fair;
  She never wus so tender or so sweet
As when she smooged beneath the lamplight there.

She`s never been so lovin` wiv `er gaze;
So gentle wiv `er pretty wimmin`s ways.
  I tells `er she`s me queen, me angel, too.
"Ah, no, I ain`t no angel, Kid," she says.
  "I`m jist a woman, an` I loves yeh true!
An` so I`ll love yeh all me mortal days!"

She sung a song….`Ere, in me barmy style,
I sets orl tarts; for in me hour o` trile
  Me soul was withered be a woman`s frown,
An` broodin` care come roostin` on me dile.
  She sung a song….Me `eart, wiv woe carst down,
Wus raised to `Eaven be a woman`s smile.
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