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William Henry Drummond - The Rivière Des Prairies
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I see de many reever on de State an` ev`ryw`ere,
    From Maine to California, New York to Michigan,
  An` wan way an` de oder, I tell you I don`t care;
    I travel far upon dem as moche as any man--
  But all de t`ousan` reever I was never pass along,
    For w`at dey call de beauty, from de mountain to de sea,
  Dere’s wan dat I be t`inkin,` de wan w`ere I belong,
    Can beat dem all, an` easy, too, de Rivière des Prairies!

  Jus` tak` de Hudson Reever, an` de Mississippi too,
    Missouri, an` de res` of dem, an` oders I can`t t`ink,
  Dey `re all beeg, dirty places, wit` de steamboat gruntin` troo,
    An` de water runnin` in dem is black as any ink,
  An` de noises of dem reever never stoppin` night or day,
    An` de row along de shore, too, enough to mak` you scare;
  Not a feesh is wort` de eatin`, `less you `re starvin by de way,
    An` you `re feeling purty t`orsty if you drink de water dere!

  So ketch de han` I geev` you w`ile I’m on de humor now,
    An` I bet you won`t be sorry w`en you go along wit` me,
  For I show you all aroun` dere, until you `re knowin` how
    I come so moche to brag--me--on de Rivière des Prairies.
  It’s a cole October mornin`, an` de maple leaf is change
    Ev`ry color you can t`ink of, from de purple to de green;
  On de shore de crowd of blackbird, an` de crow begin` arrange
    For de journey dey be takin` w`en de nort` win`s blowin` keen.

  Quick! down among de bushes!--don`t you hear de wil` goose cry
    An` de honk de great beeg gander he was makin` up above?
  On de lake dey call Two Mountain is de place dey `re goin` fly,
    But only spen` de night-tam, for dey `re alway on de move;
  Jus` see de shadder dancin` up an` down, up an` down,
    You t`ink dem geese was passin` in an` out between de tree
  W`en de branch is bendin` over on de water all aroun`
    Now you see de place I’m talkin`, dat’s de Rivière des Prairies!

  Missouri! Mississippi! better wait till you go back--
    No tam for talk about dem w`en dis reever you can see,
  But watch de cloud a-sailin` lak a racer on de track,
    An` lissen to de music of de Rivière des Prairies--
  An` up along de shore dere, don`t you envy Bord à Plouffe?
    Oh! dat`s de place is lucky, have de reever come so near--
  I’m knowin` all de people, ev`ry chimley, ev`ry roof,
    For Bord à Plouffe she never change on over feefty year!

  St. Martin`s bell is ringin`, can`t you hear it easy now?
    Dey `re marryin` or buryin` some good ole frien` of me,
  I wonder who it can be, don`t matter anyhow,
    So long as we’re a-lookin` on de Rivière des Prairies.
  Only notice how de sun shine w`en he`s comin` out to peep,
    I’m sure he’s leetle brighter dan anyw`ere you see,
  An` w`en de fall is over, an` de reever’s gone to sleep,
    De w`ites` snow is fallin` on de Rivière des Prairies!

  I love you, dear ole reever, more dan ev`ry Yankee wan;
    An` if I get de money, you will see me on de train,
  Wit` couple o` t`ousan` dollar, den hooraw! it’s goodbye, John!
    You can kill me if you ketch me leavin` Bord à Plouffe again.
  But sometam it `ll happen dat a feller’s gettin` stop
    Because he`s comin` busy wit` de wife an` familee--
  No matter, if de good God he won`t forget to drop,
    Ev`ry day an` night, hees blessin` on de Rivière des Prairies!
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