Two-an'-six Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABB CCAAAADDEEFF GHHGDDHHHHAAII JJAA BBAAKLAAMMHHNNAADD BBOODDHHOOPBQQ OOAAOOBBHHDD AAA HHOOOODD BBCCQQAAAAAA DDRRSSDDOOOOH DDOOOOO AAOOMMOO CCDD

Merry voices chatterin'A
Nimble feet dem patterin'A
Big an' little faces gayB
Happy day dis market dayB
-
Sateday de marnin' breakC
Soon soon market people wakeC
An' de light shine from de moonA
While dem boy wid pantaloonA
Roll up ober dem knee panA
'Tep across de buccra lan'A
To de pastur whe' de harseD
Feed along wid de jackassD
An' de mule cant' in de trackE
Wid him tail up in him backE
All de ketchin' to defyF
No ca' how dem boy might tryF
-
In de early marnin' tideG
When de cocks crow on de hillH
An' de stars are shinin' stillH
Mirrie by de firesideG
Hots de coffee for de ladsD
Comin' ridin' on de padsD
T'rown across dem animulH
Donkey harse too an' de muleH
Which at last had come do'n coolH
On de bit dem hol' dem fullH
Racin' ober pastur' lan'A
See dem comin' ebery manA
Comin' fe de steamin' teaI
Ober hilly track an' leaI
-
Hard wuk'd donkey on de roadJ
Trottin' wid him ushal loadJ
Hamper pack' wi' yam an' grainA
Sour sop and Gub'nor caneA
-
Cous' Sun sits in hired drayB
Drivin' 'long de market wayB
Whole week grindin' sugar caneA
T'rough de boilin' sun an' rainA
Now a'ter de toilin' hardK
He goes seekin' his rewardL
While he's thinkin' in him min'A
Of de dear ones lef behin'A
Of de loved though ailin' wifeM
Darlin' treasure of his lifeM
An' de picknies six in allH
Whose 'nuff burdens 'pon him fallH
Seben lovin' ones in needN
Seben hungry mouths fe feedN
On deir wants he thinks aloneA
Neber dreamin' of his ownA
But gwin' on wid joyful faceD
Till him re'ch de market placeD
-
Sugar bears no price to dayB
Though it is de mont' o' MayB
When de time is hellish hotO
An' de water cocoanutO
An' de cane bebridge is niceD
Mix' up wid a lilly iceD
Big an' little great an' smallH
Afou yam is all de callH
Sugar tup an' gill a quartO
Yet de people hab de heartO
Wantin' brater top o' i'P
Want de sweatin' higgler feB
Ram de pan an' pile i' upQ
Yet sell i' fe so so tupQ
-
Cousin Sun is lookin' sadO
As de market is so badO
'Pon him han' him res' him chinA
Quietly sit do'n thinkin'A
Of de loved wife sick in bedO
An' de children to be fedO
What de laborers would sayB
When dem know him couldn' payB
Also what about de millH
Whe' him hire from ole BillH
So him think an' think on soD
Till him t'oughts no more could goD
-
Then he got up an' beganA
Pickin' up him sugar panA
In his ears rang t'rough de dinA
'Only two an' six a tin' '-
What a tale he'd got to tellH
How bad bad de sugar sellH
Tekin' out de lee amountO
Him set do'n an' begin countO
All de time him min' deh doubtO
How expenses would pay outO
Ah it gnawed him like de ticksD
Sugar sell fe two an' sixD
-
So he journeys on de wayB
Feelinl sad dis market dayB
No e'en buy a little cakeC
To gi'e baby when she wakeC
Passin' 'long de candy shopQ
'Douten eben mek a stopQ
To buy drops fe las'y sonA
For de lilly cash nea' doneA
So him re'ch him own a groun'A
An' de children scamper roun'A
Each one stretchin' out him han'A
Lookin' to de poor sad manA
-
Oh how much he felt de blowD
As he watched dem face fall lowD
When dem wait an' nuttin' cameR
An' drew back deir han's wid shameR
But de sick wife kissed his browS
'Sun don't get down hearted nowS
Ef we only pay expenseD
We mus' wuk we common senseD
Cut an' carve an' carve an' cutO
Mek gill sarbe fe quattiewutO
We mus' try mek two ends meetO
Neber mind how hard be itO
We won't mind de haul an' pullH
While dem pickny belly full '-
-
An' de shadow lef' him faceD
An' him felt an inward peaceD
As he blessed his better partO
For her sweet an' gentle heartO
'Dear one o' my heart my breat'O
Won't I lub you to de deat'O
When my heart is weak an' sadO
Who but you can mek it glad '-
-
So dey kissed an' kissed againA
An' deir t'oughts were not on painA
But was 'way down in de sout'O
Where dey'd wedded in deir yout'O
In de marnin' of deir lifeM
Free from all de grief an' strifeM
Happy in de marnin' lightO
Never thinkin' of de nightO
-
So dey k'lated eberyt'ingC
An' de profit it could bringC
A'ter all de business fix'D
Was a princely two an' sixD

Claude Mckay



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