Phil-o-rum's Canoe Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABB CCDD CCEE FFGG HHCC CCII JJCC AACC KKLL MMDM NNMM OOKO MMOO CCMM| O Ma ole canoe w'at's matter wit' you an' w'y was you be so slow | A |
| Don 't I work hard enough on de paddle an' still you don 't seem to go | A |
| No win' at all on de fronte side an' current she don 't be strong | B |
| Den w'y are you lak lazy feller too sleepy for move along | B |
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| I 'member de tam w'en you jomp de sam' as deer wit' de wolf behin' | C |
| An' brochet on d top de water you scare heem mos' off hees min' | C |
| But fish don 't care for you now at all only jus' mebbe wink de eye | D |
| For he know it 's easy get out de way w'en you was a passin' by | D |
| - | |
| I 'm spikin' dis way de oder day w'en I 'm out wit'de ole canoe | C |
| Crossin' de point w'ere I see las' fall wan very beeg caribou | C |
| W'en somebody say Phil o rum mon vieux wat's matter wit' you youse'f | E |
| An' who do you s'pose was talkin' w'y de poor ole canoe shese'f | E |
| - | |
| O yass I 'm scare w'en I 'm sittin' dere an' she 's callin' ma nam' dat way | F |
| Phil o rum Juneau w'y you spik so moche you 're off on de head to day | F |
| Can't be you forget ole feller you an' me we 're not too young | G |
| An' if I'm lookin' so ole lak you I t'ink I will close ma tongue | G |
| - | |
| You should feel ashame for you 're alway blame w'en it is n't ma fault at all | H |
| For I 'm tryin' to do bes' I can for you on summer tam spring an' fall | H |
| How offen you drown on de reever if I 'm not lookin' out for you | C |
| W'en you 're takin' too moche on de w'isky some night comin' down de Soo | C |
| - | |
| De firse tam we go on de Wessoneau no feller can beat us den | C |
| For you 're purty strong man wit' de paddle but dat 's long ago ma frien' | C |
| An' win' she can blow off de mountain an' tonder an' rain may come | I |
| But camp see us bote on de evening you know dat was true Phil o rum | I |
| - | |
| An' who's your horse too but your ole canoe an' w'en you feel cole an' wet | J |
| Who was your house w'en I 'm upside down an' onder de roof you get | J |
| Wit' rain ronnin' down ma back Bapt me till I 'm gettin' de rheumateez | C |
| An' I never say not'ing at all moi m me but let you do jus' you please | C |
| - | |
| You t'ink it was right kip me out all night on reever side down below | A |
| An' even' Bon Soir' you was never say but off on de camp you go | A |
| Leffin' your poor ole canoe behin' lyin' dere on de groun' | C |
| Watchin' de moon on de water an' de bat flyin' all aroun' | C |
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| O dat 's lonesome t'ing hear de grey owl sing up on de beeg pine tree | K |
| An' many long night she kip me awake till sun on de eas' I see | K |
| An' den you come down on de morning for start on some more voyage | L |
| An' only t'ing decen' you do all day is carry me on portage | L |
| - | |
| Dat 's way Phil o rum rheumateez she come wit' pain ronnin' troo ma side | M |
| Wan leetle hole here noder beeg wan dere dat not'ing can never hide | M |
| Don 't do any good fix me up agen no matter how moche you try | D |
| For w'en we come ole an' our work she 's done bote man an' canoe mus'die | M |
| - | |
| Wall she talk dat way mebbe mos' de day till we 're passin' some beaver dam | N |
| An' wan de young beaver he 's mak' hees tail come down on de water flam | N |
| I never see de canoe so scare she jomp nearly two t'ree feet | M |
| I t'ink she was goin' for ronne away an' she shut up de mout' toute suite | M |
| - | |
| It mak'me feel queer de strange t'ing I hear an' I 'm glad she don 't spik no more | O |
| But soon as we fin'ourse'f arrive over dere on de noder shore | O |
| I tak' dat canoe lak de lady an' carry her off wit' me | K |
| For I 'm sorry de way I treat her an' she know more dan me sapree | O |
| - | |
| Yass dat 's smart canoe an' I know it 's true w'at she 's spikin' wit' me dat day | M |
| I 'm not de young feller I use to be w'en work she was only play | M |
| An' I know I was comin' closer on place w'ere I mus' tak' care | O |
| W'ere de mos' worse current 's de las' wan too de current of Dead Riviere | O |
| - | |
| You can only steer an' if rock be near wit' wave dashin' all aroun' | C |
| Better mak' leetle prayer for on Dead Riviere some very smart man get drown | C |
| But if you be locky an' watch youse'f mebbe reever won 't seem so wide | M |
| An' firse t'ing you know you 'll ronne ashore safe on de noder side | M |
William Henry Drummond
(1)
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