Claude McKay's Early Poetry (1911-1922): A Digital Collection

My Soldier-Lad

SEE yonder soldier-lad
In Zouave jacket clad?
   His lovin' heart is mine,
His heart so bright an' glad;
   My soul an' spirit combine
To love my soldier-lad.

   O my dear lilly soldier-lad,
      I am true an' so are you;
   And oh, my lovin' heart is glad,
      For I know that you are true. 

My pretty soldier-boy,
He is my only joy:
   He loves me with his might,
A love without alloy,
   My one, my true delight,
My pretty soldier-boy.

   O my dear lilly soldier-lad, etc. 

My own lee soldier true,
He is a bandsman too;
   An' when he's in the stand,
His sweet eyes playin' blue,
   He carries off the band,
My handsome soldier true.

   O my dear lilly soldier-lad, etc. 

My precious lilly pet,
He plays a clarinet:
   De gals dem envy me,
But him they cannot get;
   Dem hate we both to see,
Me an' my precious pet.

   O my dear lilly soldier-lad, etc. 

Where coolin' breezes blow,
An' silvery gullies flow
   Do'n t'rough de bamboo grove,
The amorous pea-doves coo:
   They're cooin' of my love,
While freshenin' breezes blow.

   O my dear lilly soldier-lad, etc. 

My dear Bermudan lad
In baggy trousies clad,
   I love you wid whole heart,
A heart that's true an' glad;
   Our love can never part,
My darlin' bandsy lad.

O my dear lilly soldier-lad, etc. 

This page has paths:

This page has tags: