The Fourth In Gungawamp

I’ve seen ‘em celebrate the Fourth in city an’ in town,

Heard patriotic speeches made by men uv great renown;

Heard famous bands uv music play in regimentals fine

With soldiers, statesmen an’ perlice paradin’ down the line.

I’ve seen the Gov’ner on his hoss, his staff in red an’ gold,

Ride by in quiet magniferccense, like conquerors uv old,

But none uv these hez ever made my youthful pulses jump

Like them old Fouths we use to hev way down in Gungawamp.

No sir the ‘arly mornin’s there afore the dawn wuz seen,

When all the boys fur miles eround wuz gathered on the green

A-helpin’ load the canon an’ a-runnin’ ‘fore she “brayed”

Beat any cellerbration thet the city ever made.

An’ then we’d steal intew the church an’ git a-holt the bell,

An’ “ring our inderpendance” till the Deekins come pell-mell

An’ chased us frum the solumn place with painful bruise an’ bump –

O them wuz glorious Fourths we hed way down in Gungawamp.

At nine the village band would meet upon the green an’ play

Some good ol’ fashioned tunes until the line wuz under way.

With Co. Wilkins in the lead, astride his ol’ white mare,

The proudest, straightest dignity uv all the people there.

An’ then the march around the town, thro’ every dusty street,

A-helpin’ lug the big bass drum thet Deak’n Skinner beat;

Joy ringin’ in my youthful breast with ev’ry bang an’ thump –

O them wuz proper kind uv Fourths we hed in Gungawamp.

An' then the grand orations made by Jedge Ezekiel Brown

Would lift the hair uv any boy frum in or out uv town,

An' fill his youthful bosom full uv patriotic fire

Until a sword or musket wuz his only life desire.

Then come the games, the best uv all, sack races fur the men

Who’d tumble over in the dirt then stagger off ergain!

Tub races on the village pond, with dunkin’s by the score,

The people clappin’ wildly ez they crowded on the shore.

Then climbin’ up the greasy pole tur git the “highest” prize,

Wuz fun enough fur ev’ryone who didn’t try tur rise!

An' ketchin’ uv the greasy pig, a lively youngster, tew,

Beat any cellerbration fun the city ever knew!

No, sir, they’s nuthin’ nowadays comes up tur times like those,

Ol’ times thet haunt a feller’s mind no matter where he goes;

An’ I am hopin’ time at last will take a backward jump

An’ give us Fourths like them we hed way down in Gungawamp.

May 26, 1901