My Uncle’s Favorite Poem

MIA CARLOTTA

T. A. Daly

GIUSEPPE, da barber, ees greata for "mash,"

He gotta da bigga, da blacka mustache,

Good clo'es an' good styla an' playnta good cash.

W'enevra Giuseppe ees walk on da street,

Da peopla dey talka, "how nobby! how neat!

How softa da handa, how smalla da feet."

He raisa hees hat an' he shaka hees curls,

An' smila weeth teetha so shiny like pearls;

O! many da heart of da seelly young girls

He gotta.

Yes, playnta he gotta—

But notta

Carlotta!

Giuseppe, da barber, he maka da eye,

An' lika da steam engine puffa an' sigh,

For catcha Carlotta w'en she ees go by.

Carlotta she walka weeth nose in da air,

An' look through Giuseppe weeth far-away stare,

As eef she no see dere ees som'body dere.

Giuseppe, da barber, he gotta da cash,

He gotta da clo'es an' da bigga mustache,

He gotta da seely young girls for da "mash,"

But notta—

You bat my life, notta—

Carlotta.

I gotta!