Da Boy from Rome

By Thomas Augustine Daly

1871-1948


To-day ees com' from Eetaly
         A boy ees leeve een Rome,
An' he ees stop an' speak weeth me --
         I weesh he stay at home.

He stop an' say "Hallo," to me.
         An' w'en he standin' dere
I smal da smal of Eetaly
         Steell steeckin' een hees hair,
Dat com' weeth heem across da sea,
         An' een da clo'es he wear.

Da peopla bomp heem een da street,
         Da noise ees scare heem, too;
He ees so clumsy een da feet
         He don't know w'at to do,
Dere ees so many theeng he meet
         Dat ees so strange, so new.

He sheever an' he ask eef here
         Eet ees so always cold.
Den een hees eye ees com' a tear --
         He ees no vera old --
An', oh, hees voice ees soun' so queer
         I have no heart for scold.

He look up een da sky so gray,
         But oh, hees eye ees be
So far away, so far away,
         An' w'at he see I see.
Da sky eet ees no gray to-day
         At home een Eetaly.

He see da glada peopla seet
         Where warma shine da sky --
Oh, while he eesa look at eet
         He ees baygeen to cry.
Eef I no growl an' swear a beet
         So, too, my frand, would I.

Oh, why he stop an' speak weeth me,
         Dees boy dat leeve een Rome,
An' com' to-day from Eetaly?
         I weesh he stay at home.

DayPoems Poem No. 1203
<a href="http://www.daypoems.net/poems/1203.html">Da Boy from Rome by Thomas Augustine Daly</a>

The DayPoems Poetry Collection, www.daypoems.net
Timothy Bovee, editor

Poets  Poems