DERE’S a little anxious crowd
\nJes’ outside de barrack gate,
\nAll a-t’inkin’ deir own way
\nDat de pay is kept back late:
\nFaces of all types an’ shades,
\nBrown an’ yaller, black an’ gray,
\nDey are waitin’, waitin’ dere,
\nFor it’s p\u00f3liceman pay-day.<\/p>\n
Clearly seen among dem all Wid a lee[2]<\/sup><\/a> piece of old clot’ Six long fortnight come an’ gone “Man dem, wid dem hungry gut, See de waitin’ midnight girl Once she roamed de country woods Waits de slimber ball-pan man, Inside in de ord’ly room Quick march! halt! a sharp right tu’n, ‘Ter all de formalities, Den dere’s somet’ing gone fe kit; Now comes payin’ up de debts Strollin’ t’rough de gate at night,
\nIs a colourless white face
\nAnxious more dan every one,
\nFine type of an alien race :
\nHe is waitin’ for some cash
\nOn de goods trust’ tarra[1]<\/sup><\/a> day,–
\nOur good frien’ de Syrian,\u2014
\nFor it’s policeman pay-day.<\/p>\n
\nTon her curly glossy hair,
\nPrint frock an’ old bulldog boots
\nTatters all t’rough wear an’ tear,
\nShe is waitin’, ober-bex’,[3]<\/sup><\/a>
\nOur mess-woman, mudder Mell,
\nAn’ ‘twould grieve you’ heart to hear
\n‘Bouten wha’ she’s got to tell.<\/p>\n
\nSince some constab hol’ her up,
\nAn’, wid all de try she try,
\nShe can neber get a tup:[4]<\/sup><\/a>
\n“Me wi’ tell Inspector F\u2014
\n‘Bout de ‘ole o’ i’ to-day,
\nAn’ den me wi’ really see
\nEf him caan’ boun’ dem fe pay.<\/p>\n
\nSix long fortnight nyam me rash;
\nNot a gill[5]<\/sup><\/a> me caan’ get when
\nChiny dah dun fe him cash
\nFe de plenty t’ings me trus’,
\nSal’ fish, pork, an’ flour, an’ rice,
\nOnion an’ ingredients,
\nJes’ fe mek de brukfus’ nice.”<\/p>\n
\nWid her saucy cock-up lips,
\nAn’ her strongly-built black hands
\nPressed against her rounded hips :
\nShe has passed de bound’ry line,
\nAn’ her womanhood is sold ;
\nWonder not then, as you gaze,
\nDat, though young, she looks so bold,<\/p>\n
\nWid a free an’ stainless soul,
\nBut she left for Kingston’s slums,
\nGave herself up to de wul’:
\nShe has trod de downward course,
\nNever haltin’ on de way;
\nDere’s no better time for her
\nDan a policeman pay-day.<\/p>\n
\nWaits de little ice-cream lad,
\nWaits our washerwoman Sue,
\nAll deh chat how p\u00f3lice bad;
\nEach one sayin’ police vile,
\nYet deir faces all betray
\nDat for dem dere’s no rag time
\nLaka policeman pay-day.<\/p>\n
\nThings are movin’ very fine;
\nConstab standin’ in a row
\nHea’ de jinglin’ o’ de coin;
\nConstab wid a solemn face,
\nConstab only full o’ fun,
\nMarchin’ in de ord’ly room
\nAs dem name call one by one.<\/p>\n
\nWid de right han’ smart salute,
\nAll attention poker-stiff,
\nAn’ a-standin’ grave an’ mute :
\nOffice-clerk calls out de name,
\nOfficer hands de amount
\nTo Sa’an’ Major standin’ by,
\nWho gives it a second count.<\/p>\n
\nDis an’ dat an’ warra[6]<\/sup><\/a> not,
\nSalute, ‘tion, right about turn,
\nDen de precious pay is got :
\nLee gone to de reward fund
\nTrough a blot’ defaulter-sheet,
\nRun do’n by sub-officers,
\nOr caught sleepin’ on dem beat;<\/p>\n
\nUniform mus’ smart an’ nice,
\nElse de officer won’ t’ink
\nDat a bobby’s wutten price.
\nAll dem way de money go ;
\nSo de payin’-out fe some,
\nWhen de fortnight dem come roun’,
\nin-a ord’ly room.<\/p>\n
\nTo de miscellaneous crowd
\nWaitin’ by de barrack-gate,
\nChattin’, chattin’ very loud :
\nPayin’, payin’ all de time,
\nFrom a poun’ do’n to a gill,
\nWhole fortnight-pay partly done,
\nYet rum-money lef back still.<\/p>\n
\nDrinkin’ Finzi[7]<\/sup><\/a> tell dead drunk,
\nBarely standin’ at tattoo,
\nAfter[8]<\/sup><\/a> tumblin’ in-a bunk ;
\nAll de two-an’-four is done,
\nSo-so trust nong[9]<\/sup><\/a> ebery day
\nTell de fortnight comes again
\nAn’ we get de little pay.<\/p>\n