De moon shines ofer de cloudlens, <br />Und de cloudts plow ofer de sea, <br />Und I vent to Coney Island, <br />Und I took mein Schatz mit me. <br />Mein Schatz, Katrina Bauer, <br />I gife her mein heart und vortdt; <br />Boot ve tidn't know vot beoples <br />De Dampfsschiff hafe cot on poard. <br /> <br />De preeze plowed cool und bleasant, <br />We looket at de town <br />Mit sonn-light on de shdeebles, <br />Und wetter fanes doornin' round. <br />Ve sat on de deck in a gorner <br />Und dropled nopody dere, <br />Vhen all aroundt oos de rowdies <br />Peginned to plackguard und schvear. <br /> <br />A voman mit a papy <br />Vos sittin' in de blace; <br />Von tooket a chew tobacco <br />Und trowed it indo her vace. <br />De voman got coonvulshons, <br />De papy pegin to gry; <br />Und de rowdies shkreemed out a laffin, <br />Und saidt dat de fun was 'high.' <br /> <br />Pimepy ve become some hoonger, <br />Katrina Bauer und I, <br />I openet de lit of mine pasket, <br />Und pringed out a cherry bie. <br />A cherry kooken mit pretzels, <br />'How goot!' Katrina said, <br />Vhen a rowdy snatched it from her, <br />Und preaked it ofer mine het. <br /> <br />I dells him he pe a plackguart, <br />I gifed him a biece my mind, <br />I vouldt saidt it pefore a tousand, <br />Mit der teufel himself pehind. <br />Den he knocks me down mit a sloong-shot, <br />Und peats me plack and plue; <br />Und de plackguards kick me, <br />Dill I vainted, und dat ish drue. <br /> <br />De rich American beoples <br />Don't know how de rowdies shtrike <br />Der poor hardtworkin' Sharman, <br />He knows it more ash he like. <br />If de Deutsche speakers und bapers <br />Are somedimes too hard on dis land, <br />Shoost dink how de Deutsch kit driven <br />Along by de rowdy's hand!<br /><br />Charles Godfrey Leland<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-ballad-apout-de-rowdies/
