Two ‘Mericana Men

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Beeg Irish cop dat walk hees beat
 By den peanutta stan’,
First two, t’ree week w’en we are meet
 Ees call me "Dagoman."
An’ w’en he see how mad I gat,
 Wheech eesa pleass heem, too,
Wan day he say: "W’at’s matter dat,
 Ain’t ‘Dago’ name for you?
Dat’s ‘Mericana name, you know,
 For man from Eetaly;
Eet ees no harm for call you so,
 Den why be mad weeth me?"
First time he talka deesa way
 I am too mad for speak,
But nexta time I justa say:
 "All righta Meester Meeck I"  

O! my, I nevva hear bayfore
 Sooch langwadge like he say;
An’ he don’t look at me no more
 For mebbe two, t’ree day.
But pretta soon agen I see
 Den beeg poleecaman
Dat com’ an’ growl an’ say to me;
 "Halo, Eyetalian! Now, mebbe so you gon’ deny
Dat dat’sa name for you."
 I smila back an’ mak’ reply:
"No, Irish, dat’sa true."
 "Ha! Joe," be cry, "you theenk dat we
Should call you ‘Merican ?"  
 "Dat’s gooda ‘nough," I say, "for me,
Eef dat’s w’at you are, Dan."  

So now all times we speaka so
 Like gooda ‘Merican:
He say to me, "Good morna, Joe,"
 I say, "Good morn, Dan."  

© Thomas Augustine Daly