Works in the Herald 1935
AFRICAN INTERLUDE
I t'inkin' da war now go for stop
   Between Black Sammo, da slush,
An' Nicko, da boss of da fry-fish shop.
   All sound of da conflic' hush
Since da corner-a cop he putta da foot
   Down firm an' talk tinna tack;
For Nicko see wer he notta so goot
   If he make-a da beezness slack.

For da corner-a cop made food for t'ink
   When he spika to Nick an' say
He apply-a da sanc' so quick like-a wink
   An' Nicko, he have-a to pay.
If da customer stop for come to da shop
   How da beezness carryin' on?
More better, Nick t'inkin', for war to flop
   If he goin' for lose da mon'.

So da cop make term for da peace discush,
   All da same like lig-a-da-Naish,
'Twix' Nicko, de boss, an' Sammo, da slush,
   An' dey bote getta com-a-da-saish:
For Sammo he getta two Friday free
   Each-a mont' for kick-a da heel;
An' Nicko he getta clean plate two, t'ree,
   Four time for each-a day meal.

But, Nicko, he go wit' da t'oughtful eye
   An' mooch-a; he shake-a da head;
He donna look like-a he satisfy
   When all-a been done an' said.

"Den"
Herald, 28 October 1935, p6

Copyright © Perry Middlemiss 2004