The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #83915   Message #3232697
Posted By: McGrath of Harlow
02-Oct-11 - 03:19 PM
Thread Name: The Wiser Maid (please critique!)
Subject: RE: THE WISER MAID (please critique!)
Quite excellent. I like the idea of standing the broken token notion on its head. Here's one I did a few years back with that idea in mind. A bit more soft-hearted...:

The moon it was hidden,
And the night it was still
As a tired weary figure,
Trudged over the hill.
And he came to a window,
"Are you wakin', my dear"
And a voice came like thunder
"We'll have none of that here!"
"For I've never seen you,
And you've nothing to gain here
And you'll not be stayin' here
So just cut and run.
So be off now, young stranger
You're dancin' with danger
For I've got you in range an'
My hand's on my gun."


"Oh Nancy, my bonny,
Can't you see that it's me
Your handsome young Johnny
Come home from the sea.
Now I tried you to test you
And you passed very well
But now I am wet through
And it's raining like hell."
"So give over your jokin',
this rain's got me chokin'
can't you see that I'm soakin,
I'm wet to the skin.
Take a look at this token,
you can see that it's broken
so won't you just open
and let me come in."


"Oh Johnny, be easy,
I've bad news and good,
For I'm not your lady,
Let that be understood.
You that must know that your Nancy,
Has wed with the squire.
But you've taken my fancy,
So come in by the fire."
"And don't think I'm jokin',
this rain's got you chokin',
I can see that you're soakin,
You're wet to the skin.
Forget that old token,
Sure, the bloody thing's broken,
so just wait while I open
and I'll let you come in."


But Johnny stood shaken,
And he cried out "Oh no -,
If my Nancy's been taken,
Back to sea I will go."
"Oh Johnny", says Nancy,
"Two can play at that game
And what's sauce for the gander
For the goose is the same."
"Let's be done with the jokin',
this rain's got you chokin'
I can see that you're soakin,
You're wet to the skin.
Let's just mend the old token,
And join what was broken
so just wait while I open
and I'll let you come in."