Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE FLITCH OF DUNMOW, by JAMES CARNEGIE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE FLITCH OF DUNMOW, by             Poem Explanation         Poet's Biography
First Line: Come micky and molly and dainty dolly
Last Line: "fetters a heart and sets it free."
Alternate Author Name(s): Southesk, 6th Earl Of
Subject(s): Marriage; Customs, Social


COME Micky and Molly and dainty Dolly,
Come Betty and blithesome Bill;
Ye gossips and neighbors, away with your labors!
Come to the top of the hill.
For there are Jenny and jovial Joe;
Jolly and jolly, jolly they go,
Jogging over the hill.

By apple and berry, 't is twelve months merry
Since Jenny and Joe were wed!
And never a bother or quarrelsome pother
To trouble the board or bed.
So Joe and Jenny are off to Dunmow:
Happy and happy, happy they go,
Young and rosy and red.

Oh, Jenny's as pretty as doves in a ditty;
And Jenny, her eyes are black;
And Joey's a fellow as merry and mellow
As ever shoulder'd a sack.
So quick, good people, and come to the show!
Merry and merry, merry they go,
Bumping on Dobbin's back.

They've prank'd up old Dobbin with ribands and bobbin,
And tether'd his tail in a string!
The fat flitch of bacon is not to be taken
By many that wear the ring!
Good luck, good luck, to Jenny and Joe!
Jolly and jolly, jolly they go.
Hark! how merry they sing.

"O merry, merry, merry are we,
Happy as birds that sing in a tree!
All of the neighbors are merry to-day,
Merry are we and merry are they.
O merry are we! for love, you see,
Fetters a heart and sets it free.

"O happy, happy, happy is life
For Joe (that's me) and Jenny my wife!
All of the neighbors are happy, and say --
'Never were folk so happy as they!'
O happy are we! for love, you see,
Fetters a heart and sets it free.

"O jolly, jolly, jolly we go,
I and my Jenny, and she and her Joe.
All of the neighbors are jolly, and sing --
'She is a queen, and he is a king!'
O jolly are we! for love, you see,
Fetters a heart and sets it free."





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