Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, YANKEE DOODLE'S EXPEDITION TO RHODE ISLAND, by ANONYMOUS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

YANKEE DOODLE'S EXPEDITION TO RHODE ISLAND, by                    
First Line: "from lewis, monsieur gerard, came"
Last Line: "for clinton's name alarmed his mind, / and made him stir his stumps, sir"
Subject(s): "american Revolution;navy - France;newport, Rhode Island;" French Navy


FROM Lewis, Monsieur Gerard came,
To Congress in this town, sir,
They bow'd to him, and he to them,
And then they all sat down, sir.

Begar, said Monsieur, one grand coup
You shall bientot behold, sir;
This was believ'd as gospel true,
And Jonathan felt bold, sir.

So Yankee Doodle did forget
The sound of British drum, sir,
How oft it made him quake and sweat,
In spite of Yankee rum, sir.

He took his wallet on his back,
His rifle on his shoulder,
And veow'd Rhode Island to attack
Before he was much older.

In dread array their tatter'd crew
Advanc'd with colors spread, sir,
Their fifes played Yankee doodle, doo,
King Hancock at their head, sir.

What numbers bravely cross'd the seas,
I cannot well determine,
A swarm of rebels and of fleas,
And every other vermin.

Their mighty hearts might shrink they tho't,
For all flesh only grass is,
A plenteous store they therefore bought
Of whiskey and molasses.

They swore they'd make bold Pigot squeak,
So did their good ally, sir,
And take him pris'ner in a week,
But that was all my eye, sir.

As Jonathan so much desir'd
To shine in martial story,
D'Estaing with politesse retir'd,
To leave him all the glory.

He left him what was better yet,
At least it was more use, sir,
He left him for a quick retreat
A very good excuse, sir.

To stay, unless he rul'd the sea,
He thought would not be right, sir,
And Continental troops, said he,
On islands should not fight, sir.

Another cause with these combin'd
To throw him in the dumps, sir,
For Clinton's name alarmed his mind,
And made him stir his stumps, sir.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net