Classic Poem

I.

Troth , Mister John Bull, you're a pretty milch cow!
Oh, what do you think of us Volunteers now?
Sure I told you the work we kick'd up in the state,
Before it was finish'd would all be complate!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

II.

Troth, I told you last year (if you call it to mind)
What we left you before we would not lave behind;
And wasn't I right now? by hook or by crook;
For all that we left you is all that we took!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

III.

But 'twas deadly good-natur'd in you to lay down,
With the wrongs of our trade, all the rights of your own!
'Twas a mighty home stroke of magnanimous pride
To break your own backs for the thorn in our side!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

IV.

Oh, like fools, we despair'd that our terms would go down!
Or such sharp propositions be sweet to the Crown!
Then how pleasing to find your proud stomachs to fall!
When we'd thrown 'em up first, that you swallow'd them all!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

V.

Sure I hard Master Orde now relate, in his place,
All your bountiful gifts of superfluous grace;
Jasus! how we all star'd while he empty'd his sconce!
To find such a big bag of blessings at once!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

VI.

Oh, the brave British subject! his looks were so sweet,
When he laid down your case and your trade at our feet!
And the comments he made too, the wife little elf,
To shew us that Britain's no friend to herself!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

VII.

Troth, it plais'd him, he said (could a Briton say more?)
That the trade of your country would shift to our shore;
And that England's disasters had sunk her so low, —
The good tidings he brought us would finish the blow!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

VIII.

Then he said, 'twas contriv'd too by part of the gift,
That without Irish linens ye can't make a shift.
Troth now, ladies, and that's a good measure for you,
When the linen comes over, the yard will come too!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

IX.

Now we took it most kind, that your ruler of state
(Who, they say, has no PARTS , but the parts in his pate )
Should for female commodities open a door,
And let freely the great Irish staple come o'er!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

X.

'Twould have bother'd my head now, the words P ITT let fall,
When you gave us so much, you gave nothing at all!
But in Dublin I hard his interpreter swear,
That nothing in England means every thing there!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

XI.

But your minister says now, " We've got all we can:
" The two states must be join'd on a permanent " plan. "
By my shoul, he's joiner of notable craft,
Who loosens all ties now — to bind us more fast!
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

XII.

And he says when all duties and drawbacks are paid,
That the navy will want what we make in our trade.
Troth, she will want it all. Now he's right on that score:
And she'll want it, God help her, for ever, and more.
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!

XIII.

If you wish now to know how our cards we have play'd,
Why we took up our clubs, and we threw down our spade:
So ye dealt us all trumps now for that very thing:
And so Pam became civil as well as the King.
With my Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
Ballinamona Ora,
The Treaty of Commerce for me!