| Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936). Verse: 1885–1918. 1922. | | | | The Liner She’s a Lady |
| | 1894
THE LINER she’s a lady, an’ she never looks nor ’eeds— | |
| The Man-o’-War’s ’er ’usband, an’ ’e gives ’er all she needs; | |
| But, oh, the little cargo-boats, that sail the wet seas roun’, | |
| They’re just the same as you an’ me a-plyin’ up an’ down! | |
| |
| Plyin’ up an’ down, Jenny, ’angin’ round the Yard, | 5 |
| All the way by Fratton tram down to Portsmouth ’Ard; | |
| Anythin’ for business, an’ we’re growin’ old— | |
| Plyin’ up an’ down, Jenny, waitin’ in the cold! | |
| |
| The Liner she’s a lady by the paint upon ’er face, | |
| An’ if she meets an accident they count it sore disgrace. | 10 |
| The Man-o’-War’s ’er ’usband, and ’e ’s always ’andy by, | |
| But, oh, the little cargo-boats, they’ve got to load or die! | |
| |
| The Liner she’s a lady, and ’er route is cut an’ dried; | |
| The Man-o’-War’s ’er ’usband, an’ ’e always keeps beside; | |
| But, oh, the little cargo-boats that ’aven’t any man, | 15 |
| They’ve got to do their business first, and make the most they can! | |
| |
| The Liner she’s a lady, and if a war should come, | |
| The Man-o’-War’s ’er ’usband, and ’e’d bid ’er stay at home; | |
| But, oh, the little cargo-boats that fill with every tide! | |
| ’E’d ’ave to up an’ fight for them for they are England’s pride. | 20 |
| |
| The Liner she’s a lady, but if she was n’t made, | |
| There still would be the cargo-boats for ’ome an’ foreign trade. | |
| The Man-o’-War’s ’er ’usband, but if we wasn’t ’ere, | |
| ’E would n’t have to fight at all for ’ome an’ friends so dear. | |
| |
| ’Ome an’ friends so dear, Jenny, ’angin’ round the Yard, | 25 |
| All the way by Fratton tram down to Portsmouth ’Ard; | |
| Anythin’ for business, an’ we’re growin’ old— | |
| ’Ome an’ friends so dear, Jenny, waitin’ in the cold! | | | | |
|
|
