Versos English Kate Simpson Hayes St. Boniface Fire Brigade

English poem

St. Boniface Fire Brigade

by (1856–1945)

Listen in the reader

W'en you come wes' from de oder place An' you want sometings for see; Jus' come an' see St. Boniface An' I show you sometings, me:-- Dar's de Mission Church dat W'ittier sing---- "Turrets twain," wher' de peoples prayed; But dar's sometings we got better still---- Da's St. Boniface Fire Brigade!

Da's a g-rea-t Brigade;--has mans tree, four---- Married mans wit be-eg fam-i-lee; Champeau, Dorien, petite Lafleur, An' Jean Perriault (da's ME). Us mans we work like h--ll all day Wit de saw, de hammer an' de spade, But by gar, w'en de fire-bell she goes "ring," Da's de t'am we don't was 'fraid.

You hear dat ting 'bout d' beeg oil-house; Tree hundre' bar'ls cotch de fire? De smoke, mon Dieu! wit de flame go hup To de top of de be-eg church-spire;-- Lafleur's femme, she take de fit hon de floor---- Ma femme, she scre-ee-ch, "Saint Marie!" Hevery one yell--dat place look like he--ll, Ontil Dorien, Champeau, an' ME----

We fill hup de tank in de Red Rivaire---- Sacre! how de mans per--s--pire; De peoples go cra--ss--y; Winnipeg despaire; An' de bells dey ring, "F-i-r-e!--F-i-r-e." W'at you t'ink happens? You nevaire don't guess---- Notings like dat happens sence;-- De horse runs away--de hose it go burs'---- But we save de dog-poun' fence!

You hear w'at 'appens once in de place? W'en d' King's son he come Wes', All d' womans dress hup, wash d' baby face; An' d' mans put hon he's bes'. Winni-peg bow down t' George d' Prince;-- Put d' soldier-mans hon parade; But de Prince, he sick of d' whole dam' show, Hask: "WHER' ST. BONIFACE FIRE BRIGADE?"

Y--as, an' w'en d' heartquake shake Frisco, "Hend of d' worl'!" some sa-aid; I send telegraff (cos' me tree dollaire), "You like have my Fire Brigade?" Hon d' las' Election, in d' Town-Hall Laurier sp'ik; He sa--aid:-- "Gentilhomme! if--you--want--put--dat--bad--Tory--hout, Get St. Boniface Fire BRIGADE!"