by Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1936)
Bill 'Awkins
Language: English
"'As anybody seen Bill 'Awkins?" "Now 'ow in the devil would I know?" "'E's taken my girl out walkin', An' I've got to tell 'im so -- Gawd -- bless -- 'im! I've got to tell 'im so." "D'yer know what 'e's like, Bill 'Awkins?" "Now what in the devil would I care?" "'E's the livin', breathin' image of an organ-grinder's monkey, With a pound of grease in 'is 'air -- Gawd -- bless -- 'im! An' a pound o' grease in 'is 'air." "An' s'pose you met Bill 'Awkins, Now what in the devil 'ud ye do?" "I'd open 'is cheek to 'is chin-strap buckle, An' bung up 'is both eyes, too -- Gawd -- bless -- 'im! An' bung up 'is both eyes, too!" "Look 'ere, where 'e comes, Bill 'Awkins! Now what in the devil will you say?" "It isn't fit an' proper to be fightin' on a Sunday, So I'll pass 'im the time o' day -- Gawd -- bless -- 'im! I'll pass 'im the time o' day!"
Authorship:
- by Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1936), "Bill 'Awkins", appears in The Seven Seas, first published 1896 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by W. L. Ward-Higgs , "Bill 'Awkins", published 1906. [voice and piano] [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-02-07
Line count: 24
Word count: 161