Well I remember him — Big Jack Herrington;
Big Jack, the lumper, tanned and honest-eyed,
The clean, straight limbs of him,
The strength in those limbs of him —
Strength that was the end of him, and once had been his pride:
Big Jack Herrington, toiling up the stack,
Hefting up the wheat sacks on his mighty back.
One year, two years he labored when the wheat came;
Three years, four years, in the grimy heat,
Toiling up the planks there —
The crazy, narrow planks there.
Folk said, “A wonder! Why, there’s nothing got him beat!”
Never had he faltered beneath a heavy bag —
Big, Jack, the lumper, never known to sag.
For five years, for big pay he larbored there.
“Ten bob a day!” they said. “Jack’s the boy to score.”
And then came the end of him —
A false step, and the end of him;
And Big Jack, the lumper, he toiled no more.
Twisted now and broken — his body and his pride,
Big Jack lingered on, a cripple till he died.
Old Jack Herrington, sitting in the bar-room,
Hoping for a kind friend, waiting for a “shout.”
Men said, “Remember him?”
Course I remember him.
Best about the stock yard till his strength gave out.
Booze never beat him till that tumble turned him queer….
Hey! Old Jack, there! Have another beer?”
(C J Dennis)
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Based on Topics: Friendship Poems, Hope Poems, Pride Poems, Madness Poems, Curiosity PoemsBased on Keywords: sag, bar-room, hefting, lumper, honest-eyed