Songs of Jamaica (1912)

My Pretty Dan

I HAVE a póliceman down at de Bay,[1]
An’ he is true to me though far away.

I love my pólice, and he loves me too,
An’ he has promised he’ll be ever true.

My little bobby is a darlin’ one,
An’ he’s de prettiest you could set eyes ‘pon.

When he be’n station’ up de countryside,
Fus’ time I shun him sake o’ foolish pride.

But as I watched him patrolling his beat,
I got to find out he was nice an’ neat.

More still I foun’ out he was extra kin’,
An’ dat his precious heart was wholly mine.

Den I became his own a true sweetheart,
An’ while life last we’re hopin’ not fe part.

He wears a truncheon an’ a handcuff case,
An’ pretty cap to match his pretty face.

Dear lilly p’liceman stationed down de sout’,
I feel your kisses rainin’ on my mout’.

I could not give against[2] a policeman;
For if I do, how could I lub my Dan?

Prettiest of naygur is my dear police,
We’ll lub foreber, an’ our lub won’t cease.

I have a policeman down at de Bay,
An’ he is true to me though far away.


  1. Morant Bay and similarly named seaside towns are always called imply 'the Bay' by tbe people of the district
  2. Revile, abuse, vilify

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This work (Poems by Claude McKay by Claude McKay) is free of known copyright restrictions.