by Alfred Noyes and the Hirtzenocker girls
THE wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was tub of tartar sauce tossed on cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of swiss cheese over the purple moor,
And the french fry thief came riding�
Riding�riding�
The french fry thief came riding, up to the restaurant door.
II
He'd a French fry smashed on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the ketchup velvet, and breeches of tater skins;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a greasy twinkle,
His milkshake cups a-twinkle,
His forks and knives a-twinkle, under the salty sky.
III
Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the restaurant yard,
And he tapped with a fry on the shutters, but all was locked and barred;
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the fry cook's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the fry cook's daughter,
Plaiting a ketchup soaked fry into her long black hair.
IV
And dark in the dark parking lot a dumpster wicket creaked
Where Tim the bus boy listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy cheese,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say�
V
"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."
VI
He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of fry grease came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet, black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the West.
(To Be Continued)