Americans

You can always tell the English,
You can always tell the Dutch,
You can always tell the Yankees -
But you can't tell them much!

Unknown

The identity of this poet is not known. Their works, which are often of significant historical or cultural value, have been attributed to 'Unknown'. This designation is commonly used when the creator of works, ranging from ancient texts to more modern writings, remains anonymous or uncredited. Despite the lack of personal details, the impact and importance of these works endure, offering insight into the eras and cultures from which they originated.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CXXXVIII. Songs.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. DXII. Natural History.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. XXXVII. Literal

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. DCXVIII. Relics.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

English

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Drinking

The Frenchman loves his native wine;
    The German loves his beer;
The Englishman loves his 'alf and 'alf,
    Because it brings good cheer;
The Irishman loves his "whiskey straight,"
    Because it gives him dizziness;
The American has no choice at all,
    So he drinks the whole blamed business.

Unknown

To The American Invader

    Dear Sir or Madam
    (As the case may be), -
    Peace hath her victories as well as war
    And sometimes
    When I have occasion to travel
    In this muggy metropolis of ours,
    I begin to wonder whether I really am in London,
    Or in New York.
    On the tops of Atlas 'buses, and all other 'buses,
    At the dining-tables of hotels at all prices,
    At all theatres,
    At all music-halls,
    At all art galleries,
    At all "evenings,"
    At all social functions
    Metropolitan in their nature
    You, my dear Sir or Madam
    (As the case may be),
    Flourish and are to the fore,
    There are people in the world
    Who can pick you out at a glance.
    The American woman, I am told,
    Wears a certain kind ...

Thomas William Hodgson Crosland

Breitmann In Holland - Leyden

Tis shveet to valk in Holland towns
Apout de twilicht tide,
Vhen all ish shdill on proad canals,
Safe vhere a poat may clide.
Shdrange light on darkenin vater falls,
In long soft lines afar,
Der abenddroth on dunkelheit,
Vitch shows or hides a star.

De pridges risen all aroundt
So quaindly, left und right,
Pedween each pridge und shattow, lies,
A lemon of yellow light,
Und das volk a-goin ober,
So darklin onwarts pass,
Dey look like Chinese shattows shown
Apofe a lookin-glass.

All shdiller grows, und shdiller,
Sogar die efenin preeze,
Ish only heardt far ober het
In dese long lines of drees;
A real oldt Holland feelin
Cooms gadderin ober all,
Youd nefer dink a sturm hat peen
Oopon dis Grand Canawl.

De ...

Charles Godfrey Leland

Guess

There is a certain Yankee phrase
I always have revered,
Yet, somehow, in these modern days,
It's almost disappeared;
It was the usage years ago,
But nowadays it's got
To be regarded coarse and low
To answer: "I guess not!"

The height of fashion called the pink
Affects a British craze--
Prefers "I fancy" or "I think"
To that time-honored phrase;
But here's a Yankee, if you please,
That brands the fashion rot,
And to all heresies like these
He answers, "I--guess not!"--

When Chaucer, Wycliff, and the rest
Express their meaning thus,
I guess, if not the very best,
It's good enough for us!
Why! shall the idioms of our speech
Be banished and forgot
For this vain trash which moderns teach?
Well, no, sir; I guess not!

Eugene Field

Boston

There was a young lady from Boston,
A two-horned dilemma was tossed on,
    As to which was the best,
    To be rich in the west
Or poor and peculiar in Boston.

Unknown

The Dutch In The Medway

If wars were won by feasting,
0r victory by song,
Or safety found in sleeping sound,
How England would be strong!
But honour and dominion
Are not maintained so.
They're only got by sword and shot,
And this the Dutchmen know!

The moneys that should feed us
You spend on your delight,
How can you then have sailor-men
To aid you in your fight?
Our fish and cheese are rotten,
Which makes the scurvy grow,
We cannot serve you if we starve,
And this the Dutchmen now!

Our ships in every harbour
Be neither whole nor sound,
And, when we seek to mend a leak,
No oakum can be found;
Or, if it is, the caulkers,
And carpenters also,
For lack of pay have gone away,
And this the Dutchmen know!

Mere powder, guns, and bull...

Rudyard