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20.

1   AMERICAN mouth-songs!

Those of mechanics—each one singing, his, as it          should be, blithe and strong,

The carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank          or beam,

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The mason singing his, as he makes ready for work,          or leaves off work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat          —the deck-hand singing on the steamboat deck,

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench—the          hatter singing as he stands,

The wood-cutter's song—the ploughboy's, on his way          in the morning, or at the noon intermission, or at          sundown;

The delicious singing of the mother—or of the          young wife at work—or of the girl sewing or          washing—Each singing what belongs to her,          and to none else,

The day what belongs to the day—At night, the          party, of young fellows, robust, friendly, clean-          blooded, singing with melodious voices, melo-          dious thoughts.

2   Come! some of you! still be flooding The States          with hundreds and thousands of mouth-songs,          fit for The States only.

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