Classic Poem

1. Come all you young men from the Nashwaak, It's of a
young man I'm goin' to talk, Young Elmer Forbest was this man's name;
Of Christian parents this young man came. grave you can sit and weep.

2 He worked five years for John McBean,
He worked five years for John McBean,
He worked five years in his employ,
And they called him their own serving boy.

3 They marched them up John Sullivan's hill,
They marched them to the forest green.
It was there to behold, it was there to be seen,
With axes keen they cut them down
And on the wagon their lumber bound.

4 The choppers stopped, they heard a groan.
The wagon parted, but never broke.
The wagon parted, but never broke;
Young Forbest fell, and he never spoke.

5 His comrades washed his hands and face all o'er;
And for this young man they could do no more.
His parents bore him down, and on his grave you can sit and weep,
While he lies under, fast asleep.

6 These lines were written by a blind man,
And every verse it is complete,
And every line it is the truth.
Here ends the days of a faithful youth.