Dan Jess, of Batawa, brought this poem to my attention. It was written by his Great Uncle, Dan Suree Muffitt (D.S.M.) of Coe Hill, after whom Dan is named. “My uncle was electrocuted on Dug Hill Road (near the Trenton Walmart) before I was born in 1959 when he stepped on a live downed Hydro line.” This poem was written post WW2. Dan’s grandmother was a Coe Hill Mindle after which the Mindle Road and Mindel Swamp are named.
The poem is published with permission, unedited.

UNCLE DAN’S POEM
The Lone Wolf

As I sit alone in my old shop.
And try to think of the past.
Something keeps saying Forget Dan.
Those hard times surely cant last.

But I still can remember the last war
When all my good Friends went away,
But here I am on my ass again
With not a word to say.

There is McCormacks, McCauleys & Carneys.
With Sexsmiths & Pattersons two.
Casements, Curries and Woodleys
All my friends I once knew.

But it seems I must be the black Sheep.
Or I haven’t the Guts to go.
As I make my way to my old home
With the roads piled high with the Snow.

Now we three have dinner together.
Annie, Gordon, and Dan;
Then make my way to the old Shop again.
And think what a dam fool I am.

I know we will soon be forgotten.
This saying is old but it’s true,
The ones who I laughed and Joked with.
Well their gone ? And what can I do.

I realise the Tide was against you all.
And no one knows better than I.
When you try to get some where in this Town,
Well, It just cant be done, You know why,

The Gunters, Sexsmiths & Carneys,
They lumbered for years it is true.
When the Timber was done. They hadent a Cent,
The profits all went to a few.

McCauley he started to Barber.
And sell a little Ice Cream.
When the Native hear couldent get Him
The Governments Orders were seen.

I think I will go back to the Cave Days.
Where they never Shaved or cut Hair.
And see if the Blood Hounds of this Town
Will follow my Trail away up there.

Take McCormack A Great War Veteran.
A Man who has what it takes.
What happened to him in this Town?
Why he was bitten and chased by the Snakes.

Shurly this is enough to convince me.
That this place is dead to the coar
When a man of this class is pushed out on his Ass,
I ask you. Who was he fighting for?

Now this is no Bull and you know it.
Just name me a man if you can.
Who wasent in fear when he started in here.
That turned out to be worth a dam.

We are sure to fall one way or another.
Be in debt and never get out
If we stay here and Toil we can work till we spoil.
And be flat on your ass with your pipe out.

The Doreys were all dam fine people.
The Boys were the life of the Town.
But why did they drift to the bright lights
The answer is easily found.

We three would like to go somewhere
But where we cannot figure out,
But I guess anywhere if the People are fair
Would be better than this by a Dam site.

I wasent born in the back Woods
I have travelled a little around,
And I am sure when I pack my Turkey
A new roosting place will be found.

I have saw my friends fall by the Road side
With their Legs sticking high in the air,
Wanting help bad. But still laughing,
But Hell; That’s part of life we dident care.

Our Goofe jug is empty and broken
But our memories still linger on,
Someday we may meet again for old time sake
And sing the Scotch highlanders song.

I now wonder down to the Station
It two looks lonesome and Old,
I think of the good times I have had there
Where the Jokes and the stories were told.

I drop in to see my friend Johnson
He too like my self wears a frown,
We chat there for hours of the old times
When there was really life in this Town.
The happiest ones here are the kiddies
The past they don’t think to recall,
But if their Parents live here
For just a few year, God pitty their life after all.
In a few years the Wolves will be prowling
On the street of Coe Hill sure as Hell,
And any one left here in those days
Will see times that no mortal can tell.

I hope they wont bother the grave yard
The Day the Wolves invade the Town,
Im Afraid if they do some people in there
Will turn over and start digging down.

There are only a few live in this Town
Who have comforts of life after all,
And the load for the poor man is heavy
And many the time will he fall.

I have saw this Town grow from its Childhood
In fact with them all did I play,
But ill never regret the Years spent here
But it seems to me only A day.

You may call me a fool for to stay here
For so many years after all,
But remember Friends I had good Parents
Who I never could bare to see fall.

But now I am happy for their sake
But this place I can just wish it well,
If there is any worse place in this wide world
You will find it down cellar in Hell.

My feelings I give to you Frankly
I don’t want to get rich it is true,
We only expect a good Living
and heres wishing the same thing to you,
I am writing those lines to tell you
the markets have taken away the things I have always most needed
My Auto my horse and my sleigh.

Now I am riding around on a Donkey, Hes Tattered Hes Weary Hes
Slow, So if you don’t see me this New Year Ill be out on my
Ass in the Snow. Longfellow,
D.S.M.