THE Prohibitionists made me Town Marshal When the saloons were voted out, Because when I was a drinking man, Before I joined the church, I killed a Swede At the saw-mill near Maple Grove. And they wanted a terrible man, Grim, righteous, strong, courageous, And a hater of saloons and drinkers, To keep law and order in the village. And they presented me with a loaded cane With which I struck Jack McGuire Before he drew the gun with which he killed me. The Prohibitionists spent their money in vain To hang him, for in a dream I appeared to one of the twelve jurymen And told him the whole secret story. Fourteen years were enough for killing me. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...COUNSEIL TO A BACHELER by MARIANNE MOORE A NEGRO LOVE SONG by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR CALYPSO WATCHING THE OCEAN by LETITIA ELIZABETH LANDON MELANCHOLY by PHILIP EDWARD THOMAS PARRHASIUS by NATHANIEL PARKER WILLIS THE TAXI by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS ODE; SUNG BY THE CHILDREN OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS by W. T. ADAMS |