Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


PRIOR TO MISS BELLE'S APPEARANCE by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

Poet Analysis

First Line: WHAT MAKES YOU COME HERE FER, MISTER
Last Line: IST FLY-AN' EVER-THING! . . . I WISHT I'D DIE!
Subject(s): CHILDREN; FAMILY LIFE; CHILDHOOD; RELATIVES;

What makes you come @3here@1 fer, Mister,
So much to our house? -- @3say?@1
Come to see our big sister! --
An' Charley he says 'at you kissed her
An' he ketched you, th'uther day! --
Didn' you, Charley? -- But we p'omised Belle
An' crossed our heart to never to tell --
'Cause SHE gived us some o' them-er
Chawk'lut-drops 'at you bringed to her!

Charley he's my little b'uther --
An' we has a-mostest fun,
Don't we, Charley? -- Our Muther,
Whenever we whips one anuther,
Tries to whip @3us@1 -- an' we @3run@1 --
Don't we, Charley? -- An' nen, bime-by,
Nen she gives us cake -- an' pie --
Don't she, Charley? -- when we come in
An' pomise never to do it ag'in!

@3He's@1 named Charley. -- I'm @3Willie@1 --
An' I'm got the purtiest name!
But Uncle Bob @3he@1 calls me "Billy" --
Don't he, Charley? -- 'N' our filly
We named "Billy," the same
Ist like me! An' our Ma said
'At "Bob puts foolishnuss into our head!" --
Didn' she, Charley? -- An' SHE don't know
Much about @3Boys!@1 -- 'Cause Bob said so!

Baby's a funniest feller!
Nain't no hair on his head --
IS they, Charley? -- It's meller
Wite up there! An' ef Belle er
Us ask wuz @3we@1 that way, Ma said, --
"Yes; an' yer @3Pa's@1 head wuz soft as that,
An' it's that way yet!" -- An' Pa grabs his hat
An' says, "Yes, childern, she's right about Pa --
'Cause that's the reason he married yer Ma!"

An' our Ma says 'at "Belle couldn'
Ketch nothin' at all but ist 'BOWS!" --
An' PA says 'at "you're soft as puddun!" --
An' @3Uncle Bob@1 says "you're a good-un --
'Cause he can tell by yer nose!"-
Didn' he, Charley? -- An' when Belle'll play
In the poller on th' pianer, some day,
Bob makes up funny songs about you,
Till she gits mad-like he wants her to!

Our sister @3Fanny@1 she's @3'leven@1
Years old! 'At's mucher 'an I --
Ain't it, Charley? . . . I'm seven! --
But our sister Fanny's in @3Heaven!@1
Nere's where you go ef you die! --
Don't you, Charley? -- Nen you has @3wings@1 --
@3Ist like Fanny!@1 -- an' @3purtiest things!@1 --
Don't you, Charley? -- An' nen you can @3fly@1 --
Ist fly-an' @3ever-thing!@1 . . . I Wisht I'D die!




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